What's Up Magazine #27 November by Pierre Rabotin

#27 11/14

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DO IT YOURSELF SANDWHICH!

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SMART . SENSUAL . EPIC

COMING SOON 010 600 608 / 010 600 609 NO. 122B - NEAR RUSSIAN EMBASSY SANGKAT TONLE BASSAC, CHAMKAMON PHNOM PENH - CAMBODIA WWW.EPIC.COM.KH

Co-Founder & Managing Director Antony Hamon Editor In Chief Pierre Rabotin Editor Kerry Slattery Designer Tanya Cooper Photographers Nick Sells Meas Srey Nich Journalists Ismail Vora jee Anna Mischke Marina Shafik Joe Klondike Nicolas C. Grey Project Managers Anais Lamory Distribution Manager Ung Rithivan Special Thanks Julia White

Cover Portrait of Laura Mam by Nick Sells at: So Shoot Me Studio ..... WHAT’S UP MAGAZINE contact@wuppmag.com facebook/wupp.magazine www.wuppmag.com 097 958 7338

Dear readers, Khmerican artist Laura Mam releases this month her second album In search of Heroes, a great opportunity for us at What’s Up Magazine to look for the Kingdom’s heroes – protecting us in our daily life, urging us to take risks, and encouraging us to break the chains. In this issue, Laura Mam walks us through her creative process and tell us how the recent protests here and the energy of the youth inspired her. The result is soulful music - mixing traditional and modern beats, sewn together as a prayer for change. By doing it, she’s spurring people to seek their inner hero and speak up for freedom. Surfing on the creative vibe, we take the opportunity to discover or rediscover Cambodian heroes, painters Svay Ken and Seckon who together revived the art from the ashes of the past. Creating their own voice they illuminated the darkness with their creative light and demonstrated to young artists that a riskier yet better way was possible. Finally we take a look at the spirits protecting us everyday. Exploring Buddhism and Animism we discover the legends born in the most remote areas of Cambodia where heroes and protectors are found within the very nature surrounding us. Hope you will enjoy taking that walk with us. As usual, you will find beauty tips, geek report, cocktail of the month, an extended street style and so much more. We also decided to present you a wine and food with a twist this month we reveal which wine is best to drink with your bugs. As the flow of the river will change its course for the Water Festival, we invite you to become inspired by the processes of nature and seek such a change for yourself. The What’s Up team

017 390 066

Content Photo Of The Month

New Discoveries

Architecture kaviar restaurant

Cover feature a Laura Mam

Culture spirits of cambodia

Art svay ken & seckon

Hypemakers

Wine & bug ROMDENG RESTAURANT

Beauty Time for slime

Geek a taste of luxury

Culture stories from the past

Street Style

Cocktail MEDINA

Gurus

Agenda

SOS Page

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P43 p60 P68

Nยบ 26 - NOV 2014

photo OF THE MONTH

"waiting for water festival" By antony hamon "I saw this guy by the dock painting one of the boats that will be used for Water Festival during the famous boat races during which the Riverside gets unbelievably crowded".

DISCOVERIES

new discoveries Our Latest Favourite Things

Chez M. Paul Chez M. Paul provides guests a homemade taste of France in a Parisian-inspired setting. The restaurant has its own in-house, full-time French chef who makes each dining experience as authentic as possible. Labelled “Bistronomy”, Chez M. Paul is a unique combination of bistro and gastronomy. Fresh, wholesome home cooking meets high-class dining focused on quality and creativity. So save on airfare and take a quick trip to Paris via Chez M. Paul. Located near the riverside in the stylish new Kings Road development, transport yourself to Europe and don’t forget to sample the signature foie gras!  Achar sva. Across the old market bridge on the left along the river. Siem Reap, Kingdom of Cambodia

Comme à la Maison 2 Craving French cuisine? Come and enjoy the view at Comme à la Maison’s newest location on Tonle Sap Quay. Dine in the restaurant or pop into the Delishop and discover a wide range of fresh, homemade products. Phnom Penh’s favourite French food shop since 1996, Comme à la Maison is open for an early-morning croissant, freshly baked baguette, flaky pastry or chocolate éclair. Place an order for canapés or a cake to make your special occasion extra special, or stop by the meats section to take in the famous terrines, sausages, savoury pastries, sauces and ready-to-reheat meals. Homemade yoghurt, ‘’bonbon’’ ice cream, sorbet and an extensive selection of French wine – you’ll find everything you need in this ode to French Art de Vivre!

DEMO Turns out Phnom Penh bars were missing one thing – games! Calling itself The Drinking Games Bar, DEMO brings people together through the power of cocktails and friendly competition. Drinking Jenga, darts, cards and coins meet dice games, television games and board games. Located on Preah Monivong Boulevard across from Phnom Penh Hotel, DEMO hosts several competitions throughout the month, has the only VDarts Electronic Darts in Cambodia, and serves finger food, burgers and bar bites for the hungry. Bring your thirst and your A-game!  No.40, blvd Monivong, Phnom Penh g 077 373 000 ` DEMOcambodia/info

 Four locations -Chroy Changva, #73 Tonle Sap Quay -Boeung Kang Keng 1, #13 street 57 -Tuol Kork, Thai Huot Market, #6 street 592 -Bassac, Rose Garden Condo, Rainbow Bridge Road Comme a la Maison Restaurants Panoramic views at Chroy Changva, #73 Tonle Sap Quay Garden oasis at Boeung Kang Keng 1, #13 street 57

Sangvar Day

Chez Flo Flo moved to Phnom Penh a little more than a year ago with one wish: to set up a place that felt as welcoming as a friend’s house. That’s the kind of bar Florent himself would want to visit. The setting is warm and friendly with an intimate atmosphere marked by Flo’s family and hometown roots. Beginning in the early morning with traditional coffee and croissant, Chez Flo allows customers to relax all day long in front of delightful cocktails and charming finger food. Florent aspires to share his love for hosting, good wine and good times. Chez Flo offers a wide range of signature cocktails (see p68), gourmet plates, wine and monthly specials.  No. 37, St. 308 g 012 986 270

Julien Quentin

A welcome addition to the Phnom Penh rock scene, Sangvar Day’s new 6-track EP is everything you would want from the local crew. Inspired by the city around them, the foursome combine passionate, heated lyrics with skilled rock smashes, and challenge the Phnom Penh masses to embrace all-original works. Set to be released in mid-November, the album was recorded entirely in Cambodia with help from DUB ADDICTION lead singer Jan Muller, and local artists were commissioned for the artwork. The four expats (3 French/1 Italian) are members of a very small circle of performers who play, write, record and release songs within the country. The EP has an early 90’s Pearl Jam feel with lyrics obviously motivated by the social, political and economic events of Cambodia.

architecture

“People thought we were mad to restore it instead of demolishing and rebuilding it over” Saving Vann Molyvann’s heritage

Last month’s feature on the White Building opened our eyes to all of the 1960’s golden era gems, crafted by architect Vann Molyvann and often threatened by today’s development. While the White Building’s future seems uncertain, some other buildings have found their saviour. That’s the case for the residence of King Suramarit, which recently became Persian high-end eatery Kaviar restaurant. We sat down with Operating Director Gwenael to talk about the almost impossible restoration of a building that was included in the iconic Bassac River Front project.

Your restaurant’s villa is a Vann Molyvann building. What’s the story behind the location? We are fortunate to have this chance to restore a Vann Molyvann building. King Norodom had commissioned Vann Molyvann, Father of Cambodian Architecture, to build the residence of King Suramarit in the heart of Phnom Penh. It was named BRISE SOLEIL (Sun Breeze) due to its façade, which had a vertical rotating panel that generated wind yet shaded it from the heat. The place was later passed on to Prince Norodom Sirivudh and it became his primary residence. During the civil war it was abandoned and we know that it eventually became the office of the “École d’Extrême-Orient”, the French Embassy, a Japanese school and now our restaurant, Kaviar. You chose to preserve the façade instead of demolishing the entire building. How come? It would be a shame to demolish such a beautiful “chef-d’oeuvre” and to erase all the history that lives within it. We love buildings with history. That’s why we tried to preserve as much as we could. The yellow terrazzo is

from the original building, the stairs were left intact apart from some repainting and the wooden ramp was refurbished. We recycled all the steel frames and use them often in the new design. You can find them transformed into tables, decorative panels, a balcony balustrade and so on. What did it take to preserve the façade instead of starting all over? It’s certainly more costly to restore something than to tear everything down and build it over. It took a lot of courage and resources to restore it. The basement was always flooded. The steel was rusted. We had to reinforce the whole building from bottom to top. We had to waterproof it and change all the plumbing, drainage, and electrical systems. We spent much time and effort in order to preserve as much as we could and, believe me, it wasn’t easy. People thought that we were mad to restore it instead of demolishing it and rebuilding it over.

architecture

Why was it important for you to maintain the history of the building? We fell in love with the building. The history of it charmed us. We thought â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even if we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been able to contribute anything significant to the country yet, we could contribute to the preservation of some of its heritage and be able to leave a story for the future... Something for the younger generation to look up to. What do you hope your customers take away from dining at a Vann Molyvanndesigned former royal villa? We just hope they enjoy every occasion theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here. We hope they enjoy it as much as we do and feel what we felt the first time we visited. Within this building are many stories yet to be told. We would love to one day host H.R.H. Norodom Sirivudh and H.E. Vann Molyvann at Kaviar and learn about the past from them as they reminisce in this beautiful building. }

THE TASTE OF A MAESTRO

î&#x20AC;&#x2026;where?

Kaviar restaurant E Corner St. 55 and St. 242, Phnom Penh g 017 390 066 ` Kaviar Restaurant

EXCLUSIVELY DISTRIBUTED BY

Phnom Penh Siem Reap Sihanouk, Kep & Kampot Battambang

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laura mam, evolution girl In search of heroes  pierre rabotin

This month Laura Mam returns to Cambodia to unveil her latest album In Search of Heroes. As Laura seeks the evolution of her homeland, so too does she seek evolution in her own music. Long gone is the sweet acoustic girl of YouTube, and before us stands a fully matured artist, confident in the boldness of her new sound and lyrics. With the self-assuredness of a young woman with something to say, Mam combines catchy electro beats, dramatic tempo changes and passionate prose. Simplified as “Cambodian discourse you can dance to”, Laura Mam’s latest album In Search of Heroes will surely win her recognition amongst her Khmer contemporaries. Making the album an event in itself, Mam has organized the next month around concerts, music videos, concerts, TV appearances and more concerts! As the singer herself said, “I want to get involved with the young people, so I’m hoping to put on a college tour and organize some fun events for people to come boogie with me this year. My intention is to dance and celebrate the potential of the youth. What better way to say we are here to kick our future’s butt than by dancing and smiling our way through the journey?” Be sure to like Laura’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/LauraMamMusic) to stay informed of all the exciting events she has planned in Cambodia.

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"Expression has blossomed in the last two years and the strength of our voice as a people is more powerful than itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever been"

What is this new album about? "In Search of Heroes" is a bit of a complex album because it is inspired by a series of events throughout my life that have inspired me to define “heroism” within the context of the Cambodian narrative. Many of us as Cambodian children have heroes that inspire us to become what many of us become as adults. As a child, I desperately wanted a hero to unite myself with what could represent me within the Cambodian identity. Growing up, those dreams began to wander off as I really caved in to my sense of loneliness as a minority of the world. But as I began to learn about Cambodia and meet Cambodians from all walks of life, I realized that we all shared this common desire. Many Cambodians share this wild desire to see our country rise from the ashes it came from, the desire to find heroes that we can identify with who make us feel represented in an honourable and dignified way, and the desire to find heroic traits within ourselves. We are a generation of lost ones, deaf to our past with so little education about it, blind to the future as a developing nation in a modern world with resources slowly being swallowed by larger countries, and mute in our present with few industries to support expression. Although, I would say that expression has blossomed in the last two years and the strength of our voice as a people is more powerful than it’s ever been. How did you transcribe that in your album? With that said, my album goes everywhere because I searched everywhere for heroism. To find heroism, I had to find my identity and locate pride in that identity first and thereby fusing it with my contemporary identity, so I started with the percussion and sounds of Hom Rong and Chayam to the 60s and the dance explosion of Cambodia that still unites us today with tracks like “Yosop Yulsong,” “Kyom Min Sok Chet Te,” and "Madizone

Tmey.” Fusing these sounds of our past with sounds of the future helped me to glorify my past and to exclaim to the world that we are still here, our culture, our history is full of riches and I am here to claim such riches to share with the world. This was the most enjoyable part of the journey as I was able to quench my thirst for dance music and simultaneously find the heroes of my past. Then, I tried to find what happened to the heroes of our past by exploring our recent history of war in Cambodia with “In The Hands of Men and Monsters” and found the commonalities between leaders like Richard Nixon and Pol Pot in their disregard for human life, and came to the conclusion that we cannot wait for heroes in the political arena to come and “save us” as those are not necessarily the decisions they tend to make since their priorities require them to base decisions on the struggle for power. Where to find those heroes then? The only heroes that are going to save us as a people are the heroes within us. After watching the incredible protests of last year and the participation of the youth, my thoughts were confirmed that if we ever want to see social change, it’s going to require more than one leader, it’s going to require all of us to see the larger picture, to move and act as a society that commonly understands that we can only grow together through patient evolution. “A New Day” speaks on my recognition of the patient beauty of cycles, and how after so much darkness and terror in our past, we can wake up from the nightmare of our past and start again in the same way that our harvests cycle through life and death and yet we go on. And finally with “You Never Know” I ask of our youth to never stop dreaming, because it is the act of dreaming that leads to manifestation.

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Entering Laura Mam’s new musical world After exploring her Cambodian roots, the young Kmerican singer gives recognition to the country that’s inspired her life and her music. Shedding the romantic themes of her previous work, Mam now steps to the stage an animated star ready to shake it. Infusing traditional flavours with electro beats, Mam dives into new sounds and records an experimental album that just might shock some fans. Fusing history with a dream for Cambodia’s future, Laura makes In Search of Heroes her motivational speech for the next generation.

Tell us about the creative process? The process for this album was very interesting. Some songs had been written years ago upon my first visit to Cambodia such as “You Never Know.” But many of the songs were written as soon as I had returned from Cambodia after having witnessed the incredible movement and energy of the people during the election year. I was so inspired to see voices grow so loud and strong that you couldn’t help but listen to them. So as soon as I was back in my music cave in California, I began to write about the power of dreaming and the potential that I see in Cambodia’s future if the youth become organized and aware of themselves and their history. I changed my writing style from writing pieces on the guitar to writing pieces on the piano so that I could play with more sounds. I also changed my music program use from heavily using Garageband to play with ideas to heavily using Ableton to break ideas down and throw them into different sounds. This changed my music tremendously so we shall see how the Cambodian public reacts to it. How did you produce it? This album is so special to me because it is quite literally a family affair. Before, I used to ask my mom to translate lyrics for me that I had written, as this was our usual action. However, this time I sat down with her and asked her to write this album with me. She was a bit confused at first by what I meant, but what I wanted was for her creative voice to unleash upon this album as well. She is a passionate compatriot of Cambodia, she’s a diehard believer in the idea that better things are coming for Cambodia and we just need to wake up to the opportunity. I wanted her voice in this album because she’s been through five regime changes and yet her beliefs are still the same about what the country needs, which is: Evolution, not revolution. I also pulled in my brother to advise me on my electronic tastes and pulled in my father to advise me on my traditional tastes. In fact, all of the traditional percussion you hear on the tracks is played by my dad who told me that he didn’t know how to play, but as soon as he picked up the Chayam drum, he magically

laura mam's galaxy

jesse barrera

tim atlas

DJ wish one

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knew how to play it. Cambodian modesty is sometimes downright falsification. As soon as the ideas and the basic songs were written out on my Ableton program, I got the opinions of several different musicians and producers and got a lot of support for the new direction I was headed in. I worked predominantly with producers Tim Atlas and DJ WishOne of San Jose, then piano cool man Alan Ladan, and former band member of My American Heart and producer Jesse Barrera of San Diego. All of these awesome guys really helped me build and fine-tune this new electronic dance, house and pop sound. What kind of feel did you want for this album? I wanted this album to feel like how my life has been in my search for the hero within myself: Up and down, a rollercoaster ride. Nostalgic and proud, excited and inspired, despairing and hurt, in love and unsure, hopeful and energetic. As you can probably tell by now, I have a lot of feelings and it occasionally drives me mad, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for the better as lots of feelings tend to help in the writing process.

New album: in search of heroes

influences

"I am deeply inspired by former music stars that fought for mental liberation like Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill. I loved what Carlos Santana did for Latin music and how he brought those sweet sounds and percussions to the world. Currently, I am deeply inspired by Janelle Monae. She takes inspirations from some of my favourite artists like James Brown and Prince, and sings and dances with all of her heart and no fear. She does what she likes. I hope to bring a similar flavour to Cambodiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music scene. ."

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Which atmosphere surrounds your songs? If I had to place a colour on this album, that colour would be a deep indigo/purple. This album for me was deeply spiritual. The atmosphere of this album is mystical and spiritual but grounded in “close your eyes and boogie” music. It was a process of reaching deep inside after having collected so much information on one particular question that haunted me my whole life, and trying to answer that question from a spiritual point of view. There are no justified answers in this world for the injustices the Cambodian people have suffered. Our answers can only be found within. So the colour is purple, it is a mix of red and blue like the colours on our flag. The colours of hope and despair – I was really just looking for what was in between the two. I was aware of myself as simultaneously infinitely insignificant and infinitely powerful. The Hindus called it Atman and Brahma. The Buddhists call it the journey to enlightenment. The Abrahamic religions call it amazing grace. Many paths, one beautiful journey towards an answer you find inside yourself along the way. Tell us a bit more about the arrangements of In Search of Heroes… In many of my older songs, I admit that I was as amateur as they come and wrote verses and choruses and thought that the journey of song writing ended there. This album gave me a chance to learn from the masters I have worked with in building verses, bridges, prechoruses, and most importantly, gigantic drops that make you wanna boogie ‘til you drop. I had the opportunity to experiment a little more by allowing some songs to end with percussion and guitar solos, or to insert a bit of blues into a funk progression thanks to the amazing geniuses I worked with. I broke out of the common mould in many ways, inserting English and Khmer in the same song because it represented the reality of my situation. The album moves through house, pop, rock, and jazzy acoustic love songs. "Yosop Yulsong” has a Khmer percussion open the song with a

We asked Laura Mam to pick a song from her new album and guide us through its story and creation. She dissects Yo Sop Yulsong for What’s Mag, a song inspired by the marches Cambodian people recently took for a different future.

Anatomy of a song “My favourite song on this album is “Yosop Yulsong” because it really represents and sums up the general feeling of this album. Yosop Yulsong means “Dreams” in Khmer. The Khmer lyrics open by describing the story of Ton Chey, a mythical folk hero and classic children’s story. Before Ton Chey is born, a jealous fortune teller’s wife lies to Ton Chey’s mother and tells her his fortune will be nothing more than a servant’s life when she actually reads that his fortune was as high as a King’s. He spends his life using his brain and initiative to make something of himself and eventually makes his real destiny come true through perseverance and intelligence. In the next verse, the lyrics go on to describe a dream of a diamond, one that was big and shiny yet unrefined and ends with a line that says a diamond can only become clear and illuminated after being chiselled by the diamond cutter. The verse afterwards speaks of a dream of a riddle, that tells the true desires of our hearts, and if we try to pursue that riddle intelligently, then destiny will be ours. The point to take from these lines is that dreams are meant to be pursued with perseverance and intelligence. This is where heroism is born and is waiting to be unveiled in all of us. I later go on to say in English, the following:

“get away from illusion and we might have a movement if you’re mind’s polluted you won’t find solutions seek truth, then choose it, not cruelty, inhuman this ain’t revolution, this is evolution” These lines were directly inspired by the young people of Cambodia in their marches. What I saw in them is the desire for change and their desire was bright and lively. But I saw that it was also riddled with anger and frustration because things did not change immediately. All I want for our young people is to find the middle path, to be patient, and to patiently pursue this course of change, because change is possible, if we pursue it with perseverance and intelligence.

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KLAP YA HANDZ

KlapYaHandz is an independent hip hop and alternative music family aiming at changing the face of Khmer music. The crew is trying to promote and bring back originality and creativity in the Khmer music and Entertainment World.

traditional melody and new words ensuing, then drops into a deep house beat that I think might confuse or invigorate or do both to those who listen to it. And later it moves into a Chayam percussion breakdown that allows space for break dancers to hit poses in and finally it returns to the chorus line, “A hero lies inside of you” to get my point across. This album is experimental and eclectic to say the least. How do you think the Cambodian audience will welcome the album, how will it talk to them? Honestly, I think a lot of people may be very confused by what is happening simply because I went from sweet acoustic girl who kept on falling in love with the occasional 60s rock flavour, to the electronic and pop experimentalist girl with a whole lot to say in both Khmer and English

about abstract Buddhist influenced concepts about where peace is really found and how heroes are born. Many of my peers in the music industry welcomed my evolution with open arms and told me they were happy to see me break out of my mould. And so, I really hope that the Khmer audience will welcome it with open arms as well and will accept this breaking from the old and dancing into the new as a welcoming gesture to join my gigantic Cambodian dreams for the future. The music is boogie-worthy and what I really hope is that they dance, dance, dance to these tracks that I’ve built for them and rejoice in the idea that there is a bright future ahead of us, all we have to do is embrace that future. Even though I think that many of the concepts I mention are quite abstract and some of them will be left wondering what I am trying to say, there will definitely be a few who completely understand what I mean because ultimately, I think most Khmers share a common dream for our collective future. What do you think of the quality of the music scene in Cambodia? What’s good? Less good? Compared to the US? I think the music scene is growing quickly in Cambodia. When I first came to Cambodia I didn’t really hear a peep about original music. However, I did get introduced to Klap Ya Handz and saw their strides in hip hop which was a good sign to me. Now, in only 5 years, I have seen the rise of an international music scene growing in Cambodia, original artists like the Songkites being nurtured on the scene, and karaoke houses starting to pursue writing original music with their more popular singers. In only 5 years, I have seen MAJOR growth. I’m proud of what’s happening here, and I’m also proud to be a part of it. I feel like one tiny lotus blossoming in a pond that can accommodate many more lotuses. What’s good is that I am beginning to see corporate sponsorship for original artists and events, which makes me very happy because it’s going to take partnership with the private sector and the creative sector for things to change for the better. What’s less good is that copyright

cover “Laura is a very humble artist with great music talent and very fresh approach. Its a very good thing that she embraces Khmer language into her lyric al although she's Khmerican. She is definitely a good inspiration for young Khmer music. I support original music with Khmer lyrics and I think Laura does it Right. Her Voice is Strong in live Performance. She's cool.” Lisa Mam, artist and friend of the singer

law is at the end of this journey. At the end of the day, original artists are not going to be able to support themselves particularly in the music industry unless they can write songs that they can sell and license for actual royalty payments. While monetary incentive is usually not the ultimate goal of artists, the incentive of sustainability is a huge factor in being able to make art that is comparable to the international scene. If Cambodia wants to see original music make a comeback, the private sector is going to have to agree to pay for that music and support Cambodia’s local scene. For now, we artists have to come up with innovative solutions to this problem, which is what I am hoping to do on this trip. Who are the Cambodian artists in your galaxy? I have a great love and respect for Lisa Mam and Peap Tarr. These two art rebels have become good friends and they really enticed me into moving to Cambodia. I love their work as I believe they are revolutionaries in Khmer art. Dengue Fever was a huge influence in college and they are the reason I started exploring my roots musically. They provided a spiritual escape for me in my college years and I’ll always love them for it. And I’m actually a huge fan of comedian, Rolin, who is

brilliant and genuinely cracks me up hard. I hope to include Rolin in some fun music video stuff coming out soon. Rolin deserves more credit for her brilliant comedy. She isn’t just your average comedian, she can move and sway any Cambodian audience however she desires and deserves more attention for her grasp of Khmer dark and slapstick humour. And finally, I wouldn’t be super excited for this project if I did not mention the incredible animator and director I worked with this year for the "Yosop Yulsong” music video, Ratha Nou. We shared some beautiful moments in building the music video which was special because he shares the refugee in America background with me and did traditional Khmer folk dancing with me when I was young. Ratha and I have built a radical and wild animated music video that I think may leave Khmer people bewildered, but hopefully excited by the “psychedelic animated music video that was just on CTN and MyTV featuring Laura Mam and her mad love for Cambodia’s cultural riches”. }

Brunch every Saturday at Raffles GET TOGETHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AT PHNOM PENHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MOST ELEGANT BRUNCH ENJOY AN EXTRAVAGANT BUFFET SELECTION AND TEMPTING DISHES

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SPIRITS OF CAMBODIA Journey into Cambodian animism  marina shafik  Un Daly “Have you ever noticed that dogs usually bark at 3am?” my friend Sopha once asked. “That’s the time when spirits are thought to be wandering around and only dogs can see them.” Later that same night I suddenly woke to the loud noise of dogs barking down the street. I noticed

that the hands of the clock were striking exactly three. A coincidence? Something more? The only certainty is that animistic and shamanic credos are ingrained into Cambodia’s anthropologic background and cannot go unnoticed.

culture For those who are unfamiliar with animism, this worldview sees no separation between the spiritual and physical world. In a cosmos where everything is alive and interconnected, spirits exist in specific animals, plants, rocks, mountains, rivers and even shadows. Cambodia counts numerous “spirit places”. These areas are protected, venerated and feared by local communities – even sometimes by provincial governors. Animism is particularly alive among the hill tribes of the northeast of Cambodia and to a lesser extent among ordinary Cambodians. Fascinated by this vision of the world, What’s Up has selected a few spirit places whose stories are worth sharing.

ARAK CHANTOO

The mountain spirit of Arak Chantoo is regarded as the chief god. He presides over the other deities. When he’s angry it is said that he causes chest pains, headaches, dizziness, high fever and even death. Washing stones with the blood of sacrificed animals is one supposed cure for problems caused by troublesome spirits.

HALING-HALANG

The spirits are so powerful in this forest that airplanes cannot fly over it and fire cannot burn it. The elderly say that not even the thousands of American bombs dropped in the area could start any fire. To gain the favours of HalingHalang human sacrifices are required and, because of this, villagers never ask for its help.

Spirit forest outside of KROALA VILLAGE

This small forest is only 300 square meters but the power of its spirits is so strong that no one dares enter the ecosystem. The headman of the village reported that five people died a few years ago just for standing in its shadow.

culture

KRANG MOUNTAIN

Mr. Son is a respected “magic man” of Holem Village who insists that the weather can be manipulated if he travels to Krang Mountain. When a shaman journeys to Krang, the Kompong Commune is closed for the duration and anyone caught breaking that rule is fined up to US $100. One day, the “magic man” had his first prophetical dream on Krang Mountain. It was the French Colonial period and a resident from the village was being held as prisoner by French soldiers. After a four day walk through the jungle, Mr. Son reached the peak and was told by the mountain spirit that after a sacrifice of chickens and rice beer the captive would be released in 3 days. On that third day, the prisoner’s handcuffs broke and he was able to escape.

YEAK LOAM LAKE

It is believed that this volcanic lake is where the spirits of air, water and sky converge. A group of highlanders once cut down a large tree in order to sell it at the Vietnamese timber market. They all died and after that no one dared to speak highlander languages in the vicinity. Frustrated at not catching enough fish, another highlander started yelling profanities at the spirits of the lake and lost his mind the very next day. After doctors failed to heal him, a local “magic woman” performed a special ritual and made offerings which cured the raving fisherman.

spirit houses

PREAH VIHEAR

According to popular legend, a post-Angkorian Khmer military commander named Ta Di was unable to stop an invading force from the Kingdom of Siam (Thailand) and jumped from the cliff of Preah Vihear. After this extreme act, he entered the invisible world and raised an army of ghosts to defend Cambodia. Many Cambodians, including high-ranking generals, still pray to Ta Di and believe that this phantom militia is why Thailand has never managed to win Preah Vihear. }

Spirit Houses are the most widespread form of animism in the country. Occasionally, landowners seek the consultation of a Brahman or a Buddhist monk to organise sacred erection ceremonies. After consulting the horoscope and auspicious astrological combinations, a monk calculates the day and time of the ceremony and chooses the colour and position of the spirit house. Then he proceeds with a cosmic summons, inviting illustrious guests such as guardian spirits, Nagas, angels, house gods and other superior entities. Finally, to keep the spirits busy, tiny human figures are placed inside the spirit house, along with models of elephants and horses that serve as their transport.

ART

Svay Ken & Seckon  Joe Klondike

AGAINST THE COURANT Svay Ken and Leang Seckon had a special and unique relationship which flourished over many years. Seckon first met the acclaimed painter when he was a young student at the Fine Arts University. He hadn’t yet created his own work, but over time he developed a strong bond with Ken, who became his mentor. Seckon was first exposed to Ken's artwork during a large show at Reyum Gallery. He was immediately intrigued by Ken’s ability to paint only what he wanted, regardless of commercial pressure. When they met for the first time it was the early 2000’s and the vast majority of graduating students were preoccupied with the

kitsch imagery factories lined up on Street 178 or focused on the building trades. Ken’s attitude was a revelation for the young Seckon and a major motivating factor in his decision to strike out on his own. Over the years Seckon would often visit Ken's studio and they would discuss art inspirations and emotional matters in their personal lives. In 2006, they travelled together to take part in an important exhibition in Singapore. Seckon explains, "After our shared experience of spending so much time together I really felt that we were family. That we had bonded on a higher spiritual level."

art

Svay Ken the master EVERYDAY PAINTER The Cambodian painter Svay Ken, deceased since 2008, was an exceptional artist. The subtle strength and searing honesty of his work was immediately apparent. Sometimes, with good reason, he was described as "the Picasso of Cambodia". He painted what he knew and, occasionally, he painted his past. Given the recent history of Cambodia that was significant. Confining himself to oil on canvas, Ken was prolific in his documentation of everyday life. “I want to paint my life as I see it,” he once said. “I have led a full life and am fortunate to be alive now, let alone to be able to paint. My hunger to paint seems to grow with each passing year.” His subject matter ranged from everyday objects to individual and group portraits, from family and social rituals to his view on Cambodia’s political history.

Three Bathers One of Ken’s most poetic works, Three Bathers (1996), shows an almost universal topic: going to the beach. Yet there is nothing in this image that can be easily identified as Cambodian, which is uncharacteristic of most of Ken’s art. His paintings usually refer to some quintessential aspect of Cambodian life and it is in this feature that the narrative force of his work rests. With Three Bathers Svay transcends his native roots and produces an enduring image that contains immense beauty without a particular association to nationality. In this simple arrangement there is a strong suggestion of the American painter Eric Fischl, who helped lead the “new figuration” movement known for the loaded subtext of its imagery. The sensual brushstrokes and light washes of colour lend this scene a "charged" casualness which invites multiple viewings. Still, Ken insisted the painting is simply about three men at the seashore. To look at Ken’s paintings is to intimately witness myriad facets of Cambodian life, but more precisely his own daily life. “I see so many subjects to paint that are rich in

meaning. I have no desire to make grand paintings about royalty or temples, enough people already do that,” he stated. “I want to share the beauty and the difficulties that I experience in Phnom Penh every day.” When he recounted specific events from Cambodia’s history, Ken’s work assumed authority. He rarely depicted Pol Pot’s reign of terror due to the emotional pain tied to its memories, but when he did broach the subject the results were moving. Forced to Farm (1995) shows Ken clutching a seedling with a guard holding an upraised machete above his head. The menace of the soldier behind Svay leaves no doubt about the threat of the situation. The loose, folksy style of Ken’s brushwork is engaging, adding a surreal effect to the scene. Perhaps difficult to confront for most viewers, the painting is an invaluable firsthand account of the genocide in the late 70’s. It is as solemn a topic as any – forced labour with the possibility of death – but its sober and frank depiction draws the viewer inexorably into the scene nonetheless.

art "Smart naïve" Ken's style of painting can be grouped under the broad category of "naïve art". Marked by an unnatural perspective, strong use of patterns and unrefined colours, his late entry into art may have been an advantage. He was a "smart naïve" since his artistic style was a choice and not the result of limited talent. An intriguing combination of influences, Ken’s work was inexperienced yet sophisticated, uneducated yet intelligent, modest yet confident. He was a man at one with his canvas. To know his paintings is to know him. Toward the end of his life he reflected, “It’s true that I have no proper art training and I regret that sometimes. But then I listen to the young art graduates complaining that they often don’t know what to paint. My biggest problem is putting the brush down,” he said. “I just want to paint and wish that I had the energy to do more.”

"I have no desire to make grand paintings about royalty or temples, enough people already do that,” he stated. “I want to share the beauty and the difficulties that I experience in Phnom Penh every day.” Svay Ken was a genuine creator. He was a painter who awoke ready to paint and who ended the day with a brush in his hand. He lived to work and worked to live, but he was also much more than that. He was a survivor, a provider and a generous man who gave much to Cambodian contemporary culture. During this recent era, when there has been a glaring dearth of artistic production, he simply painted the things of his life: objects, architecture, people, vehicles, food, landscapes and rituals. Svay Ken was one with his brush, and it was a brush full of clarity and poetry.

art

Leang Sekon the disciple Betraying the passage of time Leang Seckon perches at the intersection of many facets of life in his native Cambodia. He was born in 1974, a year before the Khmer Rouge took control of the country, and when Cambodia emerged as a sovereign state in the mid-90â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s he was a leading member of the first troupe of serious contemporary artists. Seckon has recently made major strides in both the merit and scope of his artwork, propelling himself far beyond his beloved local status.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am proud of my Khmer heritage. We made great temples in the past. But this is my time now and I want time now and I want to make a contribution on my culture,â&#x20AC;? says Seckon. Interestingly, Seckon met the acclaimed painter Svay Ken (see accompanying article in this issue) as a young student, and Ken became a mentor to him over the following years.

Seckon’s earliest memories inform much of his artwork. While this may be true of most artists, the conditions of life in Cambodia were singular and particularly challenging at that time. Growing up in Prey Veng, in Southeast Cambodia, his first years were deeply marred by the odious and taxing rural life under the Khmer Rouge. Abject poverty coupled with fear and unpredictable U.S. bombings made for an uncertain and terrifying early childhood. Working as a "buffalo boy" he laboured in the fields, and at the end of the day found comfort only in his mother’s warmth. The main aspect of the Khmer Rouge period was complete elimination of the middle and upper classes from Khmer society. No other country has experienced this form of precise, almost surgical, social engineering. Civic officials, national government leaders, bureaucrats and teachers were thoroughly decimated. How could a country jump-start itself back to a semblance of its former existence? How could a nation rebuild without a welleducated class teaching the young?

A self-taught rebel Seckon went to the Fine Arts University in Phnom Penh in the late 1990s, but was mostly forced to teach himself. He had to question – who educated the few instructors then teaching in the “New Cambodia”? The country consisted of almost nothing but peasants who had returned from the countryside and were then victimized by a small, corrupt elite. Perhaps for Seckon, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He had to educate himself, had to find his own way, and was forced to become self-motivated. “In my opinion, there is no need for my continued education,” he said, “as at some point your own touch and style take over and the art becomes your own.”

art A mixed-media artist As you view the painting "Surface Beauty", for example, it is clear that the artist is addressing Khmer notions of skin and facial features as they pertain to women. As Seckon is essentially a mixed-media artist, this visual essay shows unusual restraint of materials and utilizes only oil with some stitched leather from a shadow puppet on canvas. Iconic portraits of Iman and Marilyn Monroe are collaged with idealized Khmer pale-skinned faces – all alluding to the use of make up, bleaching creams and cosmetic surgery, as well as, the mystifying and absurd preference amongst the local population for lighter skin. In blending historical printed imagery, old photographs, crumpled documents and contemporary detritus from the streets of Phnom Penh, Seckon makes eloquent and poignant statements about a city in transition. Notably, he integrates the practice of sewing flat imagery onto paper or canvas. He learned his mother's stitching technique, having watched her repair old clothes, and in his art leaves threads loose and dangling, suggesting an active, ongoing process. There is never enough time or materials. Recent artwork, especially the larger pieces from the "Heavy Skirt" series, is stunning, sumptuous, and ma jestic. Seckon has raised the bar, and the proof is on the wall. The paintings are worked and re-worked, betraying the passage of time. The evidence is abundantly clear: his hands leave marks and scrapes; his sweat has dried on the surface; his blood stains trickle down the sides. Seckon holds nothing back and his soul is laid bare, captivating the viewer. Engaging in his own shamanistic version of “soul repair”, there is no other artist who so succinctly and purely reflects his history, both personal and national. He is inseparable from his art. Seckon is unable to step outside himself and make imagery distanced from his past. Not many artists can utter these two simple phrases convincingly: “History is treachery” and “Flowers come from my mouth.” May Leang Seckon’s fertile garden forever prosper. }

hypemaker events

HYPEMAKER What we’re excited about this november

10th Angkor Photo Festival & Workshops A clever photo hits the brain like a wave, suddenly educating, inspiring or pulling the viewer to feel a particular emotion. Occasionally the goal of photography is to transport the spectator into a separate realm, where the heart can connect with a scene entirely different from one’s own. Such is the case with the entrants of the 10th Angkor Photo Festival & Workshops. The festival’s 10th Anniversary includes over 150 artists from 46 countries. In most of the snapshots, daily life is catalogued in such a perfectly timed, perfectly framed way that both luck and the divine must have conspired to place the photographer in that exact moment. Myanmar, India and the Middle East appear often, along with shots from Eastern Europe. African farmers, Vietnamese midwives, Cuban lovers and Colombian girls colour the exhibition. In addition, there are several new highlights this year. The first showing of “The Impact Project” will delve into the stories of people making positive changes in the world. A special night will be dedicated to the art of workshop alumni, and the riverside area of Siem Reap will feature a series of outdoor exhibits focused on environmental issues in “GreenLight”. The talent of these local and international photographers cannot be overstated. If education or inspiration is what you seek, be sure to visit the 10th Angkor Photo Festival & Workshops.

 Jose Raymond Panaligan

Angkor photo festival and workshops 10th edition | 29 nov - 6 dec 2014 p www.angkor-photo.com 

Alejandro Chaskielsberg



Boryana Katsarova



Emmanuel Ortiz



Muhammed Muheisen

wine & food

wine & bug “MATCH OF THE MONTH”

This month our wine & food feature comes with a twist. After studying how to pair classical restaurant dishes with the most appropriate wine, we decided to explore a whole new cuisine – bugs. With help from Romdeng Restaurant we introduce two bug recipes. The challenge: Find a wine that enhances spider legs.

Villa Ponciago Beaujolais Villages, France

Crispy Fry Cricket, Silkworm, Baby Frogs with Tamarind Sauce ingredients Baby Frogs 150g Crickets 50g Silkworms 50g Palm Sugar 1tsp Garlic 2 cloves chopped Cucumber 1 cut Red Bell Pepper 5g Oyster sauce tamarind Sauce Ripe tamarind 5g Fish sauce 3ml Sugar 3g Shallot 1g Garlic 1g Water 2ml Sunflower oil 1ml

methode: Marinate crickets, silkworms and baby frogs in oyster sauce, salt, palm sugar, and garlic. Set for 15 minutes. Then deep fry for about 3 minutes. Place onto a large plate with tamarind sauce and garnish with cucumber and red chilli.

The Place: romdeng  No. 74, St. 174, Phnom Penh g 092 219 565 p romdeng-restaurant.org

wine from The Warehouse  St. 240, Phnom Penh

WHY THEY MATCH PERFECTLY The silkworms, although appearing like crunchy brown vegetables, are actually quite soft. The shell is chewy and there’s not much meat inside. The flesh has a surprising nutty flavour, and the whole experience is much improved by the tamarind sauce. The crickets, on the other hand, are very crispy and taste like shrimp with sharpened legs. White wine would not be powerful enough for this dish, so we imbibe a Villa Ponciago Beaujolais Villages. Its lightto-medium body with fresh and fruity aromas is a perfect match for the bugs and the sauce.

It’s true, bugs are trendy! The creatures are full of protein, low in calories and stocked with vitamins. In addition to the health benefits, some say insects are our last great hope to save the planet. Worms, caterpillars, crickets, wasps – these could be the answers to our global food shortage! In Cambodia, eating bugs is not new. Wander around the city and you’ll see groups of friends relaxing by the night market, chewing on crickets. With the practice so widespread maybe it’s time we stopped judging the critters and gave them a try. This month, let’s put aside our fear and savour these tiny insects. And while we’re at it, let’s find a wine to best compliment the experience. ingredients Tarantulas 3 Black Pepper 2.5g Salt 2.5g Palm sugar 2.5g Cucumber 30g Chilli Julienne 10g Oil for frying 30ml Black Pepper and Lime Sauce Lime Juice 10ml Black Pepper 2.5g Salt 2.5g Sugar 2.5g

method

Mix lime juice, black pepper, salt and sugar together in small bowl and set aside. Clean dead spiders in salt water by mixing salt and a little sugar in water and allowing spiders to marinate for at least 5 minutes. Fry spiders in oil on high heat for about a

minute, then drain on a paper towel. Place tarantulas onto a large plate and garnish with peppercorn, cucumber flower and red chilli. Serve with Black Pepper and Lime Sauce on the side.

Sauvignon Blanc by allan scott Marlborough, New Zealand

Crispy Tarantulas with Black Pepper and Lime Sauce

WHY THEY MATCH PERFECTLY Some say tarantulas taste like chicken. Others, like prawns. What I notice is that they’re not easy or pleasant to chew. The most redeeming quality is that they’re fried. The pepper and lime sauce is a valuable complement, though, and the spicy notes balance the oily skin of the spiders. Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, with its citrus shades, fruity notes and hints of dried herb, ideally balances this exotic meal. One spider leg.... one sip of wine.... Bon Appetit!

 claire berticat http://claire-drinks-the-world.blogspot.com/

highlight & gloss

 Anna Mischke

time for slime W

e’re all familiar with the little gooey terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs that find their way into our gardens and occasionally onto our plates. While they may wreak havoc on our plants, snails can be a delicious treat when smothered in all that buttery goodness. But who would’ve thought the slime from these creatures could be used for cosmetic purposes? Snail mucin – basically snail slime – is slowly making its way into numerous high-end beauty products and becoming the hot trend of the moment. For a quick beauty fix with a dose of shock value, the cosmetic industry is now turning towards snails. The world has plenty of odd beauty treatments: bee venom injections, mud baths, bird poop facials. They’ve all had their time in the limelight. So it begs the question – Is the snail bandwagon just another sensationalist trend with little benefit to lend or does the slime excreted from these land beasties really do wonders for the face? Korea has been

boasting the benefits of snail mucin for ages now, as they usually are the first to introduce innovative beauty trends and have a strong focus on using new and creative ways to deliver the best treatments for a youthful, healthy and near-perfect appearance. Even Dr. Jart, who was the frontrunner of the massive BB Cream movement in the United States, has a line of snail mucin products, proving that mucin has already made its mainstream debut. In Tokyo, there are livesnail facials where snails promenade around the client’s face leaving a fresh trail of mucin while the snail facialist directs the creatures away from the eyes and mouth. The ancient Greeks once touted snail mucin for its healing properties, but even recently in Chile, snail farmers found that their smooth hands and fast-healing cuts may have been due to the critters they were handling all day. Chile now has some of the most popular snail mucin products available.

Mucin Magic Promoted for its ability to reduce hyper pigmentation, sun damage and light scarring, snail slime might just end up at the top of the beauty shelf if it does prove to work wonders. The mucous that a snail produces is meant to heal its soft, gelatinous body from cuts and scrapes as it glides across branches, rocks and everything else. Mucin, which is made up of proteins, elastin

The scent was light and actually a bit refreshing, unlike dirt or what I had expected. There was a bit of mild tingling when I first applied the mask (with my facial brush, but it could be easily slathered on with the fingers), but it soon subsided. After four days in the sun at the beach, my skin was in need of some tender love n’ care. After I rinsed, my parched face felt smooth and hydrated, with dry patches gone and a plumpness that only a beauty mask can deliver. If you’re taking a snail’s pace about trying out mucin-based products, I say it’s time to get to the finish line – and cross it with replenished skin. Either way, you’ll always be prettier than a snail. .}

and glycolic acids, is a natural anti-inflammatory and regenerative coating. If the poor snail’s body-foot is constantly getting barraged by foreign objects on rough terrain, the slime must be doing something to repair its outer layer. I tried the mucin out for myself (with a mask purchased in Bangkok, although I have seen them available in Phnom Penh) to see what all the fuss was about and decide if mucin

was going to slither its way into my beauty routine. After a bit of research on how to use the little pink package covered in cartoon snails smiling up at me, I found that its recommended use is at nighttime. After applying the mask before bed, the user is supposed to sleep in it and rinse it off in the morning, while feeling refreshed and glowy. The idea of sliming up my sheets with viscous snail mucin was less than sexy, so I ended up slathering it on in the morning and letting it set for several hours while I watched re-runs of trash TV.

geek

 ismail vorajee

A taste of luxury

introducing the Vertu for Bentley Signature Touch and Bang & Olufsen’s Beovision

ow could a stylish individual stand out in a world replete with iPhones and Samsungs? How could someone differentiate themselves from the mass of bodies typing away on 5S’s or Galaxy Notes? Enter the Vertu for Bentley Signature Touch. It’s a $16,500 (yes, sixteen thousand five hundred US dollars!) smartphone from the renowned British manufacturer of high-end, luxury devices.

Crafted from grade-5 titanium, bedecked in premium Newmarket Tan quilted calf leather and hand-built in England, Vertu’s newest product is perhaps its most luxurious yet. The front screen is fashioned from unscratchable and highly durable sapphire crystal. Sapphire crystal is the fabled material Apple was rumoured to be prepping for the iPhone 6. It failed to deliver, perhaps due to the high cost. Vertu, on the other hand, has been using it in their displays for over a decade. The

4.7-inch display is stunning, and at 1080p and 473ppi, the screen is up there with the very best from Apple or Samsung. The phone, unlike many of Vertu’s previous efforts, is no slouch. The smartphone is powered by a 2.3GHz Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and a healthy 2 GB of RAM. Although there’s no slot for a memory card, the Vertu boasts 64GB of internal storage, so it’s unlikely that this will be an issue for most users. As the first Vertu phone to handle 4G LTE connectivity, it'll be able to work anywhere in the world. The phone’s camera was developed in partnership with the distinguished camera manufacturer Hasselblad, and the 13MP shooter produces crisp, clear images. At this price point, however, the lack of image stabilization is surprising. The “Vertu for Bentley” will be available for those with deep pockets this November. The device will be released as limited edition, with only 2,000 units to be manufactured.

Beovision If you have any spare cash lying around after splurging on your luxury smartphone, you may consider decking out your home in the

latest from Bang & Olufsen’s line of high-end home theatre electronics. The BeoVision Avant is the Danish company’s first foray into 4K Ultra HighDefinition TV technology and commands an understandably high premium for techie early-adopters. With a price tag of almost $10,000, it’s considerably more expensive than sets from Sony or LG. However, B&O offers a gorgeously fashioned product with aesthetics more akin to the catwalk than a living room. Offering an UHD resolution of 3840 x 2160 the set delivers a crisp, clean and detailed display. The television’s standout feature is perhaps its ability to move and adjust to the viewer’s position. Accompanied by a variety of stands which allow the TV to tilt and angle, the set can move side to side at the flick of a switch. Regrettably, each stand is considered an added option with prices expected to start from around $1,000. So if you need to upgrade your smartphone and have $16,500 at hand, there’s no better option than one of Vertu’s exclusive handsets. Be sure to keep some cash in reserve, though, as you’ll need $10,000 for that fancy new B&O television set. The rest of us will make do with our $100 Singtechs and knockoff LCDs. }

hypemaker events extra

stories from the past Yay niri

 marina shafik

uring a relaxing two-day getaway to Kompong Som (Sihanoukville), I decide to treat myself to a nice oil massage at Otres Beach. There’s a gentle breeze and the recurring sound of waves, inviting me to close my eyes and enjoy the precious peace. The skilled hands of Yay Niri release all the tension inside my body.

Luckily with a good massage you can feel much better,” says Niri, whose words and gestures make your life seem much calmer. This granny is the oldest member of the small crew of ladies who offer massages on the beach. I look at her and want to know more about her history. What was her life like before joining this business?

Yay Niri learned the ancient art of massage from the elderly masseuses of Kompong Som about 20 years ago. They taught her where to put more pressure and where to be gentler, guiding her in every movement and sharing secrets passed down from those who transformed this practice into an art.

“There was a time when people came from the neighbouring towns just to eat my special noodles,” Yay Niri says. “My husband and I used to have a noodle place. In the 1980’s the cost of a dish was so cheap – only 200 or 300 riels! We kept it open just for breakfast, but we had so many customers coming from everywhere. My delicious soups were the most famous in town,” she reveals with pride.

“People nowadays are so stressed that it results in every type of physical pain.

Yay Niri used to like going to the market and choosing the freshest ingredients.

Sometimes, with her eldest daughter, she went to the jungle and picked specific vegetables or bamboo for her renowned delicacies. After pausing a moment, this sweet granny from Takeo tells me about her arranged marriage. “I was 28 and he was 29. Unlike me, he came from a rich family. We were neighbours but we didn’t really know each other. At the beginning, I accepted the marriage because of my love for my mother... I didn’t want her to suffer anymore for our poverty. With time though, I got to know my husband and developed a very strong feeling for him. If I didn’t love him how could I get 5 kids with him?” she laughs. I notice in her eyes a deep sorrow and disillusionment. As I try to understand the reason for this sadness, she mentions that her husband abandoned her and got married another two times.

“Now he has a new woman, his third wife. She is very young and last month she gave birth to their son,” she says. “Sometimes, he comes to look at our kids. He doesn’t approach them or talk to them, but just looks from distance”. Yay Niri swings herself in silence on the hammock. For a moment her mind seems very far away and I don’t dare interrupt her flow of thoughts. Then suddenly she sits up and says in a different voice, “I want to tell you something. Never let anyone determine your happiness. I have learned how to be a strong, independent woman. I had to do it for my kids. Sometimes I still feel angry for my misadventures, but I’ve managed to get up and find happiness on my own.” Amazed by her strength and her unexpected openness, I nod, knowing that I will always keep in mind the words of Yay Niri. }

street style

Propey

26 YEAR OLD Musician / Singer / Songwriter Favorite music genres: punk / pop-punk / Easy-core Outfit inspired by pop-punk bands His owl tattoo is a Guardian and a protector favourite shopping spot: Close-Out in Toul KoRk

Jino

25 YEAR OLD Accountant Buys most of his clothes in Thailand but also visits Toul Tompong Market for some cool outfitS He’s into Indie/ Rock HIS outfit style IS inspired by Alex Lopez, THE Drummer from Suicide Silence

street style 

meas srey nich

Sorida

24 YEAR OLD Freshman LoveS Indie genre Music and Lana Del Rey She got her outfit from France but usually shopS online (Ebay) She does her own make-up and hair

street style

Ted

Naro 66

16 year old student Favorite shopping spots: Online shops only looking for Metallica branded clothes And Toul Tompong market. Favorite music genres: EDM and Metal Outfit inspired by Tonight Alive Favourite shoe brands: Toms and Converse

22 YEAR OLD Freshman , Multimedia Major Outfit inspired by Android Gynouse Street style Favorite Brand: Dior / John Galliano Usually orders from an online shop (Ebay â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Facebook) rather than shopping in A local shop

A 21 YEAR OLD university Student Majoring in Business Management Favorite shopping spots: Mr.Man / Bengkengkong Market / Red / Kool collection Outfit inspired by Rock / Punk-rock style. His snap cap never leaves him. Snap cap: Mr.Man Necklace: handmade

Marina

20 year old Fashion Design Student favorites shopping spots: Close-Out in Toul Kok and Pencil Riverside Watch: Guess She designed her own Top inspired by Zara

cocktail

COCKTAIL

OF THE MONTH by chez flo

medina ingredients: Flavoured vodka 50 ml Lime juice 20 ml Cane sugar 20 ml Orange blossom water Grounded cinnamon Ice

method Pour all the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake energetically until the sides of the shaker get cold. Strain in a cocktail glass and sprinkle cinnamon on top.

î&#x20AC;&#x2026; where? Chez flo

E No. 37, St. 308 g 012 986 270

“Unmissable” Lonely Planet, 2014

Nightly at 8:00pm

TOP

Siem Reap Attraction

Book now! +855 (0)15 499 480/ 92 225 320 ticketing@pharecambodiancircus.org www.pharecambodiancircus.org

Battambang-based artist Nicolas C. Grey has teamed up with frequent collaborator James Farley to tell the stories of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most (in)famous gurus.

november AGENDA 1

Kapow! Hot String Band @ Doors Phnom Penh

'Most Swinging Six-piece in SE Asia' Joe Wrigley and Phil draw inspiration from the American dance bands of the 1940's and 1950's for the special concept of Kapow! Hot String Band. Graham Kemish (violin) and Peter Schwaderer (oboe) are expert Swing players visiting from the United Kingdom. One of the hottest and most energetic rhythm section partnerships in Phnom Penh, Aymen Ghali (bass) and Andy Potter (drums) complete the line-up of Kapow! Hot String Band – a special, one-off performance exclusive to Doors Phnom Penh. 9.30pm – 11.30pm I $5 (including drink)

'' RUB A DUB FLAVOURS '' By WAT A GWAAN @ Slur Bar Slur presents ''RUB A DUB FLAVOURS'' A musical journey to Jamaica by WAT A GWAAN ( DJ Alan Ritchie, DJ Bree , Kaztet Dee & Guests ) on Thursday 6th of November @ SLUR BAR !

A night of Reggae music in the Sound system Tradition, Roots to Digital , Rub a Dub to Raggamuffin ...Come along and don't forget your Skankin Shoes! ` WATAGWAANCAMBODIA 9pm No. 28, St. 172

from the menu for everyone 9pm til late: live music with DJ Eduardo Edwardowski, Mr Steve Cadd, DJ Tom Tom England and DJ Possum. Wat bo Road 543, Siem Reap g089 479 593

comedy club cambodia @ Equinox

ROOM 543 grand re-opening (SIEM REAP) @ Room 543

The Comedy Club Cambodia is a regular comedy night bringing top notch international standup comedians to Cambodia in the attempt to deliver some quality laughs to the Phnom Penh community.

Bacano Room 543 is a funky Bar serving cool drinks and snacks every day from 5pm-late - live music, djs and gaming area with pool and ping pong table are few of the attractions you’ll find there. To celebrate their renovation, Room 543 are throwing a big re-opening party you don’t want to miss: 7pm-9pm: Free Cambodia draught beer and snacks

@ equinox

Live music Bacano play a fusion of rock, salsa and reggae all in Spanish. A disfrutar!!!!

Sangvar Day: Album launch party @ Equinox

Alternative/Hard Rock the foursome combine passionate, heated lyrics with skilled rock smashes, and challenge the Phnom Penh masses to embrace all-original works. They’ll be celebrating their new album during an epic show at Equinox. No. 3A, St 278, Phnom Penh

Advisor Best of Phnom Penh 2014 - STREET PARTY @ Street 278

Live bands, Djs, live painting, face painting, beatbox show, street magic show, drinking games, food, drinks and much more. The Advisor brings you the biggest street party of the year to celebrate their famous Best of Phnom Penh results. 3pm-3am St. 278, Phnom Penh After party: Pontoon club

SunBodia - Sunset In Style! @ Tonle Sap

Deep, tech house, techno boat party brought to you by DJ Donabelle and Phnom Penh Underground 5pm – 10pm

S O S ge]

[pa

Happy!

Happy Hours in Cambodia

phnom penh

Fire station 666 or 118 Ambulance 119 (from 023 phones) Police Hotline 117 (from 023 phones) ChildSafe Hotline 012 311 112 You can call the hotline 24 hours / 7 days a week if you see a child in a risk situation. Whenever possible they ask the caller to stay near the child until the team arrives to take appropriate action to protect the child.

Transparancy International Corruption Reportage Hotline 1292 (MOBITEL, METFONE,BEELINE, QB) 7777 (SMART and HELLO)

SIEM REAP

Tourist Police 012 402 424 Ambulance 063 761 119 Fire Station 012 784 464

50% off cocktails from 4PM to 9 PM @ Raffles le Royal, Phnom Penh Buy one get one free (cocktails + non alcoholic drinks) including tapas from 5PM to 7PM @ Palate Angkor, Siem Reap

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