Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Asialife HCMC
Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Asialife HCMC
Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Asialife HCMC
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Residential Quarter 13C Nguyen Van Linh Street.,<br />
Phong Phu Commune, Binh Chanh District, <strong>HCMC</strong><br />
Admission Oce: SC39 – SD40, Panorama Area,<br />
Nguyen Duc Canh Street, Phu My Hung, District 7, <strong>HCMC</strong><br />
Telephone: (08) 54 123 456 - (08) 54 121 549 Fax: (08) 54 121 934<br />
Email: enquiry@cis.edu.vn Website: www.cis.edu.vn<br />
Foster personal ethics and scoial<br />
responsibility via the Character<br />
Education Program of the<br />
Ontario Ministry of Education<br />
(Canada)<br />
Maintain a healthy and active<br />
lifestyle.<br />
Cultivate life skills, leadership<br />
and other skills via a multifaceted<br />
training program.<br />
Offer French as a second<br />
language for students.<br />
Celebrate cultural diversity by<br />
teaching the traditional values of<br />
global citizenship.<br />
•100% Canadian certified teachers directly<br />
recuited by the District School Board of<br />
Niagara (Ontario Province - Canada).<br />
• Curriculum provided by the District School<br />
Board of Niagara and Ontario Secondary<br />
School Diploma.<br />
• Curriculum appraised and approved by the<br />
Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam.<br />
• Education quality annually monitored and<br />
inspected by the District School Board of<br />
Niagara under the direct management of<br />
<strong>HCMC</strong> Department of Education and Training.<br />
• State-of-the-art culture & sports centre<br />
outfitted with modern equipment designed<br />
for students.<br />
• Seperate boarding areas for male and<br />
female students with the best academic and<br />
extra-curricular programs, facilities and<br />
management.<br />
• An international environment with students<br />
from over 20 countries.<br />
Exclusive privilege policies in 2010-2011<br />
Appropriate and stable tuition fee up to 2013<br />
AsiaLIFE volume 25<br />
18<br />
24<br />
30<br />
40<br />
48<br />
50<br />
4 Editorial<br />
6 News & Events<br />
12 Q & A with Tata Young<br />
14 Streetsmart: <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
18 Photo Essay: Christian Berg<br />
24 Work in Progress<br />
30 Destination Wellington<br />
34 Off Rod in Mai Chau<br />
38 Perfect Pairs<br />
40 Tex Mex Quest<br />
42 Primates on the Rebound<br />
44 A Life on the Road Less Travelled<br />
48 The Seoul of Rock<br />
50 Style and Design<br />
56 The List<br />
96 Map<br />
98 The Back
editorial<br />
tom dichristopher<br />
Happy birthday to us. It’s<br />
been two years since AsiaLIFE<br />
relaunched in April 2008, and to<br />
mark this milestone, we’ve taken<br />
the next step in our evolution.<br />
Some of the book will remain<br />
familiar. Our front section still<br />
contains Street Smart and<br />
other regulars, but we’ve cleared<br />
room for photo essays, which<br />
appeared for many months in<br />
the back of the book. Our focus<br />
on strong, research-intensive<br />
features remains, and Getaways<br />
and City Bites remain where<br />
they’ve always been.<br />
You’ll find the biggest change<br />
in the following pages. Gone is<br />
the Culture section (The entire<br />
shebang is a lifestyle and culture<br />
publication, right?), and so too have the Sports & Leisure, Health<br />
& Beauty and Family sections given up the ghost. Rest assured<br />
that you’ll continue to see stories that fall under these categories in<br />
AsiaLIFE, but the new format allows us to bring you a more diverse<br />
range of stories.<br />
The Fashion and Living sections have also been replaced by Style<br />
& Design, again, to allow us to cover a wider spectrum of subjects.<br />
Look for expansion in these pages in the coming months. We think<br />
you’ll be excited about what we’ve got on tap.<br />
Looking back for a moment, we’d like to acknowledge the<br />
tremendous amount of feedback we received on Brendan Wenzel’s<br />
illustrations that appeared on last month’s cover and in the feature<br />
section. We’ve literally been inundated with praise for the work.<br />
If you’d like to see more from Brendan, check out his website at<br />
www.brendanwenzel.com.<br />
Back to the present. We hope you enjoy the new format, and we<br />
look forward to bringing you a better publication month after month.<br />
See you in 30 days.<br />
Correction: The credits for last month’s fashion shoot, “Colour<br />
Contrast” were mistakenly omitted. The credits should have read<br />
as follows: Sean Martin, photographer; Nathan Lee, art director;<br />
Trang Tan, model; Crazy Nhok, hair and makeup. Our apologies to<br />
Nathan, Trang and Nhok for the omission.<br />
Find AsiaLIFE articles on Vietnewsonline.vn<br />
4 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong><br />
Art Direction - Johnny Murphy<br />
Photography - <strong>Nam</strong> Quan<br />
cover<br />
john<br />
thornton<br />
John Thornton is a freelance music writer from Nottingham,<br />
U.K. Before moving to HCM City five months<br />
ago, John spent time working in London as a press<br />
officer for Oasis and Muse and regularly volunteered<br />
at Glastonbury Music & Performing Arts Festival as a<br />
correspondent for onsite radio station Worthy FM. John<br />
also freelances as an editor/proofreader at CBRE and<br />
regularly contributes to The Word <strong>HCMC</strong>, supporting<br />
the city’s live music scene.<br />
fred<br />
wissink<br />
Starting with AsiaLIFE in 2006, Fred Wissink has<br />
worked with the publication from very early on. His<br />
presence at events around town, camera in hand, has<br />
become a staple of the <strong>HCMC</strong> scene. Fred is always<br />
trying to develop and adopt new styles of photography<br />
in order to help push the creative envelope at AsiaLIFE.
NEWS<br />
Victoria Healthcare News<br />
Throughout April, Victoria<br />
Healthcare is offering a men’s<br />
healthcare promotion that<br />
includes a 35-percent discount<br />
on customized cardiology and<br />
urology packages. Specialists<br />
at both of Victoria’s international<br />
standard facilities deliver the<br />
care. For more information or to<br />
schedule an appointment, call<br />
3910 4545 (D1) or 3997 4545<br />
(Phu Nhuan).<br />
Anupa News<br />
The bijoux Lily ring collection for<br />
spring is now available, featuring<br />
New at Villa FB<br />
natural semi-precious stones,<br />
obsidian, amethyst, rutile quartz<br />
and topaz set in a fine silver/<br />
gold setting. Matching earrings,<br />
pendants and bracelets can also<br />
be ordered. Prices range from<br />
3,000,000 VND to 6,000,000.<br />
New signature saaya bags are<br />
available in black, brown and<br />
gold leather in three sizes. Prices<br />
range from 5,000,000 VND to<br />
9,000,000 VND. Rana Abodeely’s<br />
Selwa T is now available in<br />
five colors. Prices range from<br />
1,5000,000 VND to 1,750,000<br />
VND. For more information call<br />
3825 7307.<br />
Villa FB is now serving breakfast, including favourites bun<br />
thang (chicken noodle soup), bun bo Hue (Hue beef soup<br />
noodle) and bun thit bo xao (stir-fried beef noodle). A range<br />
of new bun is also on tap including bun cua la chanh (noodle<br />
in crab soup cooked with lemon leaf), bun tom chua cay (sour<br />
and spicy shrimp noodle) and the special bun den (black<br />
noodle) dishes made from raw rice and seaweed. Prices<br />
range from 60,000 to 80,000 VND. Villa FB is located at 79<br />
Suong Nguyet Anh, District 1. Visit www.villafb.com for more<br />
information.<br />
Bud 6V6 Tournament Update<br />
A record 128 six-man teams—including three from Vietnam—<br />
have been selected to compete in the 2010 Budweiser<br />
International Cup 6V6 in Pretoria, South Africa. Teams will<br />
compete for an all-expense-paid trip to South Africa to participate<br />
in a 10-nation world final and watch two FIFA World<br />
Cup Round-of-16 matches in person.<br />
"This year's instalment is especially significant because<br />
the grassroots nature of the event couldn't be more evident,"<br />
says Walter Blocker, CEO of The GANNON Group. "Last year,<br />
it was only open to teams in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. Now,<br />
the best in Danang and Nha Trang have a chance.”<br />
Last January, the VFF, Vietnam Football Development JSC<br />
(VFD) and Budweiser launched the search for the finest sixplayer<br />
footballing squad in Vietnam.<br />
Bud 6v6 is a global event that gives Vietnamese athletes<br />
18 years of age and up a chance to play on the same turf<br />
as some of this year's FIFA World Cup qualifying teams and<br />
attend a pair of World Cup matches. Team Vietnam will face<br />
off July 1 in South Africa against representatives from nine<br />
other countries including China, Brazil and Germany for<br />
the World 6V6 Champions title. For more information visit<br />
www.budweiser.com.vn.<br />
Orobianco Golf Bag<br />
Massimo Ferrari Bespoke is<br />
offering a Giacomo Valentini of<br />
Orobianco handcrafted, one-ofa-kind,<br />
limited edition golf bag.<br />
Made in Italy with Limonta nylon<br />
and nappa leather and suede, it<br />
also features Italian stitch-work.<br />
The bag comes in a variety of<br />
colours and is available by custom<br />
order at the Massimo Ferrari<br />
Studio. The retail price is USD<br />
$1,600. For more information,<br />
visit the Massimo Ferrari boutique<br />
at 42A1 Tran Quoc Thao, District<br />
3 or call 3930 6212.<br />
Muse Boutique Sale<br />
From April 2, Muse Boutique<br />
is offering a 50- to 70-percent<br />
discount on BCBGMaxAzria<br />
clothing. Visit the boutique at<br />
Saigon Center, 65 Le Loi.<br />
SIAN News<br />
To celebrate its one-year anniversary,<br />
SIAN Skincare Laser Clinic<br />
is offering a buy two, get one free<br />
pro-whitening facial therapy treatment.<br />
SIAN is now using a new<br />
technology called the Thermage<br />
CPT System, a non-invasive<br />
Cyclo Challenge Wrap-Up<br />
On March 13th, Saigon Children’s Charity’s<br />
10th Anniversary Cyclo Challenge took place<br />
at the Taipei School. Thousands showed<br />
their support for education programmes for<br />
disadvantaged children by cheering on more<br />
than 50 cyclo riding teams.<br />
FV Hospital won first prize and Jardines 3<br />
and the Caravelle Hotel finished second and<br />
third, respectively.<br />
Saigon Children’s Charity will allocate the<br />
funds across their various educational projects<br />
that includes the provision of monthly<br />
school scholarships to more than 3,000<br />
children, as well as the construction of kin-<br />
78 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Binh Thuan Province<br />
T: +84 (0) 62 374 1122/ 3<br />
www.sankaravietnam.com<br />
dergartens and classrooms in rural areas.<br />
Paul Finnis, director of Saigon Children's<br />
Charity was pleased with the outcome: “We<br />
are incredibly fortunate to have so many<br />
individual and corporate supporters here in<br />
Vietnam and around the world who share<br />
our vision and are completely committed<br />
to helping fulfill our aims and objectives,"<br />
he said. "The success of this day will not<br />
only be measured by the smiles you have<br />
seen around you but by our increased ability<br />
to help get more disadvantaged children<br />
into school.” For more information visit<br />
www.saigonchildren.com.<br />
6 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 7
Montgomerie Links News and Accolades<br />
Montgomerie Links, the first<br />
full-service, 18-hole course<br />
in the Central Coast region<br />
has a lot to be proud of<br />
since opening in August<br />
2009.<br />
The course was recently<br />
ranked seventh among the<br />
top 20 courses in Thailand,<br />
Cambodia and Vietnam, as<br />
reported in a recent survey<br />
by Southeast Asia GLOBE.<br />
Montgomerie Links was also<br />
the survey's second-highest<br />
rated course in Vietnam<br />
behind Dalat Palace Golf<br />
Club. This accolade follows<br />
Vietnam Golf naming<br />
Montgomerie Links as the<br />
country's best new course<br />
and its 12th hole as the best<br />
par 5 last December.<br />
"The recognition is, of<br />
course, most welcome<br />
in and of itself," said Jon<br />
Tomlinson, general manager<br />
of Montgomerie Links, "But<br />
it's also great to be known<br />
by the company we keep.<br />
And it's an indication of how<br />
quickly we've come along<br />
that the only course in Vietnam<br />
ranked higher than we<br />
are is the country's oldest<br />
layout, Dalat Palace, while<br />
we've had 18 holes open<br />
only for seven months," he<br />
says.<br />
Last month, the course<br />
hosted 2,000 participants for<br />
the second annual Terry Fox<br />
Run, about 500 more than<br />
last year's inaugural event.<br />
Estimated to have generated<br />
more than 100,000,000 VND<br />
for cancer research in Vietnam,<br />
the event is named for<br />
the Canadian humanitarian,<br />
athlete and cancer treatment<br />
activist who died in 1981 following<br />
a four-year battle with<br />
osteosarcoma.<br />
Additionally, non-stop<br />
service from Kansai, Japan<br />
to Danang began in March,<br />
marked by a visit from 161<br />
tourists and 17 travel agents.<br />
The familiarization tour is<br />
part of a wave of announcements<br />
of new and improved<br />
airline service, that includes<br />
the addition of flights to and<br />
from Singapore on Silk Air<br />
that is helping transform Danang<br />
into Vietnam's first true<br />
golf-and-beach destination.<br />
For more information visit<br />
www.montgomerielinks.com.<br />
method to deliver radio frequency<br />
energy to contour and tighten<br />
skin. For more information visit<br />
www.sianclinic.com.<br />
Saigon Players’ Loreto<br />
Fundraiser Total<br />
Last month The Saigon Improv<br />
group held a fundraiser to<br />
benefit Loreto Foundation’s<br />
Swim With a Vision programme.<br />
The Players performed a onehour<br />
adult comedy cabaret<br />
in HCM City and Mui Ne and<br />
raised 35,000,000 VND for the<br />
programme, to be used for new<br />
water safety gear and equipment<br />
for the kids.<br />
Voelkers Opens at Riverside<br />
Apartments<br />
Voelkers’ pastries and baked<br />
goods are now available in the<br />
Riverside complex, District 2,<br />
adjacent to Veggy's. For more<br />
information, please visit www.<br />
riverside-apartments.com.<br />
La Brasserie Opening<br />
Last month French restaurant<br />
Vietnam Plus Launches Papier Mache Project<br />
Vietnam Plus, the parent NGO of Vietnam Quilts, recently<br />
launched a papier mache project to generate income for<br />
women from poor regions.<br />
Women from Long My in the Mekong Delta and Rumdoul<br />
in Svay Rieng province in Cambodia participated in the training<br />
provided by Thao Duong, a papier mache artist based in<br />
Hong Kong.<br />
“It’s fantastic to see this initial interest” commented Bernard<br />
Kervyn, director of Vietnam Plus. “With all profits going back<br />
to the women and their communities, we hope that we can<br />
continue to develop products that will appeal to both residents<br />
and tourists,” he said.<br />
The product line includes candy bowls and hand and wall<br />
mirrors and is available at OUT-2 STUDIO and Vietnam Quilts<br />
in HCM City, Vietnam Quilts in Hanoi and Mekong Quilts in<br />
Phnom Penh. Visit www.vietnam-quilts.com for contacts.<br />
and wine bar, La Brasserie,<br />
opened at 61 Hung Gia 2 in Phu<br />
My Hung. The contemporary,<br />
dual level restaurant boasts a full<br />
bar, outdoor seating and a climate-controlled<br />
wine cellar with<br />
more than 650 wines, primarily<br />
from France. The menu features<br />
classic French fare like sliced<br />
raw beef Carpaccio with Parmesan<br />
cheese, olive oil and lemon<br />
and grilled beef fillet served<br />
with French fries and vegetable<br />
gratin. Vietnamese selections are<br />
also offered and several confit<br />
dishes are expected to appear<br />
on the menu this month. La<br />
Brasserie is open for breakfast<br />
from 7 to 10am, lunch from 12<br />
to 2pm and dinner from 5:30 to<br />
10pm. Call 5410 4317.<br />
Sale at ER-Couture<br />
Through April 15, ER-Couture<br />
Boutique is offering up to 50<br />
percent off select women’s clothing<br />
and accessories. For details,<br />
visit www.er-couture.com or stop<br />
by the store at 43 Thao Dien on<br />
the second floor of the An Phu<br />
Supermarket building, District 2.<br />
Rubba Duckies News<br />
Infant water familiarisation<br />
classes for little ones from 6<br />
months to 3 years and Learn to<br />
Swim classes for children 4 and<br />
up start in late April at Somerset<br />
in District 1 and AIS, APSC and<br />
Parklands in District 2. For enrolment<br />
information and additional<br />
enquiries, email rubbaduckiesswim@hotmail.com.<br />
Greg Norman Tours Danang Golf Club<br />
World Golf Hall of Famer and golf course architect Greg<br />
Norman recently visited Danang Golf Club for a ceremonial<br />
contract signing on behalf of Southern Cross Developments,<br />
his company's real estate division. Norman also toured all 18<br />
holes of the Dunes Course layout in order to advise the accompanying<br />
design and construction team members.<br />
"We're right where we should be," said Norman, regarding<br />
the scheduled April 30 opening. "Ongoing adjustments on a<br />
project this size are inevitable, but the holes fit into the landscape<br />
as we had envisioned they would, so the big picture is<br />
right."<br />
The first hole, a 407-yard par 4 tees to a landing area<br />
flanked right by a mammoth, two-tiered bunker cut into the<br />
dunes. It evokes an experience found in seaside courses in<br />
the British Isles and southeastern Australia.<br />
Another notable characteristic is an old French pillbox<br />
between the 16th green and 17th tee box—a historical feature<br />
the club plans to restore and convert into a refreshment<br />
stand.<br />
The course will eventually include a 3,800-square-metre<br />
clubhouse, a comprehensive, technologically sophisticated<br />
golf academy, four-and five-star hotels and multiple residential<br />
enclaves totaling up to 300 luxury residences. For more<br />
information visit www.dananggolfclub.com.<br />
They’ll be safe<br />
in our hands<br />
Our smallest patients - respecting their<br />
needs is our biggest concern<br />
Our three Full-time Pediatric Specialists are<br />
on hand for all your childrens medical needs<br />
• Primary pediatric emergency responses<br />
• Routine childhood development assessment<br />
• Post natal examinations<br />
• Immunisation advice<br />
• Vaccination<br />
• Nutritional counselling<br />
• New mother support<br />
• Pre-school check-ups<br />
Family Medical Practice <strong>HCMC</strong><br />
Diamond Plaza: 34 Le Duan Street, District 1, <strong>HCMC</strong><br />
For appointments and emergency care 24 hours:<br />
(84 8) 3822 7848<br />
www.vietnammedicalpractice.com<br />
Your health. Our care.<br />
• Emergency Medicine • Medical Evacuations • General Practice • Internal Medicine • Pediatrics<br />
• Obstetrics & Gynecology • Orthopedic & Trauma Surgery • Cardiology • ENT • Tropical Medicine<br />
8 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> • Radiology • Imaging • Ambulance Service • In-house Laboratory • asialife Acupuncture <strong>HCMC</strong> • First 9Aid<br />
Training<br />
• Child Birth Education • Saigon International Mother Baby Association • Medical Check-ups
EVENTS<br />
APE One-Year Anniversary<br />
Party<br />
On April 24 from 3pm to 12am,<br />
APE will host its one-year anniversary<br />
house music pool party<br />
at Dragon’s Nest in An Phu. DJ<br />
Florian Herrmann from Frankfurt<br />
will spin, as well as APE organizers<br />
and DJs Mario Heinrich<br />
and Nic Ford. Buy one get one<br />
free drinks and free finger food<br />
will be offered from 3 to 4pm.<br />
Admission is free. APE is a collective<br />
that that merges DJs and<br />
multimedia art at monthly parties<br />
around town and in Mui Ne. For<br />
more information call Mario on<br />
093 339 9500 or Nic on 093 314<br />
6532.<br />
Hoi An Yoga-Surf Camp<br />
On May 1 and 2 from 8:30am<br />
to 12pm, La Plage will host two<br />
mornings of deep breathing,<br />
stretching and paddling at a<br />
yoga/surf camp at La Plage in<br />
Hoi An. The cost for the half-day<br />
is USD $50 for adults and $30<br />
for kids from 12 to 18 years old<br />
and includes yoga, a surf lesson,<br />
board rental and breakfast. For<br />
more information email Sam at<br />
sammiller99@gmail.com or visit<br />
www.laplagehoian.com.<br />
Beerfest Saigon<br />
April at Bui Gallery<br />
Through April 24, the Bui Gallery<br />
presents “Not Memory,” an exhibition<br />
of contemporary paintings<br />
by Hanoi artist Ha Manh Thang.<br />
Highlighting a maturation of the<br />
artist’s earlier work, the exhibit<br />
reinterprets and collages old photographs<br />
of Vietnam, motifs from<br />
Japanese, Chinese and Western<br />
artistic traditions and logos of<br />
well-known brands and images<br />
from daily life with stark, bright<br />
colours on large canvases using<br />
stencils, drips, flat planes and<br />
figurative renderings as mediums.<br />
Ha Manh Thang has been compared<br />
to Chinese artist Yue Minjun<br />
for his bold style and Wang<br />
Guanguyi for turning his carefully<br />
critical eye on society as a whole.<br />
Some of the artist’s works are<br />
part of the Singapore Art Museum's<br />
permanent collection. For<br />
more information contact gillian@<br />
thebuigallery.com.<br />
Senior Expat ChitChat<br />
Group<br />
On April 13 from 10 to 11:30am,<br />
seniors can take place in a<br />
conversation and discussion<br />
group at the Palace Hotel Café,<br />
56-66 Nguyen Hue, District<br />
From May 6 to 9 the second annual Beerfest Saigon will take<br />
place at the Windsor Plaza Hotel. The event will feature local<br />
and international beer as well as food, live music, games and<br />
lucky draws. The festival runs from 6pm to late on Thursday<br />
and Friday and from 3pm to late on Saturday and Sunday.<br />
Admission costs 400,000 VND and includes a commemorative<br />
mug to use for one free sample of beer from each booth.<br />
Tickets are available at the Windsor Plaza Hotel in District 5<br />
as well as Cafe Central Nguyen Hue, 115 Nguyen Hue; Gartenstadt,<br />
34 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>; and Amigo Grill 57 Nguyen Hue, in<br />
District 1. For more information visit www.beerfestsaigon.com.<br />
Galerie Quynh Exhibition<br />
Through April 24, Galerie Quynh will present Static Motion, a<br />
two-person exhibition of new work by Nguyen Thanh Truc and<br />
George Papadimas. Static Motion explores the complex and<br />
enigmatic nature of art making through the examination of two<br />
artists whose works are created by very disparate processes.<br />
For more information on the exhibition and Galerie Quynh, visit<br />
www.galeriequynh.com.<br />
1. Organized by 82-year-old<br />
American expat Sheldon Pruss,<br />
the group provides an informal<br />
venue to meet new people.<br />
Monthly get-togethers take place<br />
at various coffee shops around<br />
town. If interested, show up and<br />
ask for Sheldon Pruss or call 093<br />
203 1837.<br />
Cooking Class at Sofitel<br />
Saigon Plaza<br />
On April 4 at 10am Chef Nicolas<br />
Isnard, head chef of one-Michelin<br />
star restaurant L’Auberge de<br />
la Charme in Burgundy will<br />
teach a cooking class at Olivier<br />
restaurant (500,000++ VND per<br />
person including a 3-course set<br />
menu). Book ahead, as class<br />
size is limited to eight people.<br />
For more information email fb@<br />
sofitelsaigon.com.vn.<br />
Guest Chef at Sheraton<br />
From April 20 to 25, Signature<br />
Restaurant at the Sheraton<br />
welcomes French seafood<br />
specialist Chef Pascal Proyart.<br />
The executive head chef of Oneon-One<br />
Restaurant at Sheraton<br />
Park Tower, Luxury Collection in<br />
London will be preparing contemporary<br />
cuisine that incorporates<br />
exotic ingredients from around<br />
the world. Please book in advance.<br />
Call 3827 2828, ext. 409.<br />
ACG In Action<br />
On April 29 from 8:30 to 11am,<br />
ACG International School in District<br />
2 will host The Open Day—<br />
ACG in Action, an event that<br />
gives visitors the opportunity to<br />
watch students and teachers<br />
in action and get to know the<br />
school's culture. Primary and<br />
secondary information sessions<br />
and guided tours will also be<br />
held throughout the morning.<br />
For more information call 3747<br />
1234 or visit www.acgedu.com.<br />
DanCenter Event<br />
On May 28 and 29 the Dan-<br />
Center show, Dance for ALL:<br />
ClassicALL, TraditionALL,<br />
MusicALL, RevivALL will take<br />
place at Thanh Nien Theatre at<br />
4 Pham Ngoc Thach in District<br />
1. The event will showcase<br />
DanCenter students—kids,<br />
teens and adults—and introduce<br />
the professional dance agency,<br />
Urban Dance Group. On May<br />
29, DanCenter will also host Sal-<br />
Saigon, Saigon Swing and Capoeira<br />
Saigon, who will perform<br />
alongside students to show the<br />
many dance styles that can be<br />
learned. Tickets will go on sale<br />
mid-May and will be available at<br />
DanCenter, Juice and Mekong<br />
Merchant. For more information<br />
visit www.dancentervn.com.<br />
easter Sunday April 4 2010<br />
Olivier<br />
Through April 4 Chef Nicolas<br />
Isnard, head chef of one-Michelin<br />
Star restaurant L’Auberge de la<br />
Charme in Burgundy, France will<br />
be preparing egg low temperature<br />
with asparagus and morels<br />
comte cheese, egg in crusted<br />
spices with grand Marnier<br />
sabayon and choc orange and<br />
lamb rack served pink with<br />
vegetables and blanquettestyle<br />
cappuccino. Lunch will<br />
be served from 11:30am to<br />
2:30pm and dinner from 6:30<br />
to 10:30pm (three-course Menu<br />
Emotion/500,000++ VND per<br />
person and five-course Menu<br />
Magnifique/1,100,000++VND<br />
per person, both excluding wine).<br />
Call 3824 1555.<br />
Parkview<br />
Parkview’s buffet includes rosemary<br />
and garlic roasted legs of<br />
lamb, balsamic and honey glazed<br />
ham, homemade pizza, grilled<br />
fish and steak, lobster, snails,<br />
shrimp, clams, chocolate orange<br />
Easter egg truffles, a chocolate<br />
fountain and more. Lunch will be<br />
served from 11:45am to 2:30pm<br />
and dinner from 6 to 10pm<br />
(USD $45++ per person including<br />
sparkling and house wine,<br />
draught beer and soft drinks).<br />
Email ays@newworldsaigon.com.<br />
Café Central An Dong<br />
Café Central An Dong will host<br />
a brunch buffet, Easter egg hunt<br />
and egg decorating contest. The<br />
buffet is available from 11.30am<br />
to 2:30pm (199,000++ VND)<br />
Children from 3 to10 years are<br />
half price. Email cafecentral@<br />
windsorplazahotel.com.<br />
Opera<br />
Opera will offer a buffet from<br />
11:30am to 2:30pm that includes<br />
seafood on ice, antipasti, asparagus<br />
ravioli, Australian lamb,<br />
pasqualina cake, traditional hot<br />
cross buns, Neapolitan pastiera<br />
cake and a chocolate Easter<br />
bunny for the kids (800,000++<br />
VND for adults including free-flow<br />
of Prosecco, 400,000++ VND for<br />
children 6 to 12, children under<br />
6 eat free). Email opera.saiph@<br />
hyatt.com.<br />
Saigon Cafe<br />
Saigon Café is featuring roasted<br />
lamb leg, hot cross buns, braided<br />
Easter bread, baked sturgeon,<br />
pork belly, a king crab seafood<br />
bar, chocolate buffet and more<br />
(1,050,000 VND). There will be<br />
an activity room for children. Call<br />
3827 2828.<br />
Restaurant Nineteen<br />
Restaurant Nineteen’s brunch<br />
buffet includes roasts, local<br />
liberation and labour day<br />
Saigon Cafe<br />
Saigon Café is serving a buffet<br />
that features baby lobster,<br />
Alaskan king crab, oysters,<br />
oven- roasted U.S. prime rib,<br />
baked sturgeon and foie gras<br />
(935,000 VND). Call 3827 2828<br />
or email promotion.saigon@<br />
sheraton.com.<br />
Restaurant Nineteen<br />
Restaurant Nineteen is offering<br />
a range of seafood including<br />
lobster; river, king and tiger<br />
prawns; crabs; oysters; and a<br />
praline soufflé with bourbon vanilla<br />
bean sauce and marinated<br />
and international dishes, a Grey<br />
Goose Vodka oyster bar, Nha<br />
Trang lobster, desserts, Mumm<br />
Champagne, cocktails, wines,<br />
Lavazza coffee and more (USD<br />
$48++ per person). Call 3823<br />
4999.<br />
Café Rivoli<br />
Brunch will feature international<br />
dishes, Vietnamese and Chinese<br />
specialties and a carving station<br />
and dessert buffet, served<br />
from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm<br />
(710,000++ VND per person<br />
and free for children under 6<br />
years old). Email fb@sofitel<br />
saigon.com.vn.<br />
cherries (USD $48++ per person<br />
including free flow of Mumm<br />
Champagne, Italian and Chilean<br />
house wines). Call 3823 4999.<br />
Café Central An Dong<br />
On April 30 Café Central An<br />
Dong will host a Liberation Day<br />
lunch and dinner that features<br />
roasted lamb leg and stir-fried<br />
prawns. Lunch will be served<br />
from 11:30am to 2:30pm<br />
(199,000++ VND) and dinner<br />
from 6pm to 10pm (315,000++<br />
VND). Children 10 years and<br />
under are half price. Email cafecentral@windsorplazahotel.com.<br />
10 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 11
WITH Tata Young<br />
Pop sensation Tata Young burst onto the Thai music scene in 1995 at the tender age of 15 with<br />
her massively popular debut album Amita Tata Young. Since then, the international performer’s<br />
life has been a whirlwind of record deals, concerts, acting and modeling gigs. Ginny Becker<br />
caught up with Young last month at The Hi-Fi, where she was promoting her latest Englishlanguage<br />
album, Ready for Love. Photo By Fred Wissink<br />
What brings you to Vietnam?<br />
Actually, I was invited for the<br />
show tonight at The Hi-Fi, but<br />
I had never visited this country<br />
before and I always wanted to.<br />
It’s the weirdest thing, because<br />
my mother told me that this is<br />
a country I would love to visit<br />
because it’s so beautiful. She<br />
was right. She passed away a<br />
couple of years ago, but she said<br />
this is one country where you<br />
come and you’re gonna feel like,<br />
“That building is European,”<br />
and then you walk past two<br />
more buildings and say, “That<br />
building is Chinese.” It’s a lot of<br />
countries oriented into one.<br />
This being your first time in<br />
Vietnam, you’ve already got<br />
quite a few fans here.<br />
I’m very surprised, actually. I’m<br />
really surprised with how much<br />
attention I have here and I really<br />
appreciate it. I mean, I’ve heard<br />
a lot from my friends who go to<br />
Vietnam and then tell me, “You<br />
know a lot of Vietnamese people<br />
talk about you when we tell<br />
them we come from Thailand.”<br />
There is a lot of attention on me<br />
and I like it!<br />
You’ve said you learned your<br />
big voice techniques from<br />
people like Aretha Franklin<br />
and Jennifer Hudson for your<br />
single, “Ready for Love.” What<br />
made you move in that direction?<br />
I’ve always liked soul artists but<br />
it’s not that I wanted to move<br />
into that genre particularly. It’s<br />
quite a good technique singingwise.<br />
When you learn how to<br />
sing R&B or when you sing<br />
more soulfully, it’s much easier<br />
on your voice professionally. So<br />
that’s one thing I found about<br />
this album. A lot of people actually<br />
said I completely changed<br />
from pop to a big band kind of<br />
thing with “Ready for Love” but<br />
it’s the only song on the album<br />
that sounds like that. The rest is<br />
still very much European dance<br />
music with pop influences.<br />
Last year you acted in the<br />
movie, Bitter/Sweet. What was<br />
that like?<br />
I got to act with James Brolin—<br />
Barbara Streisand’s husband! I<br />
did, as you say in Hollywood,<br />
“a couple of lines” as myself<br />
with James Brolin. And he looks<br />
awesome; he’s a great person.<br />
Sometimes it’s not about how<br />
much exposure you get but<br />
the person you meet. For me,<br />
I said yes to the movie for one<br />
reason, which was James. We<br />
sat and talked for hours and it<br />
was great. He taught me a lot of<br />
things. He was like, “Try saying<br />
that line in this way.” So just the<br />
experience of being with James<br />
for a couple of hours made the<br />
whole thing for me.<br />
Has it opened doors for other<br />
opportunities?<br />
I really don’t know because I<br />
haven’t been focused on the<br />
movie-making part of my career.<br />
I think that would be a better<br />
question to ask my manager.<br />
I would love to be in a Hollywood<br />
movie but at the moment<br />
Ready for Love has taken over my<br />
life and I want to promote it. It’s<br />
a really good album and I don’t<br />
want to let it off the hook.<br />
American gossip blogger Perez<br />
Hilton has been writing about<br />
how much he likes your music.<br />
Do you have your sights set on<br />
the U.S.?<br />
I love him too! I have an international<br />
website and I’m trying<br />
to get hold of him personally<br />
to send him CDs and all my<br />
stuff because he’s been writing<br />
so many good things about<br />
me. So yeah, I’m very excited<br />
about Perez. Actually I found<br />
out about it through Facebook.<br />
My friends were like, “You’re<br />
on Perez Hilton,” and I said,<br />
“Impossible, he wouldn’t wanna<br />
write about me.”<br />
I’ve read that you’re quite the<br />
watch collector? Any truth to<br />
that?<br />
Yeah, I am. But I’m not wearing<br />
one today. How sad! [laughs] I<br />
had one on but it didn’t really<br />
suit this outfit so I had to take<br />
it off.<br />
You know a lot about me.<br />
We do our homework.<br />
How did you know I’m a watch<br />
collector?<br />
The Internet tells all!<br />
Everything! Freaky! It’s actually<br />
how a guy would know<br />
about you. He’d say, “Hey I<br />
heard you like watches. I got<br />
you a watch.” [laughing]<br />
I know. It is creepy, but this<br />
is strictly professional, I<br />
promise! Back to your career,<br />
though. You were thrust into<br />
the limelight at 15 years old.<br />
Do you feel the need to reinvent<br />
yourself as time goes on?<br />
That’s the toughest thing.<br />
Yeah, you have to reinvent<br />
yourself a lot because people<br />
get bored of you. They always<br />
want to see something<br />
fresh and new. I mean, you<br />
wouldn’t want to see an artist<br />
who still looks the same 15<br />
years later. People see me<br />
with the same hair for three<br />
weeks, so then I’ll change it. I<br />
just cut it and my hair person<br />
said, “Are you going to leave<br />
us any hair to work on?” And<br />
sometimes my friends say,<br />
“I can’t even remember you<br />
now.”<br />
Do you find differences in<br />
each country in how the<br />
crowd responds to your performance?<br />
Absolutely. Once you get the<br />
Japanese people standing,<br />
they don’t sit down anymore,<br />
which is great. Once you get<br />
the Thai people dancing, it’s<br />
hard not to get them to dance<br />
anymore. Or to listen to you<br />
[laughs] because then they’re<br />
having so much fun. But in<br />
some countries people are<br />
very shy. Recently I performed<br />
in Indonesia and they were<br />
telling me how difficult it was<br />
gonna be to get the crowd<br />
dancing, and it really was. But<br />
once they were up and going<br />
they were just having fun.<br />
Have you ever had a crowd<br />
that stayed in their seats for<br />
the entire concert?<br />
I have, actually, and I’m OK<br />
with that. I’m very adjustable.<br />
I’m like a chameleon. I<br />
go on stage and I adapt to the<br />
people. I’m there to perform<br />
for them, not for them to perform<br />
for me.<br />
12 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 13
Street Smart:<br />
<strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
Many Saigonites traverse this inner-city<br />
thoroughfare daily, but few take the time to<br />
explore it. Beth Young takes a slow ride down<br />
<strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong> to see what it has to offer.<br />
Photos by <strong>Nam</strong> Quan.<br />
Cutting through the city, <strong>Nam</strong><br />
<strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong> facilitates transport<br />
from points A to B for many<br />
HCM City residents. However,<br />
the long street, which stretches<br />
between Districts 1 and 3 and<br />
almost to Phu Nhuan, is home<br />
to countless attractions—beside<br />
the well-known Reunification<br />
Palace of course—including<br />
two different styles of Buddhist<br />
temples, funky retailers and<br />
restaurants to suit all tastes.<br />
Subramaniam Swamy Temple<br />
98 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
Worshippers at this temple<br />
practice Indian Buddhism,<br />
made obvious by the Hindistyle<br />
artwork hung on the walls<br />
and a penchant for flashing<br />
red neon lights. The space is<br />
cavernous, except for a small<br />
prayer room located at its core.<br />
Inside, white flower garlands<br />
interspersed with handwritten<br />
notes are hung around bright,<br />
detailed paintings of deities.<br />
Many offerings have been presented<br />
to Buddha here; bananas,<br />
coconut, rice and the lingering<br />
scent of incense are omnipresent.<br />
Surprisingly, it is not the<br />
only Indian Buddhist temple in<br />
the city. There’s another close by<br />
on Pasteur.<br />
Le Fenetre Soleil<br />
2nd floor, 135 Le Thanh Ton (entrance<br />
on <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>)<br />
A dingy winding staircase<br />
leads to this hole-in-thewall,<br />
Parisian-inspired cafe<br />
where fusion is at its best. The<br />
Japanese owner-slash-handbag<br />
designer (his handbags are<br />
sold at the cafe) created the<br />
French Colonial-style restaurant<br />
in the 60s-era building. The<br />
space is adorned with kitschy<br />
mismatched furniture—cushy<br />
lounges and a love bed beneath<br />
thick, purple drapes—and<br />
complemented with sturdy<br />
antique wooden dining tables.<br />
Wide French doors that frame<br />
the streetscape allow light to<br />
enter, illuminating the crystal<br />
chandeliers that hang from<br />
the ceiling. The cafe opened in<br />
2001 and is a popular place for<br />
trendy, young Vietnamese to<br />
gather. Meals go for between<br />
35,000 and 110,000 VND.<br />
Sandwich<br />
125 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
Funky candy-striped walls<br />
encase a hoard of clothes and<br />
accessories for the fashion conscious.<br />
A cartoonish candelabra<br />
and mirror have been painted<br />
on one wall and a colourful<br />
retro bicycle takes pride of<br />
place in the window. A range of<br />
clothes are available; however<br />
the bright t-shirts emblazoned<br />
with cheeky statements like<br />
“Don’t look me, don’t touch<br />
me, don’t take me” or “Last<br />
night, Last Virgin” are winners.<br />
A men’s polo shirt printed with<br />
the slogan “Root Guys” would<br />
have an entirely different conno-<br />
tation in Australia, though. It’s<br />
also a one-stop shop for lensless<br />
rhinestone framed novelty<br />
glasses, black vinyl jackets and<br />
denim slip-on shoes.<br />
BBQ Garden<br />
135A <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
If you’re new to HCM City and<br />
haven’t yet hit grill-it-yourself<br />
joint BBQ Garden for a birthday<br />
or farewell party, you surely<br />
will someday. The restaurant<br />
occupies a huge open space<br />
shaded by leafy trees that are<br />
lit with countless fairy lights<br />
come dark. At night, it is literally<br />
packed to bursting point<br />
with diners grilling up obligatory<br />
staples like succulent beef<br />
rolled with onion and cheese<br />
and tasty salmon and bacon<br />
skewers. Similar to 3T on Ton<br />
That Thiep, the BBQ Garden<br />
provides the same cuisine in a<br />
decidedly less frantic atmosphere.<br />
HCM City Museum<br />
65 Ly Tu Trong (entrance on <strong>Nam</strong><br />
<strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>)<br />
This huge colonial-style building<br />
is set among a lush garden<br />
that is home to American<br />
War-era relics. Rusted antiaircraft<br />
artillery, an F5 fighter<br />
that bombed the Independence<br />
Palace (now Reunification<br />
Palace) and a massive tank sit<br />
alongside a collection of classic<br />
cars that were used in the war<br />
effort. A Renault on display<br />
transported wounded soldiers<br />
from Go Vap to Cu Chi in the<br />
1968 Tet General Offensive. It is<br />
also said that a secret underground<br />
tunnel runs between the<br />
museum and the Reunification<br />
Palace and various other key<br />
sites in HCM City. There’s no<br />
burrowing anymore though.<br />
This alternative exit is safely<br />
gated and under lock and key.<br />
HCM City Court<br />
60 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
Perched atop this imposing<br />
mustard-coloured, French-built<br />
structure is a statue of the God<br />
of Justice. On either side of<br />
him sits a traditionally dressed<br />
Vietnamese couple, a woman in<br />
an ao dai and a man wearing a<br />
conical hat. From the building’s<br />
precipice, a pointed metal rod<br />
shoots skywards. It’s a lightning<br />
conductor that’s meant to<br />
signify the god’s ability to dole<br />
out justice through the court<br />
system.<br />
Y Ngoc Gallery<br />
135 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
Famous Vietnamese ao dai<br />
designer Si Hoang displays his<br />
elaborate creations at his twostorey<br />
gallery, right next to the<br />
Reunification Palace. Hoang has<br />
been designing ao dai for more<br />
than 20 years, and it shows. The<br />
ornately designed traditional<br />
dresses are spun from highquality<br />
silks, cottons and regal<br />
velvets. Many are embellished<br />
with glittering beads and<br />
jewels, and others are painstakingly<br />
hand painted. At USD<br />
$700 a pop, Hoang’s creations<br />
are wearable artworks.<br />
Oriental Medical Clinic<br />
162 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
This Korean-run clinic specialises<br />
in traditional Chinese<br />
14 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 15
medicine, acupuncture and<br />
an Asian-style chiropractic<br />
technique. Owner Dr Kim<br />
Sung Soo studied in China<br />
and Korea before opening in<br />
Vietnam four years ago. His<br />
patients generally hail from<br />
various Western countries and<br />
his native Korea.<br />
NK Educational Toys<br />
206 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
This treasure trove was<br />
spawned when owner Hoa<br />
began looking for educational<br />
toys for her son, now 3 years<br />
old. While cheap plastic<br />
Chinese toys were available<br />
everywhere, there was nothing<br />
that promoted learning. Hoa<br />
now imports products from the<br />
States, Belgium and the Netherlands<br />
through NK Educational<br />
Toys. The store is stocked<br />
with popular brands like Smart<br />
Game and VTech, and there’s<br />
something for all budgets. A<br />
portable Chinese checkers set<br />
costs just 80,000 VND while<br />
an Eco Power Station is higher<br />
end at about 900,000 VND.<br />
Tapiocup<br />
151A <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
Yet another bubble tea joint,<br />
Tapiocup serves up sweet<br />
drinkable treats. Pearl milk<br />
tea (the most popular style)<br />
sells for 20,000 VND, while a<br />
yoghurt shake will set customers<br />
back an extra 5,000 dong<br />
note. The menu has all the old<br />
favourites—strawberry, orange<br />
and mango—but also has some<br />
more interesting flavours like<br />
honeydew and mint.<br />
<strong>Nam</strong> Son<br />
188 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
Meals are prepared super<br />
quick at this bit tek restaurant,<br />
a Vietnamese fast food<br />
equivalent. Classic beef steak<br />
with egg cooked sunny side<br />
up (bo bit tek trung) is served<br />
on a sizzling hot cast iron plate<br />
for 40,000 VND. This meal has<br />
inspired a special Vietnamese<br />
saying: “avoiding the beef”—a<br />
handy tip as the piping hot meat<br />
spits boiling oil. <strong>Nam</strong> Son’s<br />
speciality is the mash-up meal<br />
thap cam. Just add a tasty herbed<br />
pork meatball and a side of pate<br />
for an extra five grand. All meals<br />
come with do chua, a pickled<br />
Vietnamese-style cucumber<br />
salad.<br />
The 35,000 Dong Shop<br />
195 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
Everything in this Japanese<br />
chain (there is a smaller version<br />
in Phu My Hung, too) costs<br />
35,000 VND, whether it’s an<br />
extendable bamboo backscratcher<br />
or a portable ashtray.<br />
It has endless gag gift options<br />
and absolutely everything from<br />
hair and beauty accessories to<br />
gardening tools and an entire<br />
aisle named “aroma.” Window<br />
shopping is near impossible in<br />
this bargain barn.<br />
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda<br />
339 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
Just before the bridge to Phu<br />
Nhuan en route to the airport is<br />
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, a massive<br />
Buddhist temple known for<br />
pioneering the pairing of modern<br />
concrete construction with<br />
traditional Buddhist architecture<br />
in Vietnam. Inside the main<br />
hall, monks cloaked in saffroncoloured<br />
robes lead worshippers<br />
in a hypnotic chant that gradually<br />
reaches a crescendo. A walk<br />
around the grounds is a must.<br />
Large frangipani trees provide<br />
shade, and turtles and fish swim<br />
in a man-made pond. Out back<br />
is the pagoda’s crematorium.<br />
Here, Buddhists’ ashes are kept<br />
in ornate, porcelain jars with<br />
the deceased’s picture imposed<br />
on the front. The four-storey<br />
structure houses about 22,660<br />
people’s remains, which are<br />
protected by Dia Tang Bo Tac, a<br />
female deity who helps the dead<br />
realize the value of life.<br />
radar<br />
The End of MoochiNG<br />
Everyone has that friend who “conveniently” forgets his<br />
or her wallet when you’re out to dinner. You know, the one<br />
who jumps out of the cab, leaving you to pay the fare.<br />
However, with PayPal 2.0 for iPhone, moochers have no<br />
more excuses. The app is integrated with Bump Technologies<br />
to let two users transfer money to one another<br />
simply by tapping their iPhones together. For outstanding<br />
debts, you can also send bills to people who owe you<br />
cash. There’s even a split check feature that calculates<br />
who owes a larger portion of the bill and how the tax and<br />
tip should split. The app has 16 different currencies, making<br />
it easy for cheapskates around the world to pay up.<br />
Download PayPal 2.0 at www.paypal.com or through the<br />
iTunes App Store.<br />
The FUN in DysFUNctional<br />
www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com<br />
Childhood friends Mike Bender and Doug Chernack started<br />
their blog after discussing the universality of awkwardness<br />
in families, which is often captured best in photos.<br />
For most people though, awkward means being dressed<br />
up in matching sweaters and khakis and getting dragged<br />
to the local department store for the annual family photo.<br />
The photos collected on www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com<br />
are a whole different story. All-too-intimate pregnancy<br />
shots, the bizarre inclusion of exotic pets and that creepy<br />
uncle’s peculiar pose at the family reunion are sure to<br />
have you keeling over in laughter. The creators hope their<br />
site provides catharsis for people who submit their photos<br />
by allowing them to poke fun at the madness that is family.<br />
Their mission will become all the easier this May when<br />
the website is reprinted in book format.<br />
16 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 17<br />
Allison Grant<br />
Logan Brown<br />
Facebook Confidential<br />
Ever wish there was a “Dislike” button on Facebook?<br />
Two websites provide a means for users to do one better<br />
and mock their Facebook friends’ missteps in a very<br />
public forum. Lamebook.com and Failbooking.com allow<br />
users to contribute videos, wall posts, messages and<br />
photos that illustrate poor choices and online indiscretions.<br />
The posts include status messages that offer TMI,<br />
photos that people should keep to themselves, public<br />
lovers spats and much more. The good news about<br />
Lamebook.com is that you can remove any content<br />
if you notice you’ve become a victim. But beware;<br />
Failbooking.com makes no such concessions. If you’re<br />
foolish enough to air your dirty laundry on Facebook,<br />
you might just get called out for it.<br />
Allison Grant
A View of Tra Vinh<br />
Christian Berg<br />
www.christianbergphoto.com<br />
christianberg79@web.de<br />
The late afternoon sun broke<br />
through the far treetops and coated<br />
everything in a mysterious golden<br />
light. This was the perfect moment<br />
to take a couple of shots in this area<br />
in the backwaters of rural Vietnam.<br />
Only a few hours by motorbike<br />
from HCM City, Vietnam's Tra Vinh<br />
Province in the heart of the Mekong<br />
Delta hosts one of the largest<br />
populations of ethnic Khmer in<br />
the country.<br />
The province has more than<br />
140 temples and pagodas.<br />
The Buddhists here follow the<br />
Theravada way, so you can<br />
easily mistake it for Thailand<br />
or Cambodia when you see the<br />
monks’ yellow and orange robes.<br />
18 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 19
20 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 21
OVER THE PAST DECADE, THE CONTEMPORARY ART SCENE IN HCM CITY<br />
HAS QUIETLY FLOURISHED. BUT LIMITED INFRASTRUCTURE, A LACK<br />
OF FUNDING AND THE ENDURING CHALLENGES OF WORKING WITHIN<br />
THE CONFINES OF STATE OVERSIGHT HAVE PRESENTED OBSTACLES<br />
TO PROVIDING SERVICES TO ARTISTS AND ATTRACTING COLLECTORS.<br />
ASIALIFE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE SCENE AND A VIEW INTO SOME<br />
OF THE WORK BEING CREATED AND EXHIBITED IN THE THANH PHO.<br />
PHOTOS BY NAM QUAN<br />
22 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 23
In a building at the end of a small street in<br />
Binh Thanh District, a crowd threatens to<br />
spill out onto the road on a Friday evening.<br />
Inside the white-washed exterior wall, the<br />
mood is jovial and cans of beer are being<br />
plucked from a cooler and passed around.<br />
It is at first difficult to reach the doorway and<br />
pierce the threshold of the ground floor.<br />
The scene is typical of a weekend at a<br />
new restaurant or a performance by an international<br />
band at a local watering hole. But<br />
the crowd is gathered out of appreciation for<br />
another of life’s pleasures: art.<br />
The venue is the nonprofit art space Sán<br />
Art, and the exhibit opening tonight is Syntax<br />
+ Diction, a group show that features the<br />
work of seven local Vietnamese and Viet<br />
Kieu artists. One of those artists is Sán Art<br />
co-founder Dinh Q. Le. In June, New York’s<br />
Museum of Modern Art will premiere Le’s<br />
video installation, The Farmers and the<br />
Helicopters (2006), the first major installation<br />
by a Vietnamese artist ever purchased by<br />
the MoMa.<br />
Given the turnout and Le’s celebrity in<br />
the art world, it is perhaps difficult for those<br />
from countries with thriving contemporary art<br />
scenes to understand why spaces like Sán<br />
Art are constantly in peril of closing down.<br />
Tammy Nguyen<br />
Born: San Francisco<br />
Untitled Altar Box, 2010<br />
black thread, silk<br />
While contemporary art—not just art being<br />
produced today, but art that demonstrates<br />
an awareness of art history and advances<br />
the practice of art—has thrived in small<br />
pockets of HCM City, a number of factors<br />
to do with education, culture, politics and<br />
history have kept the infrastructure from<br />
growing, leaving it to a small group of individuals<br />
and initiatives to keep contemporary<br />
art practice afloat.<br />
Ready for Contemporary Art?<br />
To some, importing contemporary art practices<br />
into Vietnam might at first seem like a<br />
form of cultural imperialism, but according to<br />
Zoe Butt, who joined Sán Art as curator and<br />
director of programmes and development<br />
last year, it was enquiries from artists working<br />
in Vietnam that brought her to HCM City.<br />
“The feedback I was getting from artists<br />
was there were no spaces in Saigon particularly<br />
for artists to experiment and to exhibit<br />
and have a dialogue about what contemporary<br />
art is,” says Butt, “And there was no<br />
experienced curator who understood how to<br />
talk about art and could help artists actually<br />
find themselves capable of talking to international<br />
art workers.”<br />
In any corner of the art world the role of<br />
“One of the<br />
things about<br />
the support for<br />
contemporary<br />
arts in Vietnam<br />
is there’s<br />
confusion as to<br />
what contemporary<br />
art is”<br />
- Zoe Butt<br />
the curator is integral, but for Vietnamese<br />
artists who are earnest about developing<br />
their practice, it is doubly important given<br />
the state of arts education. The curriculum<br />
in Vietnam still focuses almost exclusively<br />
on traditional forms—drawing, sculpture,<br />
painting—and bypasses critical theory, the<br />
foundation of contemporary art practice.<br />
This is not lost on those who set the arts<br />
management curriculum. In early 2008 while<br />
she was still based in Beijing, Butt was<br />
invited to speak to the Center for Development<br />
of Research of Culture. At the time,<br />
the Center was looking at China as a model,<br />
which had developed a lucrative tourist trade<br />
around its thriving art scene. What was perhaps<br />
not apparent was exactly how difficult<br />
it would be to replicate that success.<br />
“One of the things about the support<br />
for contemporary arts in Vietnam is there’s<br />
confusion as to what contemporary art is,”<br />
explains Butt.<br />
Much of Butt’s presentation focused on<br />
the ways in which art works are assigned<br />
value in developed art markets. Since collectors<br />
and auction houses largely follow what’s<br />
being exhibited and purchased by public<br />
spaces, she explained that it was necessary<br />
to know how museum curators assess a<br />
work of art, and what they’re often assessing<br />
is how the artist interprets the society in<br />
which he or she is working.<br />
This view of art’s relevance is, at least on<br />
the surface, at odds with the opinion of the<br />
Ministry of Culture, the body responsible<br />
for granting permission to exhibitions. As<br />
recently as last year, the ministry reasserted<br />
that its priorities are “to raise the cultural and<br />
spiritual life of the people, promote traditional<br />
and cultural values and teach the tradition of<br />
patriotism to build a better country.”<br />
The state is not the only sector that finds<br />
this concept of art problematic. Having<br />
been founded by four Viet Kieu artists, Sán<br />
Art sometimes suffers from the perception<br />
among local Vietnamese that it is just for Viet<br />
Kieu. While Butt says reaching out to Vietnamese<br />
who may not have the opportunity<br />
to travel is a concern, she acknowledges<br />
that many are intimidated by more conceptual<br />
forms of art for which they seldom<br />
have any reference point. More worrisome,<br />
though, is the perception held by some local<br />
Vietnamese artists.<br />
In at least one case, an artist expressed to<br />
Butt that he believes work that does not depict<br />
subjects familiar to Vietnamese people<br />
is not Vietnamese, an opinion that is out<br />
of sync with the zeitgeist of an increasingly<br />
transnational art world and a market that<br />
takes into consideration an artist’s foreign<br />
residencies and international exhibits when<br />
pricing art.<br />
Whatever the root of opinions such as<br />
this, they threaten to fracture HCM City’s<br />
art scene and undermine the support that<br />
young artists who are embracing more contemporary<br />
practice might otherwise receive<br />
from their peers.<br />
Market Pressure<br />
Since the market liberalization of doi moi<br />
in 1986, what constitutes Vietnamese art<br />
has also been complicated by the influence<br />
of commerce. As Professor Nora A. Taylor<br />
explains in her seminal book, Painters in<br />
Hanoi: An Ethnography of Vietnamese Art,<br />
the shift from state patronage of the arts to<br />
a free market model, as well as the influx of<br />
Western tourists led to an art boom in the<br />
mid-90s that would have far-reaching effects<br />
on contemporary art production.<br />
“In the decade between 1990 and 2000,”<br />
Taylor writes, “art became such a lucrative<br />
source of income that, understandably,<br />
everyone wants their share of the profits<br />
… This has meant that artists have gone<br />
from being reclusive, potentially politically<br />
sensitive, educated but economically poor<br />
individuals to wealthy, socially desirable<br />
personae.”<br />
This transformation, explains Taylor,<br />
contributed to a situation in which commercial<br />
interests began to compromise artistic<br />
integrity. Since Westerners were often more<br />
Tiffany Chung<br />
Born: Danang<br />
Co-founder of San Art<br />
Sugarcane Kumquat Mixed<br />
Juice, 2007<br />
Polyethylene foam, pompoms,<br />
MDF, wood, wire, thermoplastic<br />
adhesive<br />
below: Enokiberry Creators in<br />
the lab, 2008<br />
Digital c-print<br />
150 x 100 cm<br />
24 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 25
Sandrine Lloquet<br />
Born: Montpelier, France<br />
Founder of the arts collective<br />
Wonderful District<br />
Untitled, 2008<br />
Plexiglass, steel and acrylic<br />
85 x 75 x 30 cm<br />
below: Untitled, 2005<br />
Marker pen and enamel on<br />
Plexiglas<br />
31 x 21 cm<br />
concerned with the art’s representation of a<br />
certain “Vietnameseness” than the process<br />
of the artist, it became relatively easy for<br />
galleries—which operated more like tourist<br />
shops—to cater to their tastes, which<br />
tended towards pastoral scenes and Oriental<br />
urban landscapes.<br />
As more shops opened and demand<br />
increased, the pressure to produce became<br />
tremendous. One artist reported to Taylor<br />
that he was turning out completed paintings<br />
within hours. Eventually, successful work<br />
began to be copied, sometimes with the<br />
permission of the artist himself. As it became<br />
more difficult to distinguish genuine work,<br />
the reputation of Vietnamese art eroded.<br />
While Hanoi was at the heart of the mid-<br />
90s art boom, there’s evidence of its legacy<br />
in HCM City in the many art shops displaying<br />
paintings from floor to ceiling. These remain<br />
tremendously popular with foreigners, but<br />
they do not attract important international<br />
curators and collectors.<br />
The reason, says Quynh Pham of Galerie<br />
Quynh, is simple. “Most galleries, it’s just<br />
about promoting the work, selling it. It’s<br />
not really about pushing these artists and<br />
being a mentor to them, as well,” she says.<br />
“Most galleries,<br />
it’s just about<br />
promoting the<br />
work, selling it.<br />
It’s not really<br />
about pushing<br />
these artists and<br />
being a mentor to<br />
them" - Quynh<br />
Pham<br />
“They’re taking the mediocre work and<br />
they’re promoting that as really strong work<br />
coming from this Vietnamese artist. And<br />
they’re also they’re encouraging that artist<br />
to continue making that mediocre work<br />
because they’re able to sell it.”<br />
Galerie Quynh began as an online art<br />
resource in 2000 and moved into a physical<br />
space in 2003. It originally promoted several<br />
important abstract painters, but in recent<br />
years has focused on showing a more diverse<br />
range of work by artists working locally<br />
and hosting international artists.<br />
While it functions as a commercial operation,<br />
Galerie Quynh has contributed to<br />
contemporary art infrastructure by holding its<br />
artists to the standards of the international<br />
art market, and in doing so, teaching them<br />
how to build a significant body of work.<br />
“[Many artists] don’t realize that the price<br />
for the artwork—how we establish the<br />
price—it’s very much rooted. It’s grounded in<br />
the fact that these artists have had certain<br />
shows, they are in certain collections.<br />
They’re of a certain age so you can see the<br />
history, that they are steady. They have been<br />
practicing regularly.”<br />
Sán Art is, in some ways, a response to<br />
the prevailing scene of art shops, as well. It’s<br />
primary occupation is exhibiting contemporary<br />
art—a valuable educational tool in<br />
itself—but the organization also provides a<br />
reading room and exhibition programming.<br />
The goal is not only to mentor Vietnamese<br />
artists on how the international system of<br />
exhibition and acquisition works, but also<br />
to increase the knowledge of international<br />
contemporary art practice.<br />
“One thing Sán Art is trying to do is educate<br />
the artist on the importance of considering<br />
how you give value to your work, not<br />
only in the market, but also culturally,” says<br />
Butt. “You can’t just go and say ‘I’ve created<br />
Erin O’Brien<br />
Born: Alexandria, Virgina, USA.<br />
2009 Fulbright Fellow in Viertnam<br />
GEO Home, 2009<br />
conceptual performance<br />
photo by Phunam Thuc Ha<br />
one series of work and I give that series to<br />
a particular dealer.’ And then you can’t just<br />
go and copy it and give it to somebody else.<br />
There’s a responsibility on the part of the<br />
artist to keep the integrity of what you’ve<br />
done whole.”<br />
Both Pham and Butt acknowledge that<br />
they alone cannot support contemporary art<br />
development. In the absence of more curators<br />
and arts management professionals,<br />
HCM City’s artists have begun to entertain<br />
novel solutions and models used by artists<br />
who have faced barriers in other countries.<br />
Agile Spaces<br />
If you speak to anyone from HCM City’s art<br />
scene about recent history, the subject of<br />
the failed inaugural biennale Saigon Open<br />
City (SOC) will likely come up.<br />
First organized in mid-2004 and set to<br />
open at the end of 2006, SOC was slated<br />
to draw in curators and artists from around<br />
the world over the course of three themed<br />
installments. But it was felled to varying<br />
degrees, depending on who you ask, by<br />
mismanagement and bureaucratic wrangling<br />
that delayed the first installment well beyond<br />
its official opening date and doomed the<br />
second two to non-existence.<br />
There have been many assessments of<br />
what went wrong, but according to Richard<br />
Streitmatter-Tran, a Viet Kieu artist who<br />
moved to Vietnam in 2003 and has since<br />
conducted arts research throughout the Mekong<br />
sub-region, it’s worth considering what<br />
that failure yielded. Before SOC, he says,<br />
exposing contemporary art in so ambitious<br />
a manner had been viewed by many as too<br />
problematic for the cultural climate.<br />
“It was sort of like being in a nuclear<br />
shelter—‘It’s still radioactive up there. We’re<br />
not going to check. Just wait a couple of<br />
years’—and never actually sticking your<br />
head up to see that there was never war in<br />
the first place. So finally Saigon Open City<br />
was sticking your head above the ground.<br />
And yes, it was pretty bad, but at least you<br />
knew it was bad.”<br />
Knowing the terrain, says Streitmatter-<br />
Tran, may have informed the strategies that<br />
artists developed in the years following SOC.<br />
“We all kind of suffered from that. It was<br />
traumatic for the community here,” he says.<br />
“In some ways that kind of trauma gives<br />
us what we have today. We don’t have the<br />
Contemporary Arts Centre of Saigon. We<br />
have little spaces that are agile.”<br />
In the midst of SOC’s planning phase, the<br />
Richard Streitmatter-Tran<br />
Born: Bien Hoa, Vietnam<br />
Lao Tzu Dreams of the LHC, 2009<br />
stainless steal, copper, brass<br />
artist-run initiative a little blah blah began<br />
its series of talks, workshops and presentations.<br />
Today, co-founder Sue Hadju runs<br />
a reading room and organizes one major<br />
project per year (a window until the rains<br />
come: albb Open Studio program is on<br />
through May 2 at Pi-Channel). Himiko Visual<br />
Saloon, an independent exhibition space<br />
and popular hangout among artists, also<br />
opened in 2005. Sán Art opened its doors<br />
in October 2007.<br />
Another initiative that embraced agility at<br />
the time was Wonderful District. Inspired to<br />
move to HCM City after hearing about the<br />
burgeoning art scene, artists Sandrine Llou-<br />
26 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 27
“If we think of art as responding to some sort<br />
of problem or an issue, well, those are eternal.<br />
There isn’t really actually a remedy. There will<br />
never be" - Richard Streitmatter-Tran<br />
quet and Bertrand Peret sought to open a<br />
contemporary arts centre in HCM City. However,<br />
when this proved unfeasible they took<br />
another route; each week for six months in<br />
2006 they hosted exhibitions and art talks in<br />
their home, literally transforming the space<br />
from week to week. The consistency allowed<br />
them to develop close relationships with attendees,<br />
including Vietnamese art students.<br />
“Some of the students who were coming<br />
at this time were very interested, even if they<br />
really didn’t know at all about contemporary<br />
art,” says Llouquet.<br />
What the project provided was an<br />
alternative to the gallery scene, which can<br />
be intimidating to young students, some of<br />
whom would return throughout the week to<br />
read through their library or talk more. It also<br />
provided an example of how artists collectives<br />
can advance the scene when few other<br />
avenues exist to develop contemporary art.<br />
“To be independent to me is what’s most<br />
important,” says Peret. “What we wanted to<br />
show in the way we’ve done the [Wonderful<br />
District] projects was really more than the<br />
content—it’s the way we do it.”<br />
Wonderful District has continued its<br />
programming in various forms since then,<br />
Tuan Andrew Nguyen<br />
Born: Ho Chi Minh City<br />
Co-founder of San Art<br />
Sugar-Coated Karma, 2010<br />
Plastic buddha, acrylic nail paint<br />
but Peret does admit some exhaustion and a<br />
desire to focus more on his painting. Moreso<br />
though, he expresses disappointment that so<br />
few artist initiatives exist in HCM City today.<br />
Evolving Responses<br />
In a studio space in the suburbs of District<br />
7, Streitmatter-Tran has recently established<br />
another of these agile spaces. While it<br />
primarily functions as his personal studio, it<br />
also serves as the home for Dia Projects, an<br />
initiative that will allow Streitmatter-Tran to<br />
draw on his considerable network to invite<br />
artists and curators to Vietnam and facilitate<br />
meetings that could enable the right people<br />
to plan future projects.<br />
When asked if he sees Dia Projects as a<br />
remedy for arts infrastructure in HCM City,<br />
he instead answers a different question:<br />
“If we think of art as responding to some<br />
sort of problem or an issue, well, those are<br />
eternal. They’re always coming around. So if<br />
art is a kind of evolving response to different<br />
types of things then there isn’t really actually<br />
a remedy. There will never be. So I think this<br />
space is a part of that response.”<br />
With the prospect of an arts education<br />
overhaul or major changes in civil society<br />
unlikely in the short term, it seems that<br />
those involved in HCM City’s contemporary<br />
art scene will have to continue to respond<br />
to the current climate. Fortunately, some<br />
pieces seem to be falling into place.<br />
The Dinh Q. Le show at the MoMa, which<br />
will last six months, will certainly raise inter-<br />
Hoang Duong Cam<br />
Born: Hanoi, Vietnam<br />
He doesn't feel angry or sad, 2007<br />
Acrylic on canvas<br />
115 x 115 cm<br />
est abroad, but according to Zoe Butt, it<br />
could help matters on the local level, as well.<br />
“What we’re hoping is that this showcase<br />
of Vietnamese culture at this level brings<br />
people to mind that the contemporary<br />
cultural identity of Vietnam is something that<br />
people are very interested in,” says Butt,<br />
adding that it could convince investors of<br />
the value in supporting Sán Art.<br />
Also of note, Galerie Quynh has been<br />
invited to the Hong Kong International Art<br />
Fair in May. The timing is opportune. Despite<br />
a rough year in 2009 due to the global<br />
financial crisis, Quynh Pham says she’s seen<br />
a lot of interest from international curators in<br />
Vietnam in the last three years. Just recently,<br />
Sun Jun Kim, the commissioner for the<br />
Korean pavilion at the 2005 Venice Biennale<br />
made an extended visit to HCM City.<br />
“She wasn’t here specifically to source<br />
artists for a particular project. She was just<br />
coming to research what was happening,”<br />
says Pham. “Meeting high profile curators<br />
like that is phenomenal. They're definitely<br />
coming. There’s increased interest.”<br />
If things don’t turn around immediately,<br />
that is not a bad sign, says Pham, who<br />
warns of the dangers of speculators and art<br />
market bubbles. “I’m all about the steady<br />
growth. In an ideal art market it’s about people<br />
really doing their research.” The time it<br />
has taken to build what infrastructure exists<br />
has perhaps given curators and collectors<br />
enough time to rethink Vietnam since the<br />
mid-90s and approach it with fresh eyes.<br />
Khanh Cong Bui<br />
Born: Danang<br />
Juice of the Past, 2009<br />
Acrylic on canvas<br />
50 x 40 cm<br />
28 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 29
Destination:<br />
Wellington<br />
A vibrant and gusty city on the sea,<br />
Wellington, New Zealand offers a little<br />
something for everyone. Hold on to your hat<br />
and get a taste of Welly. Ginny Becker reports.<br />
Photos courtesy of WellingtonNZ.com<br />
Located at the southern tip of<br />
New Zealand’s North Island,<br />
Wellington is a tiny city on the<br />
Tasman Sea with a population<br />
of 180,000 people. Often compared<br />
to San Francisco, the two<br />
destinations share some striking<br />
similarities: coastal locales, hilly<br />
streets, wood bungalows and<br />
bohemian cafes. Add to that<br />
year-round moderate climates,<br />
a slew of cable cars (although<br />
most of Welly’s are private)<br />
and locations on fault lines and<br />
you’ve got a case for true sister<br />
cities, indeed.<br />
Many visitors are pleasantly<br />
surprised to discover just how<br />
welcoming Welly can be. There<br />
is a laid-back vibe not often seen<br />
in other cities, evidenced by<br />
warm smiles from its residents,<br />
an instant “How can I help?”<br />
to the lost traveler and an overwhelming<br />
enthusiasm among<br />
Wellingtonians to share their<br />
city with you. While some visitors<br />
see Wellington merely as a<br />
quick stop-off on their way to/<br />
from the country’s natural wonders,<br />
there’s more to this city<br />
than meets the eye. Following is<br />
a roundup of must-dos that just<br />
may inspire you to stick around<br />
for a while.<br />
Bungee Extreme<br />
Corner Courtenay Place and<br />
Taranaki Street<br />
Embrace Wellington with a<br />
heart-pumping reverse bungee<br />
jump. This adrenalin rush isn’t<br />
for the meek. Up to three people<br />
are strapped in an open capsule<br />
attached to two bungee cords<br />
connected to two 40-metre high<br />
towers. The capsule is propelled<br />
55 metres straight up at<br />
a speed of l60 kilometres in less<br />
than two seconds. The folks at<br />
Bungee Extreme claim that riders<br />
will experience 5gs as they<br />
get their first wide-angle view<br />
of Welly, so take it in quickly<br />
before the freefall begins. And<br />
don’t make the mistake your<br />
writer did; eat breakfast after<br />
the jump, not before.<br />
The Wellington Rings Tour<br />
www.wellingtonsights.co.nz<br />
Lord of the Rings fans unite! This<br />
three-hour tour is a less extreme<br />
way to start your visit to Wellington,<br />
but just as fun. Check<br />
out the city’s greenbelt and see<br />
where iconic LOR Shire and<br />
Buckland Forest scenes were<br />
filmed, like the hobbits’ flight<br />
from the Black Riders and their<br />
escape on the Buckleberry ferry.<br />
Visit Weta Cave for a special effects<br />
presentation that includes<br />
a look into other blockbuster<br />
films with Welly connections<br />
including Avatar, King Kong and<br />
District 9. The tour also includes<br />
a visit to scenic and wildly<br />
windy Mt. Victoria, boasting<br />
gorgeous views of the city and<br />
harbour and wind speeds up to<br />
140 kilometres per hour.<br />
Ernesto<br />
132 Cuba Street<br />
www.ernesto.co.nz<br />
Photos of 1950s Cuba hang on<br />
the faux-weathered green walls<br />
of this hip cafe and restaurant,<br />
transporting patrons straight<br />
to Havana. Jazz plays in the<br />
background and large picture<br />
windows encourage hours of<br />
people watching on bustling<br />
Cuba Street. A mix of breakfast,<br />
lunch and dinner is served up<br />
daily, as well as lots of coffee.<br />
Standouts include the breakfast<br />
burrito, made with scrambled<br />
eggs, cheese and black bean<br />
chilli, topped with sour cream<br />
and red pepper salsa and a<br />
pickled chilli and oregano quesadilla<br />
with blackened tomato<br />
salsa. Open daily from 7:30am<br />
until late.<br />
Cuba Street<br />
www.cuba.co.nz<br />
<strong>Nam</strong>ed after the Cuba, an<br />
English settler ship that arrived<br />
in New Zealand in 1840, Cuba<br />
Street in downtown Welly has<br />
nothing to do with the country,<br />
despite its share of Havanathemed<br />
restaurants, bars and<br />
cafes. The pedestrian mall<br />
emits a hippie-like vibe and has<br />
more than 200 stores selling a<br />
large variety of clothing, books<br />
and music. Quirky sculptures<br />
line the street, including the<br />
infamous bucket fountain with<br />
vertical red, blue and yellow<br />
swinging buckets that noisily<br />
pass water downward, splashing<br />
anyone who stands too<br />
close. Tattooists are easy to find<br />
in these parts, and eccentric<br />
street performers don’t disappoint—look<br />
for the Aussie fire,<br />
knife and hatchet juggler who<br />
sports a cowboy hat. Folk singers<br />
and a host of performance<br />
artists too wacky for words are<br />
also found throughout.<br />
Te Papa Tongarewa<br />
Cable Street<br />
www.tepapa.govt.nz<br />
New Zealand’s national museum,<br />
Te Papa, features collections<br />
in five areas: art, history,<br />
the Pacific, Maori culture and<br />
the natural environment. While<br />
the staff recommends spending<br />
three full days to get the most<br />
from the exhibits, they realize<br />
that people have limited time.<br />
Thankfully, they’ve created a<br />
guilt-free plan B for the rest<br />
of us. The Our Space exhibit<br />
allows visitors to explore New<br />
Zealand’s cultural identity<br />
on two simulator rides. Mana<br />
Whenua examines the Maori<br />
culture, while Awesome Forces<br />
features an earthquake house<br />
that demonstrates how geographical<br />
forces formed New<br />
Zealand’s landscape. Still not<br />
sure? Check out a 60-minute<br />
introduction tour to Te Papa so<br />
you can better customize your<br />
itinerary. There are also timelimited<br />
exhibitions, the most<br />
recent featuring Anne Frank<br />
and the last days of Pompeii.<br />
Admission is free, but donations<br />
are suggested. Open daily from<br />
10am to 6pm and Thursdays<br />
until 9pm.<br />
Mojo Coffee<br />
www.mojocoffee.co.nz<br />
A visit to Welly wouldn’t be<br />
complete without a java or two<br />
from Mojo. Even though 12 of<br />
30 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 31<br />
Jess Silk
Sarah Hunter Aaron Burgess<br />
Mojo’s outlets are in Wellington<br />
and the city is known for a wide<br />
range of independent coffee<br />
houses, don’t be put off. Mojo<br />
is enjoying such huge success<br />
because they offer great coffee<br />
from around the world. Dr.<br />
Mojo’s Feel Good is a blend of<br />
Ethiopian and Peruvian coffee;<br />
The Raj mixes three coffees from<br />
India and single origins hail<br />
from Panama, Kenya, Honduras,<br />
El Salvador and Guatemala.<br />
Friendly staff and comfy seating<br />
seal the deal. Mojo is open from<br />
8am to 4pm Monday through<br />
Friday and 10am to 2pm on<br />
Saturdays.<br />
Botanic Garden and Carter Observatory<br />
and Planetarium<br />
www.wellington.govt.nz<br />
Need a serenity fix? Make your<br />
way to the Wellington Botanic<br />
Garden, located on 25 hectares<br />
of protected native forest, for<br />
some respite. Ponder life on<br />
the serene walking trails as you<br />
take in conifer plantings, exotic<br />
trees, seasonal blooms and na-<br />
tive bush. From November to<br />
May, more than 25,000 tulip<br />
bulbs come into bloom and the<br />
Lady Norwood Rose Garden<br />
boasts 106 rose beds. The setting<br />
is extremely soothing—one<br />
Wellingtonian says she spends<br />
many lunch hours here to keep<br />
work stress in check. The Carter<br />
Observatory and Planetarium,<br />
sculpture trail and kids playground<br />
are also worth a gander.<br />
The garden is open daily from<br />
sunrise to sunset. To get there,<br />
take the historic Wellington<br />
cable car from nearby Lambton<br />
Quay (www.wellingtoncablecar.<br />
co.nz).<br />
Wellington Waterfront<br />
Wellingtonians make the most<br />
of their breathtaking waterfront<br />
and promenade with harbour<br />
cruises, swimming, rollerblading<br />
and rock climbing activities.<br />
Throughout the summer, numerous<br />
cultural festivals embrace<br />
New Zealand’s island cultures,<br />
as well as cultures from around<br />
the world. It’s a great place to<br />
enjoy a coffee or gelato while<br />
taking in the surrounding blue<br />
waters and cityscape. On Sundays,<br />
you’ll find a weekly food<br />
and wine market that features<br />
tastings and demonstrations and<br />
a farmers market. Visit www.<br />
wellingtonnz.com for details.<br />
Matterhorn<br />
106 Cuba Street<br />
www.matterhorn.co.nz<br />
While Matterhorn may look like<br />
just another trendy restaurant,<br />
this eatery has staying power. Its<br />
history dates back to 1963 when<br />
two Swiss brothers started the<br />
establishment, which in those<br />
days featured waitresses in full<br />
Swiss garb serving up lots of<br />
fondue. Ownership changed<br />
hands a few times and in 1996<br />
Matterhorn was converted into a<br />
boutique cocktail bar, attracting<br />
both Kiwi and international<br />
celebs and hipsters. The menu<br />
is creative, the food is spot on,<br />
the atmosphere is ultra-cool<br />
without being pretentious and<br />
the service is accommodating.<br />
There’s also live music on Saturday<br />
nights.<br />
Kura<br />
19 Allen Street<br />
www.kuragallery.co.nz<br />
Contemporary, handcrafted<br />
Maori and New Zealand pieces<br />
by Kiwi artists are the star attraction<br />
at Kura, located near<br />
Te Papa. While prices get a bit<br />
steep—some pieces cost one<br />
thousand NZ dollars (about<br />
USD $700) and upwards—moderately<br />
priced items are also offered.<br />
Kura has a large selection<br />
of traditional Maori carvings, ceramics,<br />
glass, furniture, wall art,<br />
jewellery, paintings, prints and<br />
sculpture and features regular<br />
exhibitions of its artists’ work.<br />
And international shipping<br />
takes the worry out of damaging<br />
your treasures as you hike the<br />
Franz Josef Glacier.<br />
Thanks to Rebecca Mitchell from<br />
Positively Wellington Tourism for<br />
her assistance in this article and<br />
amazing Kiwi hospitality.<br />
32 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 33
The Mai Chau Valley is best known for cultural<br />
tourism, but with more outdoor activities now on<br />
tap, it could soon become the domain of adventure-seekers.<br />
Words and photos by Dave Lemke.<br />
Located 135km southwest of Hanoi,<br />
the Mai Chau Valley is fast<br />
becoming a favourite weekend<br />
getaway amongst Hanoians.<br />
The quaint villages and sublime<br />
landscapes are immediately<br />
captivating, but scratch beneath<br />
this quaint exterior and you will<br />
discover a hotspot for adventure<br />
activities, including mountain<br />
and valley trekking, kayaking<br />
on the Da River, off-road cycling<br />
and caving.<br />
Most who stay in Mai Chau<br />
choose to make their base at the<br />
homestays at Pom Coong or Lac<br />
villages. There are also many<br />
of backpacker guesthouses, but<br />
for those who wish to relax in a<br />
bit more comfort, the Mai Chau<br />
Lodge offers luxury accommodation,<br />
as well as adventure<br />
tours throughout the area. After<br />
a succession of visits to the area,<br />
I have experienced the many<br />
facets of Mai Chau, the latest<br />
being kayaking on the Son Da<br />
Reservoir.<br />
Kayaking<br />
Kayaking on the Son La, which<br />
happens to be the largest<br />
reservoir in Vietnam, is quite<br />
an experience. It took about 30<br />
minutes to make the 15km trip<br />
from the town centre, and the<br />
going was a little rough in spots<br />
along the newly laid mountain<br />
track. The final kilometre, however,<br />
entailed a pleasant forest<br />
walk through a small village on<br />
a mountain outcrop. Descending<br />
to the water’s edge, we reached<br />
a single homestay by the lake,<br />
a magical spot with numerous<br />
wild-growing fruit trees and a<br />
commanding view of the surrounding<br />
area.<br />
Much like sea kayaking, the<br />
difficulty can range from easy to<br />
hard, so it is up to you to decide<br />
what sort of trip you want. If<br />
you simply paddle out into the<br />
vast expanse of blue, among the<br />
rolling hills and mountains that<br />
ring the lake, you quickly lose<br />
all sense of direction, as worldly<br />
worries drift away. Along the<br />
banks, there are small villages<br />
and fjords to check out. You can<br />
also visit small islands, but this<br />
requires a few hours out on the<br />
water and a lot of paddling.<br />
Caving<br />
On dry land there are a number<br />
of famous caves to investigate,<br />
although getting to most of<br />
them requires a bit of a hike.<br />
However, within Pu Kha Mountain,<br />
Soldier Cave (Mo Luong)<br />
lies right off of the main road<br />
that runs through the town,<br />
conveniently located across the<br />
street from the Mai Chau Lodge.<br />
Soldier Cave has quite a<br />
colourful history; it served as<br />
the storage space for more than<br />
1,000 tonnes of explosives during<br />
the American War. The cave<br />
is made up of four caverns and<br />
requires a minimum of 40 minutes<br />
to get from the entrance<br />
to the subterranean river at the<br />
end. Recently the Mai Chau<br />
Lodge has made the cave more<br />
accessible to visitors by stringing<br />
up lights (which thankfully<br />
adds to the experience as opposed<br />
to making it tacky.)<br />
Do not believe for a second<br />
that it’s an easy trek though—<br />
quite the opposite. We had<br />
to essentially crawl through<br />
some passages, and navigating<br />
the myriad of stalagmites<br />
(some have become flattened<br />
footstools) became an adventure<br />
in itself. Clothes you don't mind<br />
getting very dirty and proper<br />
footwear are a must if you<br />
wish to explore the cave in its<br />
entirety.<br />
Cycling<br />
If you enjoy getting a little muddy,<br />
then Mai Chau is almost<br />
a haven for off-road cycling.<br />
Away from the main thoroughfares,<br />
we cruised through dusty<br />
little villages, cycled between<br />
lush green rice paddy fields,<br />
crisscrossed rickety old suspension<br />
bridges and splashed our<br />
way through some fairly epic<br />
puddles. A short distance away<br />
from Lac village, we even came<br />
across a natural mountain bike<br />
obstacle course, complete with<br />
lips, jumps and small drops.<br />
On the way to Lac, make the<br />
first left before the village starts<br />
proper, then just stay left until<br />
you see the course lying beside<br />
a mountain outcropping on the<br />
right. Just be aware of “uncle,”<br />
a wiry Vietnamese man in his<br />
70s who has tennis balls for<br />
biceps. He owns this part of the<br />
land and loves watching cyclists<br />
perform tricks; it may be a little<br />
difficult to leave once he gets<br />
your attention.<br />
The biking is probably my<br />
favourite activity in Mai Chau.<br />
It allows you to get off the<br />
beaten path and have some truly<br />
authentic moments. Zooming<br />
along dirt tracks, around bends,<br />
over boulders and by ethnic minority<br />
children screaming, “Hello!”<br />
is just wonderful. When the<br />
sun comes out, the colours of the<br />
valley are set ablaze—a veritable<br />
neon pastiche. This, more than<br />
anything, gives Vietnam that<br />
postcard feel.<br />
So although it is the beauty<br />
that entices most people to visit<br />
this part of the country, if you<br />
are looking for a little more excitement<br />
in your life, know that<br />
you have more than your fair<br />
share of choices in Mai Chau.<br />
Information:<br />
Various homestays in the area and tour operators in Hanoi offer<br />
trekking and cycling adventures. To see Soldier Cave and for<br />
kayaking, the Mai Chau Lodge can be contacted in Hanoi at<br />
their office: 9B Hang Muoi, Hoan Kiem District, 04 3926 3125.<br />
34 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 35
dispatches<br />
-.. .. ... .--. .- - -.-. .... . ...<br />
Travel news from around the region and beyond<br />
Travel Deal:<br />
Ko Samui, Thailand<br />
The Deal: From June 1 through October 31, Amari Palm Reef<br />
Resort on Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand is offering an<br />
Early Bird package. The deal includes five nights in a Superior<br />
Room including roundtrip airport transfers, discounted body<br />
massage, a welcome set dinner, free room upgrade and free<br />
laundry service (from USD $755).<br />
The Setting: Amari Resort is nestled in a secluded part of<br />
north Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui's most popular sunning location.<br />
The resort has everything needed for a relaxing holiday<br />
including Sivari Spa therapists, babysitter, WiFi, fitness centre,<br />
and PADI dive masters. Guests can feast at Merante Seaside<br />
restaurant or contemporary Prego Italian restaurant, then head<br />
to the poolside bar or BarC to watch the sun go down over<br />
drinks.<br />
The Verdict: Book early and reap the benefits of this relaxing<br />
escape, as well as extra nights at 10-percent discount on Internet<br />
rates. Visit www.amari.com for more information.<br />
Kristen Avis<br />
Bocelli Performance in Hong Kong<br />
While Southeast Asia offers oodles of culture, a night at the opera doesn’t<br />
usually top the list. But fans of Andrea Bocelli can get a fix of the Tuscan<br />
tenor on May 4 when the multi-talented vocalist performs in Hong Kong as<br />
part of his 2010 World Tour. Bocelli has eight operas under his belt, including<br />
La Boheme, Madame Butterfly and most recently, Carmen, but is perhaps better<br />
known for his achievements in pop and classical music. His duet with Sarah<br />
Brightman, “Time to Say Goodbye,” and his collaboration with Celine Dion<br />
on “The Prayer” quickly gained international recognition. Dion once said, “If<br />
God would have a singing voice, he would sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli.”<br />
Other stops on the tour in Asia include Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei. Tickets can<br />
be purchased online at www.hkticketing.com.<br />
Logan Brown<br />
World Gourmet Summit in Singapore<br />
Craving a gastronomic getaway? Foodies seeking relief<br />
need only head to Singapore for the Annual World Gourmet<br />
Summit, an epicurean celebration happening from<br />
April 11 to 25. Brace yourself for a culinary adventure that<br />
will feature several world-renowned Michelin-star chefs<br />
including Bruno Menard, Ferran Adrià and Andrea Breton;<br />
vintage wines from Spain, France, Germany, Italy and<br />
Australia; and a variety of culinary workshops, tastings,<br />
demonstrations and dinners at local hotels and restaurants.<br />
And for golfers, April 20 brings a fun-filled day of<br />
18-hole play, canapés and wine and gourmet buffet dinner<br />
at the Gourmet Golf Experience. For more details, visit<br />
www.worldgourmetsummit.com.<br />
Allison Grant<br />
36 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 37
Pairing wine and Asian food is a challenge for even the most experienced<br />
connoisseur. Thomas Maresca tries to find the right match.<br />
Photo by <strong>Nam</strong> Quan.<br />
While both wine and Asian<br />
cuisines have long and refined<br />
histories, they’ve evolved along<br />
separate paths. Trying to find<br />
balance and harmony between<br />
wine and Asian food is still a<br />
relatively new endeavour, and<br />
often a difficult one. The delicacy<br />
of Cantonese, the spiciness<br />
of Southeast Asian, or unusual<br />
flavour combinations such as<br />
hot and sweet would seem<br />
to defy most traditional wine<br />
pairings.<br />
It’s a challenge but far from<br />
impossible, according to Brian<br />
Walsh, director of winemaking<br />
at Yalumba, Australia’s oldest<br />
family-owned winery. “In a<br />
general sense, I never cease<br />
to be amazed at how versatile<br />
wine and food matching can<br />
be,” he says. “In my dining and<br />
drinking experience, unless a<br />
dish is especially hot, you can<br />
find a wine to match.”<br />
As a general rule of thumb,<br />
Walsh advises that plainer foods<br />
are best suited to bolder wines,<br />
such as Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
and Shiraz. As a dish becomes<br />
more complex, more fragrant<br />
and savoury wines such as<br />
Grenache and Tempranillo<br />
meld better. A Pinot Grigio can<br />
go well with delicate flavours.<br />
Seafood dishes often match well<br />
with crispy and zesty whites<br />
such as Sauvignon Blanc.<br />
Jeremie Courivault, sales and<br />
marketing manager of wine<br />
supplier The Warehouse, says<br />
that while in Western dishes, the<br />
emphasis is on matching the ingredients,<br />
often Asian food and<br />
wine must be paired according<br />
to cooking style—steamed,<br />
stir-fried, grilled. “You are not<br />
matching the ingredients,” he<br />
says. “You are matching the<br />
dish.”<br />
Experts agree that hot chillis<br />
present the biggest challenge to<br />
pairing. “Strong chilli will kill<br />
most wines,” says Walsh. “In<br />
my opinion, sometimes it’s best<br />
to have the wine after dinner.”<br />
Generally, tannic reds are the<br />
worst match with spice, enhancing<br />
the burn and the alcoholic,<br />
astringent taste of the wine.<br />
Sweet whites such as Riesling<br />
or Gewurztraminer can work<br />
with spicy dishes as a contrast,<br />
according to Courivault.<br />
The conventions for Asian<br />
food and wine pairings are<br />
still clearly evolving. A recent<br />
competition held in Hong Kong<br />
by Cathay Pacific to pair wines<br />
with Chinese food delivered<br />
several surprises. A sparkling<br />
rosé won best match for braised<br />
abalone, instead of what had<br />
been considered the more traditional<br />
pairing, red Bordeaux.<br />
Likewise, a Malbec won for<br />
best pairing with Peking duck,<br />
beating the expected Pinot Noir.<br />
And a sweet Muscat won best<br />
pairing for the very spicy Kung<br />
Pao Chicken.<br />
Walsh says that pairing is<br />
more art than science: “One<br />
shouldn’t have too many firm<br />
rules. If you only stick to the<br />
script, you might miss some<br />
interesting combinations. Life<br />
and wine are both about experiences.<br />
We encourage people to<br />
have a go and experiment.”<br />
Here in HCM City, Yalumba,<br />
The Warehouse, and Yu Chu<br />
Restautant at the Intercontinental<br />
Asiana Hotel held a<br />
wine and Asian food dinner on<br />
March 23rd. The following were<br />
the pairings. All wines were<br />
supplied by Yalumba.<br />
The Pair:<br />
Pinot Grigio & Dim Sum<br />
Why It Works:<br />
Sometimes scorned by wine<br />
snobs, pinot grigio is light and<br />
easy to drink. This works well<br />
with something like dim sum,<br />
as it won’t overpower the<br />
delicate flavors. Crispy with<br />
a hint of fruit, pinot grigio<br />
works well with steamed<br />
seafood and in this case it also<br />
enhances the smoky flavours<br />
of sesame oil and soy sauce.<br />
It could even be paired with<br />
a dish like Peking duck, suggests<br />
Courivault.<br />
The Pair:<br />
Wild Ferment Chardonnay &<br />
Steamed Lobster with Garlic<br />
Sauce<br />
Why It Works:<br />
Lobster is one of the fattiest<br />
seafoods and needs a more<br />
powerful wine to go along<br />
with it. Chardonnay is a rich<br />
white; the bottle selected<br />
here is not overpowering on<br />
the nose, and has strength,<br />
persistence and creaminess<br />
on the palette. It’s also able to<br />
stand up to the garlic, which<br />
would overwhelm a lighter<br />
white.<br />
The Pair:<br />
Bush Vine Grenache &<br />
Wok-grilled Filet of Chicken<br />
with Fresh Mushroom in<br />
Melon Ring and Brown Sauce<br />
Why it Works:<br />
This Grenache is soft and<br />
gentle, fragrant with very little<br />
oak flavour. Greanache is more<br />
about character and mouthfeel<br />
than strong flavours. It has a savoury<br />
length on the palette that<br />
enhances the appetite and goes<br />
well with a dish such as grilled<br />
chicken. Too much spice could<br />
overpower it, however.<br />
The Pair:<br />
Barossa Shiraz-Viognier &<br />
Hand-pulled Noodles with<br />
Barbecued Pork<br />
Why it Works:<br />
Blending the Shiraz with<br />
a small amount of white<br />
Viognier grapes creates a more<br />
medium-bodied, floral red,<br />
which matches well with the<br />
smoky-sweet glaze of Chinese<br />
barbecued pork. Tannic reds<br />
such as a Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
or straight shiraz would likely<br />
leave a harsher, alcohol aftertaste.<br />
The light soy sauce broth<br />
of this dish also blends well.<br />
The Pair:<br />
Old Vine Shiraz &<br />
Beef with Black Pepper Sauce<br />
Why it Works:<br />
About as classic a pairing as<br />
you’ll find. A powerful, fullbodied<br />
red is the perfect accompaniment<br />
to red meat. In this<br />
case, the slight peppery notes<br />
in the shiraz compliment the<br />
black pepper sauce perfectly.<br />
38 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 39
One young Texan brings the tastes of<br />
his childhood to Vietnam at the new<br />
Mexico Lindo. Thomas Maresca reports.<br />
Photos by Fred Wissink.<br />
The 26 year-old racing between<br />
the open kitchen and the tables<br />
of the just-opened Mexico Lindo<br />
doesn’t a) look Mexican or b)<br />
look old enough to be running<br />
his own restaurant. And then<br />
there’s his name: Arthur Wentworth,<br />
about as Mexican-sounding<br />
as a cucumber sandwich.<br />
But in this case both looks<br />
and moniker turn out to be deceiving.<br />
It only takes a handful<br />
of homemade tortilla chips to<br />
get the idea that authentic Tex-<br />
Mex food may be on the menu<br />
in HCM City.<br />
Wentworth, it turns out, is<br />
actually half Mexican and grew<br />
up in Houston not only eating<br />
his mom’s home cooking but<br />
feasting on the thriving Mexican<br />
food scene of his hometown.<br />
Texas’s largest city is more<br />
than 1/3 Hispanic and home to<br />
countless food vans and small<br />
storefronts offering some of the<br />
country’s best tacos, quesadillas<br />
and tamales.<br />
“I didn’t appreciate it until<br />
I left,” says Wentworth, who<br />
moved to HCM City five years<br />
ago, first to work in an immigration<br />
law office, and later<br />
as an operations manager for a<br />
garment company.<br />
It was a transfer to Haiphong,<br />
a city with decidedly fewer distractions,<br />
that launched Wentworth’s<br />
burrito dreams. “I was<br />
bored and hungry and started<br />
cooking a lot,” says Wentworth<br />
of his five-month stint in the<br />
sleepy northern town.<br />
He began by making tortas<br />
(Mexican sandwiches) for himself<br />
and his friends, calling his<br />
mom back home for her recipes<br />
and making do with what local<br />
ingredients he could find.<br />
By the time of his return to<br />
HCM City, Wentworth was<br />
hooked. Positive feedback from<br />
friends encouraged thoughts<br />
of opening his own Mexican<br />
restaurant. But he knew he<br />
wasn’t ready.<br />
Wentworth came up with a<br />
novel solution. Friendly with<br />
Annie and Van, the owners<br />
of a local watering hole<br />
with a kitchen, Moon Bar, he<br />
launched Chico’s, an invite-only<br />
Facebook group that offered<br />
delivery from a simple menu of<br />
Mexican food.<br />
It was a time of trial and<br />
error (What’s wrong with my<br />
tortillas? Wentworth says he<br />
often found himself pondering).<br />
As always, mom was on<br />
the phone to help with recipes.<br />
He also was able to hire kitchen<br />
staff from the recently closed<br />
Mexican restaurant Cantina<br />
Central, and had local friends<br />
to help navigate the markets.<br />
Getting the recipes right was<br />
one thing. But the challenges<br />
of running a restaurant kitchen<br />
were unexpectedly daunting.<br />
“Logistics in the kitchen<br />
are mind-boggling,” Wentworth<br />
says. After four months,<br />
Wentworth felt he was ready to<br />
take the next step. He drafted a<br />
business plan, found investors<br />
via Annie & Van, and Mexico<br />
Lindo was opened. Before its<br />
official launch on March 26th,<br />
Wentworth brought a couple of<br />
experienced helpers on board.<br />
A professional chef from Holland,<br />
Thys DeBlok, moved here<br />
with his girlfriend three months<br />
ago and was introduced to<br />
Wentworth through a mutual<br />
friend. He’s now running the<br />
show in the kitchen.<br />
Richard Sutcliffe, a British<br />
expat with 40 years in the restaurant<br />
business has also come<br />
on board as an advisor. He’s<br />
refined the menu and stressed<br />
everything from portion control<br />
to an obsessive need for consistency.<br />
“Quality and continuity,”<br />
he says. “They’re married to<br />
one another.”<br />
The two-story restaurant has<br />
the classic Mexican look and<br />
feel, a faded colonial haciendastyle<br />
with wrought iron accents,<br />
paintings of Mexican women<br />
with traditional flouncy blouses<br />
and potted cactus plants.<br />
The menu for now is also<br />
staying close to the classics,<br />
with a heavy Tex-Mex bent:<br />
beef and chicken burritos,<br />
enchiladas, chimichangas,<br />
quesadillas, chili con carne. The<br />
time and effort Wentworth has<br />
put in is apparent in the simple<br />
but solid dishes; he's sourced as<br />
many authentic ingredients as<br />
possible, including maseca (corn<br />
flour) from Mexico.<br />
Beyond the Tex-Mex stalwarts,<br />
Wentworth plans to<br />
bring introduce some more<br />
traditionally Mexican dishes,<br />
such as chiles rellenos, to the<br />
menu as weekly specials.<br />
Wentworth says the feedback<br />
has already been positive,<br />
especially from visitors from<br />
California and Texas, where<br />
Mexican food is a way of life.<br />
“‘I miss real chips,’ is one of the<br />
first things I heard,” he says.<br />
However, the most discriminating<br />
customer is yet to<br />
come; Wentworth’s mother is<br />
expected to visit in the summer.<br />
“If she doesn’t see some<br />
authentic Mexican dishes on the<br />
menu she’s going to kick my<br />
[butt]” he says.<br />
Mexico Lindo<br />
149 Ton That Dam, D1<br />
Tel: 3915 3149<br />
40 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 41
On a small island in Cat Tien National Park, a group of conservationists has big<br />
plans to counter the trade in endangered primates through rehabilitation, research<br />
and education. By Tom DiChristopher.<br />
It is a big day at the Dao Tien<br />
Endangered Primate Species<br />
Centre. Two visiting veterinarians<br />
are preparing to conduct<br />
health checks and DNA tests<br />
on the preserve’s newest<br />
residents, Hoa and Binh, a pair<br />
of golden-cheeked gibbons—<br />
and sisters—who have been in<br />
quarantine since their arrival.<br />
Afterwards, the vets will fit four<br />
pygmy lorises with radio collars<br />
in preparation for their release<br />
into the wild. And some time in<br />
the middle of it all, Dao Tien’s<br />
first Vietnamese research intern<br />
will arrive.<br />
The excitement, however, has<br />
made Binh uneasy.<br />
Unlike her sister, Binh is<br />
refusing to cooperate. As she<br />
becomes more agitated, the<br />
expression on primate specialist<br />
Lee Butler’s face begins to<br />
sour. It’s becoming clear to him<br />
that Binh will not go quietly. He<br />
will have to enter the enclosure<br />
with head keeper Nguyen<br />
Trung Thanh, capture Binh with<br />
a net and then administer the<br />
sedative.<br />
Everyone is feeling sorry<br />
for Binh, but Dao Tien director<br />
Marina Kenyon, PhD sees the<br />
bright side. “That standoffishness<br />
will make her great in the<br />
forest one day,” she says.<br />
This small island just beyond<br />
the entrance to Cat Tien Na-<br />
tional Park is where Binh will<br />
take her first step towards that<br />
goal. Established in 2008, Dao<br />
Tien is the first project of the<br />
Endangered Asian Species Trust<br />
(EAST), a charity established by<br />
the Monkey World Ape Rescue<br />
Centre in Dorset, England, the<br />
sanctuary featured for more<br />
than a decade in the documentary<br />
series Monkey Business and<br />
Monkey Life. The mission of<br />
EAST is to abate the wildlife<br />
trade in Asia through rescue,<br />
rehabilitation, research and<br />
education.<br />
It is a natural extension of the<br />
work that has been carried out<br />
since 1987 at Monkey World,<br />
where hundreds of primates<br />
from Europe and Asia have<br />
found refuge. Whereas Monkey<br />
World provides a permanent<br />
home for rescued primates,<br />
Dao Tien seeks to re-establish<br />
wild populations and conduct<br />
conservation studies that protect<br />
them against future threats.<br />
Plight of the Primates<br />
Currently, Dao Tien is home to<br />
27 gibbons, eight lorises and<br />
two black- shanked doucs. The<br />
trade in all three primates is illegal<br />
in Vietnam, but black market<br />
channels continue to circumvent<br />
overtaxed authorities and feed<br />
the demand for primate pets.<br />
“It’s not hard to get a pet gibbon<br />
if you ask the right people,”<br />
says Kenyon. “Even if you<br />
know nothing, you could soon<br />
ask a pet shop or find the right<br />
place, and if you wave enough<br />
“To keep a social primate on its own is<br />
just cruel. They don’t domesticate. They’ll<br />
never be a pet” – Marina Kenyon<br />
money around—about five, six<br />
hundred dollars—you’ll have a<br />
pet gibbon in a week.”<br />
The figurative price of securing<br />
a gibbon is far higher. To<br />
capture a baby gibbon, hunters<br />
shoot its parents and adolescent<br />
siblings. The slaughtered gibbons<br />
can then be sold as bushmeat<br />
or for use in traditional<br />
medicine. The orphaned babies<br />
find their way to tourist centres<br />
or into the hands of affluent<br />
individuals. (The exchange of<br />
exotic pets remains part of the<br />
lavish gift-giving culture among<br />
the rich despite its illegality.)<br />
Sadly, pet gibbons essentially<br />
have a shelf life of less than a<br />
decade for the same reason that<br />
their parents and siblings are<br />
useless to pet traders. When a<br />
gibbon reaches 7 or 8 years of<br />
age, it will begin to bite and<br />
attack its owner as part of its<br />
natural play. When this happens,<br />
they’re often abandoned<br />
or killed.<br />
“To keep a social primate on<br />
its own is just cruel,” says Kenyon.<br />
“They don’t domesticate.<br />
They’ll never be a pet.”<br />
Dao Tien gets that message<br />
out by working with local<br />
international schools to educate<br />
children of affluent families,<br />
some of whom may own pet<br />
primates. The goal is to sensitize<br />
them to the animals, and it<br />
seems to be working; a recent<br />
colouring activity turned up<br />
pictures of gibbons outfitted<br />
with defensive claws, stones to<br />
throw at hunters and pouches to<br />
protect their young.<br />
Healing Wounds<br />
It would be a mistake, however,<br />
to view the demand end of the<br />
pet trade as symptomatic of<br />
regional culture. Many of the<br />
primates at Monkey World have<br />
been confiscated from European<br />
owners, and the United States<br />
registers as the second most<br />
profitable market for wildlife<br />
products after China. The Dao<br />
Tien team has seen evidence<br />
that this is not just an Asian<br />
Photo provided by Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre<br />
problem, as well.<br />
One of the gibbons currently<br />
being prepped for release, Lucy,<br />
was rescued from an expatriate<br />
American couple, who Kenyon<br />
describes as “bright, intelligent<br />
business people.” However,<br />
Lucy’s condition suggested<br />
that her owners had done little<br />
to educate themselves on her<br />
needs. When she arrived at Dao<br />
Tien, she was half the size a gibbon<br />
her age should be.<br />
“They fed her only banana.<br />
They gave her no water,” says<br />
Kenyon. “They said, ‘If she<br />
wants to go get some water, she<br />
can go to the toilet.’”<br />
More difficult to remedy than<br />
physical ailments is the mental<br />
toll isolation takes on primates.<br />
Deprived of mental stimulation<br />
and interaction with their kind,<br />
gibbons often develop what Lee<br />
Butler calls “stereotypic behaviour,”<br />
such as wrapping their<br />
legs around their necks.<br />
“Boredom brings it on and it<br />
becomes a habit,” says Butler.<br />
“Generally, when you get them<br />
with their own it goes to the<br />
background, but it’s always<br />
there.”<br />
Butler says the problem is<br />
that owners don’t realize the<br />
damage they’re doing. “Basically,<br />
what we’re trying to do is<br />
give back what they’ve taken<br />
away,” he says.<br />
Two Heads Better Than One?<br />
While rehabilitation is a critical<br />
step, Dao Tien is not meant to be<br />
a long-term home. The ultimate<br />
hope for every primate is release<br />
into the wild. Conventional<br />
wisdom says gibbons that are<br />
rehabilitated together should be<br />
released together, but Kenyon<br />
believes there’s little scientific<br />
basis to back existing release<br />
guidelines and plans to test<br />
prevailing assumptions.<br />
Kenyon’s theory is that a<br />
single gibbon released at the<br />
age it would normally leave its<br />
family could potentially thrive<br />
better in the wild. The challenge<br />
of following a mate through<br />
unfamiliar territory, she says,<br />
might actually increase stress<br />
and potentially make it more<br />
difficult to find a mate.<br />
“If you’re a pair released<br />
… you’re no use to anyone<br />
because you’re your own unit,”<br />
explains Kenyon. “But if you’re<br />
a female released, all the males<br />
are going to quite like you. If<br />
you’re a male released, all the<br />
females gibbons are receptive to<br />
transient males.”<br />
To test her theory, Kenyon<br />
plans to release three pairs,<br />
three single females and three<br />
single males. Whether or not it<br />
checks out—Kenyon admits it<br />
may not—the experiment will<br />
yield a worthwhile result. Dao<br />
Tien researchers will use information<br />
gathered while tracking<br />
the gibbons to write procedures<br />
for release in Vietnam. Often,<br />
animals are released without<br />
being screened for diseases<br />
or DNA-tested to determine<br />
whether they are native. The<br />
hope is that smarter releases<br />
will translate into higher survival<br />
rates.<br />
Dao Tien’s research has<br />
already turned up unexpected<br />
results. After releasing two lorises<br />
in the wet season, the staff<br />
were surprised to find they had<br />
dashed all over the island, venturing<br />
as far as 800 metres from<br />
their sleep sites. Little is known<br />
about the wild pygmy loris, so<br />
information like this stands to<br />
shed light on these nocturnal<br />
primates.<br />
“The process here is slow,<br />
but at the end of it, we can have<br />
guidelines about how to release<br />
each animal,” says Kenyon.<br />
With the wildlife trade still<br />
thriving, and given primates’<br />
relatively long maturation period,<br />
it’s clear why boosting the<br />
survival rates of wild releases<br />
is a priority. Armed with sound<br />
release procedures, Vietnam’s<br />
Forest Protection Department<br />
and other organizations can give<br />
primates a fighting chance.<br />
For more information about EAST<br />
or to schedule a visit or make a<br />
donation, visit www.go-east.org.<br />
42 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 43
American chiropractor Wade Brackenbury has traversed the globe’s least<br />
explored regions—guerrilla-occupied Guatemalan jungles, the inner<br />
mountains of Tibet, the Congo’s depths—all in a quest to find meaning.<br />
Beth Young speaks to Brackenbury about his extraordinary journeys.<br />
A conversation with American<br />
expatriate Dr Wade Brackenbury<br />
is peppered with exciting<br />
anecdotes about his vast travels—from<br />
an encounter with<br />
an angry Melanesian giant in<br />
Papua New Guinea, to a search<br />
for archaeological treasures<br />
in Central America aboard a<br />
handmade raft.<br />
The chiropractor-cumadventurer,<br />
it would seem, is<br />
as comfortable in the outdoors<br />
as he is adjusting a problem<br />
back or administering Korean<br />
acupuncture.<br />
What’s most unique about<br />
Brackenbury though is his<br />
inability to give up. While his<br />
expeditions have been far from<br />
easy, this atypical traveller sees<br />
his plans out from beginning<br />
to end—regardless of what<br />
obstacles may arise.<br />
Early Adventures<br />
Brackenbury’s wanderlust began<br />
as a teenager. Growing up<br />
in a small country town with a<br />
population of just 400 spurred<br />
him to see the world, and living<br />
close to the earth—his parents<br />
owned a ranch—piqued his<br />
interest in societies that rely<br />
totally on nature.<br />
His first trip was a plan<br />
hatched with a close high<br />
school friend. The two fledgling<br />
explorers had just watched an<br />
Indiana Jones film and were<br />
inspired by the archaeologist’s<br />
exploits. Though they knew<br />
little about the country, they<br />
decided to walk across Australia.<br />
It was a feat they quickly<br />
realized would be difficult.<br />
“We got this map out of Australia<br />
and both said ‘Oh look at<br />
all that desert. That might be<br />
tough!’ But we decided to go<br />
anyway,” he laughs.<br />
The pair amended their<br />
itinerary, but only slightly. They<br />
hitchhiked across New Zealand<br />
and Australia for three months,<br />
before Brackenbury travelled<br />
alone to Papua New Guinea.<br />
There, he spent four months<br />
hiking to the tip of the highlands<br />
that separate the country<br />
from Indonesia Papua.<br />
Even this first trip was anything<br />
but smooth. Brackenbury<br />
flew a mail plane into the country’s<br />
interior and directly into<br />
a feudal war—a hiccup that<br />
didn’t faze him in the slightest.<br />
What finally sent him home<br />
was a run in with a drunken<br />
local man that left Brackenbury<br />
and his female companion<br />
beaten to a pulp.<br />
He still had the travel bug<br />
though. Back in America he<br />
studied for a few years before<br />
setting off on another journey,<br />
this time to Guatemala.<br />
His companion was a young<br />
woman who was studying Mayan<br />
culture. Together they rode<br />
a motorbike from Mexico City<br />
to Guatemala, then all the way<br />
to the head of the Pasion River,<br />
where a group of Mennonite<br />
missionaries helped them build<br />
a raft.<br />
They floated the raft for a<br />
month looking for undiscovered<br />
ruins. “We were hoping<br />
to find some Mayan gold. We<br />
had some amazing adventures<br />
instead,” says Brackenbury.<br />
At the time, the country was<br />
embroiled in a civil war, and at<br />
night when the pair stopped to<br />
camp in the jungle, Guatemalan<br />
guerrillas would often stop by<br />
to investigate. “It was worrisome,<br />
but nothing bad ever<br />
happened,” says Brackenbury.<br />
Next Stop<br />
Brackenbury’s later voyages<br />
were more purposeful. His<br />
skills as a kayaker and mountaineer<br />
made him an invaluable<br />
asset for an anthropological<br />
trek through Western Africa<br />
in 1997, and he was hired as a<br />
paramedic.<br />
The expedition’s goal was<br />
to gauge how Eboli outbreaks<br />
in the region had affected the<br />
local people. However, the tour<br />
leader had a nervous breakdown<br />
and abandoned the expedition<br />
early on. Everyone was<br />
expected to return home, but<br />
Brackenbury stayed on. “We<br />
didn’t want to go home and<br />
fail. There was a lot of pressure<br />
to quit though,” he says.<br />
A 17-year-old American boy<br />
also remained, and the two<br />
travelled through the Nadoki<br />
Swamp across the Congo,<br />
where they lived with a pygmy<br />
tribe for two months. Brackenbury<br />
admired the pygmies’<br />
respect for nature and their<br />
gratitude to the Earth. As such,<br />
Brackenbury and his companion<br />
emulated the pygmies. “I’d<br />
read one book and then I’d give<br />
it to him to read. When he was<br />
finished he’d cut the pages out<br />
to build a fire.”<br />
A trip to innermost Tibet is<br />
Brackenbury’s most memorable<br />
and meaningful adventure<br />
though—perhaps because it<br />
44 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 45
was so difficult. He first went<br />
to China to attempt to reach<br />
the summit of a mountain that<br />
had never been climbed before.<br />
Though he didn’t quite make<br />
it to the top he met a precocious<br />
French photojournalist<br />
named Pascal who shared with<br />
Brackenbury his goal: to find<br />
the Drung people.<br />
The Drung are a dwindling<br />
minority that, at the time,<br />
hadn’t seen Westerners since<br />
the British discovered them<br />
before the turn of the century.<br />
The Chinese government and<br />
soaring 20,000 foot mountains<br />
had kept them a secret ever<br />
since that first contact.<br />
For the time being, the<br />
Drung would remain a secret.<br />
“We didn’t make it within<br />
hundreds of miles of the area<br />
that we were trying to reach,”<br />
says Brackenbury. “We were<br />
arrested and kicked out.”<br />
They tried again two years<br />
later, this time with Sophi,<br />
a Chinese-French translator.<br />
When repeated setbacks proved<br />
too much, Sophi flew home to<br />
France and Pascal ventured to<br />
Vietnam. Brackenbury, however,<br />
kept going until he found<br />
the Drung people.<br />
Though Pascal had dreamt of<br />
a tribe untouched by modernity,<br />
Brackenbury discovered a<br />
society where Chinese and Taiwanese<br />
pop music blared from<br />
radios and tape players. Most<br />
men sported watches, flashlights<br />
and rifles. The Drung had<br />
been effectively “Chinafied.”<br />
Brackenbury stayed only one<br />
night before he ran the gauntlet<br />
back to mainstream China, but<br />
he was the first Westerner the<br />
Drung had seen in a century.<br />
Epilogue to Adventure<br />
Since then, Brackenbury has<br />
settled down considerably, but<br />
he still seeks out challenges.<br />
He and his wife LG had a<br />
thriving chiropractic practice<br />
in Malaysia for seven years<br />
and then another in Hong<br />
Kong for 12 months. Though<br />
they were making great<br />
money, he felt it was too easy:<br />
“Hong Kong especially was<br />
fantastic. It was so well serviced,<br />
but I didn’t feel like we<br />
were doing anything purposeful<br />
there.”<br />
Four years ago, Brackenbury<br />
travelled to HCM City on a<br />
whim and decided to establish<br />
a new practice here. A few<br />
weeks later, the family—2year-old<br />
daughter included—<br />
packed up and moved to<br />
Vietnam, where Brackenbury<br />
felt he could make a difference.<br />
“I feel good about what we’re<br />
doing here" he says. "Our life<br />
has meaning.”<br />
46 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 47
B<br />
y the end of my interview<br />
with Korean rock band Biuret,<br />
there is only one question left<br />
to ask: How did lead guitarist<br />
Happy Jackson get his name?<br />
Laughter erupts throughout<br />
the hotel room, and drummer<br />
DR buries his head in his hands<br />
as Happy begins to excitedly tell<br />
his story.<br />
“An underground religious<br />
cult wanted to charge me money<br />
to change my name to Happy<br />
Mandela, as it would bring me<br />
luck,” he explains. “I’m a big<br />
Michael Jackson fan, though,<br />
so I thought that if I swapped<br />
Mandela for Jackson, it would<br />
bring me even more luck!”<br />
Happy is evidently very<br />
satisfied with the results. As<br />
Biuret enters 2010, they have the<br />
same steam train momentum<br />
behind them that fueled their<br />
rise to prominence during the<br />
second half of 2009, placing<br />
them among the likes of China’s<br />
P.K. 14 and Japan’s Toe as bands<br />
garnering acceptance from the<br />
West and forming the genesis of<br />
a pan-Asian rock explosion.<br />
Local Acclaim<br />
Formed in the Hongdae area<br />
of Seoul, Biuret consists of the<br />
stunning Hye Won Moon (lead<br />
vocalist, chief songwriter and<br />
guitar), Jai Hyun Ahn (bass),<br />
Happy Jackson (lead guitar)<br />
and DR (drums). Back in 2002<br />
the four were either in school or<br />
doing the rounds on the barfly<br />
circuit as musicians for hire.<br />
With the music scene in Hongdae<br />
being particularly small, it<br />
wasn’t long before the quartet<br />
ended up jamming together.<br />
Recognizing their undeniable<br />
personal chemistry and their<br />
shared love for the early 90s Seattle<br />
grunge scene and the more<br />
theatrical rock of Muse, Biuret<br />
officially formed.<br />
When asked what it’s like<br />
being a rock band in Asia, Hye<br />
appears slightly embarrassed<br />
and addresses the question with<br />
humility. “It’s hard for us to say<br />
what it’s like to be a rock band<br />
in Asia as we haven’t performed<br />
everywhere yet. As far as being<br />
a rock band in South Korea, it’s<br />
definitely not easy because it’s<br />
not mainstream. 80 percent of<br />
the time is hardship and only 20<br />
percent is fun. You really need<br />
to endure to get to a certain<br />
level.”<br />
This modesty is typical of<br />
Asian rock bands, but in Biuret’s<br />
case, it betrays the scope of their<br />
achievements. Their debut EP,<br />
released in 2005, was met with<br />
acclaim and sold out within<br />
months. This local success led to<br />
an opening gig for British indie<br />
legends Oasis in Seoul, “a great<br />
experience” according to Happy<br />
Jackson, as Biuret had grown up<br />
listening to them.<br />
Two years later their first<br />
album, Be Full of Spirit – Beautiful<br />
Violet, and its 2009 follow-up<br />
Dreams Come True established<br />
Biuret as South Korea’s most<br />
popular rock band since Cherry<br />
Filter.<br />
The Next Level<br />
Demonstrating a remarkable<br />
understanding of the dynamics<br />
of melodic punk rock with<br />
South Korea is widely recognized<br />
as a pop music powerhouse, but<br />
Seoul-based band Biuret aims to<br />
show that the country can rock.<br />
John Thornton speaks to the band<br />
at their first show in Vietnam.<br />
Photo by Fred Wissink.<br />
The Seoul<br />
of Rock<br />
a dark twist over the course<br />
of two full-length albums, the<br />
band experienced a decisive<br />
turning point in their career<br />
last year when they entered<br />
and won the international talent<br />
spotting contest Sutasi—no<br />
mean feat considering Sutasi<br />
takes in contestants from all<br />
over Asia.<br />
“We really had no clue what<br />
Sutasi was, as there had never<br />
been anything like it before,”<br />
says Hye. “We looked at it as<br />
more of a trip for us to take.”<br />
However, the band soon<br />
realized the seriousness of the<br />
event when they met the panel<br />
of music industry experts, who<br />
had worked with the likes of<br />
Steve Wonder and acts from as<br />
far and wide as India.<br />
“We watched other artists<br />
perform and were completely<br />
in awe of them,” recounts Hye.<br />
“After that we went straight<br />
back to our hotel room and<br />
practiced all night long.”<br />
The practice paid off in<br />
more ways than one. Happy<br />
Jackson reveals that winning<br />
gave the band a newfound<br />
confidence in what they do. He<br />
says they’re now able to get<br />
out of their comfort zone and<br />
step up their game in front of<br />
any crowd.<br />
Bassist Jai elaborates: “A<br />
lot has changed since winning<br />
Sutasi. It’s opened up the<br />
scope of our music and our<br />
way of thinking. The thought<br />
of branching out had never<br />
occurred to us before. Now we<br />
have more gigs and hopefully<br />
more longevity as a band.”<br />
Around the World<br />
Indeed, the opportunities<br />
post-Sutasi have been arriving<br />
thick and fast. Biuret was<br />
invited to perform at Perth’s<br />
One Movement For Music industry<br />
showcase last summer,<br />
whereupon they struck up a<br />
friendship with fellow HCM<br />
City headliners, Melodramas.<br />
This in turn led to Biuret<br />
supporting Melodramas at a<br />
gig in the U.K. after wowing<br />
more industry experts at the<br />
International Live Music Conference<br />
in London last month.<br />
Their recent debut in Vietnam<br />
at The Hi-Fi was met by an<br />
enthusiastic crowd of local<br />
Vietnamese.<br />
An English-language album<br />
targeted at the international<br />
market is also in the works,<br />
proving Biuret’s intent on<br />
becoming as big as possible.<br />
The band has yet to enter the<br />
studio to record the album,<br />
so pinning down its sound is<br />
difficult. However, they insist<br />
that only moderate changes<br />
will be made in order to maintain<br />
the essence of previous<br />
releases.<br />
The album will be followed<br />
by an extensive tour, taking in<br />
Asia, Australia and the 25th<br />
anniversary of the Independence<br />
Rock festival in India<br />
and jaunts to the United States<br />
and Europe in early 2011.<br />
With Biuret knocking on the<br />
door of the West, alongside<br />
P.K. 14 and Toe, the predicted<br />
Asian rock explosion may just<br />
be a little louder than first<br />
anticipated.<br />
“A lot has changed since winning<br />
Sutasi. It’s opened up the scope<br />
of our music and our way of<br />
thinking” – Jae Hyun<br />
48 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 49
Fashion Scrapbook<br />
by Donia Medina<br />
photos by Fred Wissink<br />
I love his extravagance<br />
with the accessories,<br />
especially his big military<br />
bag. He’s an artist. He<br />
doesn’t have a proper<br />
job. He makes his own<br />
clothes and accessories, buys<br />
everything in a secondhand<br />
market every Sunday<br />
morning.<br />
The stripes, navy style,<br />
are very trendy this<br />
summer. I like the<br />
strapless dress with<br />
short hair. I would<br />
recommend adding a<br />
hat to that outfit.<br />
50 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 51
The big volume hairstyle! Louis Vuitton started it during their<br />
summer fashion show and now everybody follows! So although I’m sure<br />
he doesn’t know it, he is sporting the biggest trend of the season.<br />
Volume, volume and more volume!<br />
She's mixing two big<br />
trends: go very short and<br />
go denim. Plus, I love her<br />
tattoo on her ankle.<br />
52 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 53
Metallic! Also a big trend for the<br />
summer season. She just looks stunning in<br />
this gold dress. Note: Don’t be bashful. Go<br />
for silver and gold.<br />
54 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 55
listings<br />
hotel &<br />
travel<br />
AIRLINES<br />
air asia<br />
254 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3838 9810<br />
www.airasia.com<br />
Asia’s largest low-cost airline operates<br />
one daily flight between HCM City-<br />
Hanoi, as well as international flights to<br />
Bangkok, Phuket, Jakarta and Kuala<br />
Lumpur.<br />
Cathay Pacific<br />
72-74 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3<br />
Tel: 3822 3203<br />
www.cathaypacific.com<br />
Hong Kong-based airline makes three<br />
flights daily to HCM City and two flights<br />
daily to the Hong Kong’s international<br />
airport. Fares start at about $300.<br />
Jetstar Pacific<br />
www.jetstar.com<br />
Budget branch of Australian Qantas<br />
flies into Can Tho, Danang, Hanoi, Hai<br />
Phong, HCM City, Hue, Nha Trang and<br />
Vinh and operates cheap flights from<br />
HCM City to Siem Reap and Bangkok.<br />
Check out Friday Fare Frenzy online<br />
promotion from 2 to 5pm every Friday.<br />
Malaysia airlines<br />
www.malaysiaairlines.com<br />
Offers daily flights from Hanoi and HCM<br />
City to Kuala Lumpur for about $200<br />
round trip, with four economy class fare<br />
levels: low, basic, smart and flex.<br />
Philippine airways<br />
229 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D3 Tel: 3822 2241<br />
www.philippineairlines.com<br />
Operates daily service from HCM City to<br />
Manila, offering fare options through the<br />
PAL Econo Light Class.<br />
Thai airways<br />
65 Nguyen Du, Tel: 3829 2810<br />
29 Le Duan, D1<br />
www.thaiair.com<br />
Bangkok-based airline connects twice<br />
daily between the Thai capital and HCM<br />
City and Hanoi. Multiple daily flights are<br />
also operated from both to Phnom Penh<br />
and Phuket.<br />
VaSCO<br />
Vietnam Airlines office, 116 Nguyen<br />
Hue, D1<br />
Tel: 3842 2790<br />
www.vasco.com.vn<br />
Though it’s primary business is cargo<br />
shipment, Vietnam Air Service Company<br />
(VASCO) flies daily from HCM City to<br />
Con Dao and makes connections to<br />
lesser-known cities like Ca Mau, Tuy<br />
Hoa and Chu Lai. Buy tickets at the<br />
Vietnam Airlines office.<br />
Vietnam airlines<br />
Hanoi: 94 Tran Quoc Toan<br />
Tel: 942 0848<br />
HCM City: 116 Nguyen Hue, D1<br />
Tel: 3832 0320<br />
www.vietnamair.com.vn<br />
The domestic route map is extensive,<br />
with several flights daily between major<br />
and less touristed cities throughout<br />
Vietnam. Flies internationally throughout<br />
Asia and to Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow,<br />
Sydney, Melboure, Los Angeles and San<br />
Francisco.<br />
CON DAO<br />
aTC Hotel<br />
16B Ton Duc Thang Tel: 06 4830 666<br />
Rustic little 4-room, family-run guesthouse<br />
in converted French administration<br />
building. Rooms are simple, with<br />
exposed rafters inside and balconies<br />
outside. Bungalow accommodation is<br />
also available.<br />
Con Dao Resort<br />
8 Nguyen Duc Thuan Tel: 06 4830 949<br />
www.condaoresort.com<br />
Modern hotel with 45 rooms and seven<br />
villas set on 2km of private beach. Onpremise<br />
facilities include restaurant, bar,<br />
beach-view swimming pool, tennis court<br />
and volleyball. Organises outdoor activities<br />
and tours.<br />
Saigon Con Dao Resort<br />
18-24 Ton Duc Thang Tel: 06 4830 155<br />
www.saigoncondaoresort.com<br />
Opened in summer 2009, Saigon Tourist’s<br />
82-room hotel has a restaurant,<br />
swimming pool, tennis court and health<br />
club with sauna. Another 30 villas are<br />
escape take flight with travel promotions around the region<br />
Starwood Hotels<br />
Starwood Hotels and Resorts’ Great<br />
Resort Deals promotion gives travellers<br />
a USD $50 daily credit or one night free<br />
when they book three or four nights at a<br />
participating Starwood Resort Asia Pacific,<br />
including Fiji, Bali, Guam, Hainan<br />
Island, Langkawi and the Maldives. This<br />
offer is valid through May 31. Email<br />
www.starwoodhotels.com/greatresortdealsasia.<br />
Ho Tram Hideaway<br />
Through June 30, Ho Tram Hideaway<br />
in Vung Tau is offering accommodation<br />
in a garden view room, one dinner for<br />
two at Gecko restaurant, one 60-minute<br />
body treatment for two at Aurora Spa,<br />
daily breakfast, gym, complimentary<br />
use of the tennis court during the day<br />
and a welcome drink for USD $104 per<br />
couple per night. There is a two-night<br />
minimum stay, excluding public holidays.<br />
Call 064 378 1525.<br />
Novotel Nha Trang<br />
Guests who book two consecutive<br />
nights at Novotel Nha Trang through<br />
December 20 will receive one international<br />
dinner buffet at Square<br />
restaurant, complimentary use of the<br />
sauna and steam bath, welcome drink<br />
and complimentary Internet access.<br />
The offer is applicable for online and<br />
individual bookings only. Email rsvn@<br />
novotel-nhatrang.com.<br />
Caravelle Hotel<br />
Through April 6 the Caravelle is offering<br />
a 10-percent room discount that<br />
includes complimentary in-room Internet<br />
access. Through July 31, receive<br />
a 20-percent discount on a two-night<br />
consecutive stay that includes free<br />
daily buffet breakfast for two. Email<br />
rsvn@caravellehotel.vnn.vn.<br />
Ana Mandara Villas Dalat<br />
Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Getaway<br />
package features one night accommodation<br />
in a villa room, daily breakfast<br />
and fruit basket, set lunch or dinner at<br />
Le Petit Dalat restaurant, 10-percent<br />
discount on food, beverages and spa,<br />
available in adjacent sister hotel, a<br />
renovated colonial-era administration<br />
building. Tours organised by hotel.<br />
DALAT<br />
ana Mandara Villas Resort & Spa<br />
Le Lai, Ward 5, Dalat Tel: 063 3555 888<br />
www.anamandara-resort.com<br />
Luxury 35-acre resort encompasses 17<br />
restored early 20th-century villas and<br />
65 rooms set in the rural highlands. La<br />
Cochinchine Spa offers wide range of<br />
treatments. Le Petite Dalat Restaurant<br />
serves Vietnamese and fusion cuisine.<br />
Heated swimming pool, art gallery and<br />
cooking classes in organic garden.<br />
Blue Moon Resort & Spa<br />
4 Phan Boi Chau Tel: 06 3578 888<br />
www.bluemoonhotel.com.vn<br />
An attractive 65-room, country-style<br />
resort with extensive gardens for strolling<br />
or al fresco dining, as well as restaurant<br />
serving local Dalat dishes. On-premise<br />
bike rental, fitness centre, sauna and<br />
indoor heated pool.<br />
Mercure Dalat<br />
7 Tran Phu, Dalat Tel: 063 3825 777<br />
www.mercure.com<br />
Built in 1932 as the Hotel Du Parc, this<br />
144-room pairs French colonial architecture<br />
with modern amenities. Cafe De Le<br />
Poste serves French home-style, international<br />
and Vietnamese cuisine. Facilities<br />
include tennis court and sauna<br />
Sofitel Dalat Palace<br />
12 Tran Phu, Dalat Tel: 063 3825 444<br />
www.accorhotels-asia.com<br />
Stately lakeside hotel was built in 1920s<br />
airport transfers and use of the heated<br />
swimming pool, gym, steam and sauna.<br />
This offer is valid until April 29. Email<br />
reservation-dalat@anamandara-resort.<br />
com.<br />
Sofitel Saigon Plaza<br />
Sofitel Saigon Plaza is offering an<br />
Escapade to Saigon promotion that<br />
includes a weekend stay in a superior<br />
room (Fridays thru Sundays), buffet<br />
breakfast for two, 4pm checkout, free<br />
broadband and wireless Internet and<br />
welcome drink (USD $299 per stay/<br />
two nights/two people) through April<br />
30. The Seasonal Break promotion<br />
includes a complimentary fourth night<br />
of accommodation in a superior room<br />
with L’Occitane toiletries, a chocolate<br />
gift, 4pm checkout and complimentary<br />
broadband and wireless Internet<br />
through May 15. Email reservations@<br />
sofitelsaigon.com.vn.<br />
Victoria Can Tho<br />
Through September 30, Victoria Can<br />
Tho is offering a one-night stay in a<br />
deluxe room, daily buffet breakfast for<br />
two persons and a complimentary boat<br />
tour to Cai Rang Floating Market for<br />
USD $153++ per night (twin sharing)<br />
and $65 (third person sharing). Email<br />
reservation@victoriahotels.asia.<br />
and retains the period’s aesthetic. It<br />
encompasses 38 rooms, five suites, a<br />
gourmet restaurant, brasserie, piano bar<br />
and Larry’s Bar. Golf can be arranged,<br />
and there’s tennis, boules, snooker and<br />
billiards on premise.<br />
activities<br />
Phat Tire Ventures<br />
73 Truong Cong Dinh Tel: 63 3829 422<br />
www.phattireventures.com<br />
Runs guided trips for hiking/trekking,<br />
mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking<br />
and canyoning in the highlands surrounding<br />
Dalat. Also operates mixed trip<br />
adventure packages and ropes course<br />
set among pine forest with 100+ meters<br />
Flying Fox zip line.<br />
Dalat Easy Rider Tours<br />
70 Phan Dinh Phung<br />
dalateasyriders@yahoo.com<br />
www.dalat-easyrider.com<br />
Ride pillion with English-, French- or<br />
German-speaking tour guides on<br />
motorbike adventures that start in Dalat<br />
and snake through mountains, jungles<br />
and deltas, lasting anywhere from three<br />
to 21 days. Trips terminate in Nha Trang,<br />
Hoi An, Hanoi, Mui Ne or HCM City. All<br />
hotels and entrance fees included.<br />
HANOI<br />
intercontinental Westlake Hanoi<br />
1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 04 6270<br />
8888<br />
www.intercontinental.com<br />
Located on the waterfront with contemporary<br />
Vietnamese design, restaurants,<br />
business services, fitness centre including<br />
exercise classes and pool.<br />
Hanoi Hilton Opera<br />
1 Le Thanh Tong, Hoan Kiem<br />
Tel: 04 3933 0500<br />
www.hilton.com<br />
Housed in a colonial-style building<br />
that complements the adjacent Opera<br />
House, this luxury hotel features modern<br />
amenities, business services, outdoor<br />
pool and fitness centre. Vietnamese specialties<br />
are served at Ba Mien, and Chez<br />
Manon does Japanese and pan-Asian.<br />
Melia Hanoi Hotel<br />
44B Ly Thuong Kiet Tel: 04 3934 3343<br />
www.meliahanoi.com<br />
Located in the city centre with 306<br />
comfortable guestrooms elegantly decorated,<br />
complete with a host of modern<br />
amenities. Dining includes Asian cuisine<br />
at El Patio and El Oriental, snacks at<br />
Cava Lounge and tapas at Latino Bar.<br />
Mau Chau, see page 34<br />
Mercure Hanoi la Gare<br />
94 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem<br />
Tel: 04 3944 7766<br />
www.accorhotels.com<br />
Situated in the Old Quarter with 102<br />
bright, spacious and modern rooms,<br />
Brasserie Le Pavillion restaurant serves<br />
Vietnamese and international cuisine.<br />
Nikko Hotel<br />
84 Tran Nhan Tong Tel: 04 3822 3535<br />
www.hotelnikkohanoi.com.vn<br />
Luxury hotel offering spacious rooms,<br />
elegant furnishings, international fine dining<br />
from Europe, China and Japan.<br />
Sheraton Hotel Hanoi<br />
K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho<br />
Tel: 04 3719 9000<br />
www.starwoodhotels.com<br />
“Resort within a city” boasts 299<br />
spacious guest rooms with panormaic<br />
views, fitness centre, international<br />
restaurant and Hemisphere Vietnamese<br />
restaurant.<br />
Sofitel Metropole<br />
15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem<br />
Tel: 04 3826 6919<br />
www.sofitel.com<br />
Located downtown. Colonial-style hotel<br />
with well-regarded restaurants/bars<br />
serving French & Vietnamese cuisine,<br />
plus Italian steak house.<br />
HO CHI MINH CITY<br />
Caravelle Hotel<br />
19 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999<br />
www.caravellehotel.com<br />
One of the city’s most prestigious venues.<br />
Features a casino, Asian Reflections<br />
Restaurant and al fresco 9th-floor Saigon<br />
Saigon Bar.<br />
Duxton Hotel<br />
63 Nguyen Hue D1 Tel: 3822 2999<br />
www.duxtonhotels.com<br />
Located in downtown Saigon. Facilities<br />
include spa, beauty salon, Zanadu Health<br />
Club, gym, outdoor swimming and main<br />
restaurant, The Grill.<br />
equatorial<br />
242 Tran Binh Trong D5 Tel: 3839 7777<br />
www.equatorial.com/hcm<br />
On the intersect of 4 districts, with 333<br />
rooms, Orientica Seafood restaurant<br />
and bar, Chit Chat cafe, pool (swim-up<br />
bar), gym.<br />
interContinental asiana Saigon<br />
Corner of Hai Ba Trung & Le Duan, D1<br />
Tel: 3520 9999<br />
saigon@interconti.com<br />
www.intercontinental.com/saigon<br />
305 rooms/suites with floor-to-ceiling<br />
windows, five restaurants/bars, meeting/<br />
banquet facilities, spa/health club and<br />
lounge with panoramic view.<br />
legend Hotel<br />
2A-4A Ton Duc Thang, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 3333<br />
www.legendsaigon.com<br />
Located by the river with fitness centre,<br />
outdoor pool, kids play centre, Crystal<br />
Jade Chinese restaurant and jazz bar.<br />
Mövenpick Hotel Saigon<br />
253 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan<br />
Tel: 3844 9222<br />
www.moevenpick-saigon.com<br />
251-room Swiss chain hotel with<br />
Nishimura Japanese and Lotus Court<br />
Chinese restaurant, Sundeck poolside<br />
bar, Qi Spa, conference/banquet facilities<br />
New World Hotel<br />
76 Le Lai, D1 Tel: 3822 8888<br />
www.newworldsaigon.com<br />
Located in the city centre, with gym,<br />
outdoor pool, tennis court, event space<br />
and Dynasty Chinese restaurant<br />
Park Hyatt<br />
2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234<br />
www.saigon.park.hyatt.com<br />
Luxury colonial-style hotel includes 21<br />
suites, lobby lounge with live music,<br />
Xuan Spa, pool, gym, international<br />
dininig at Square One.<br />
Renaissance Riverside<br />
8-15 Ton Duc Thang, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 0033<br />
www.renaissancehotels.com<br />
349 rooms/suites with panoramic views<br />
over Saigon River. Conference/banquet<br />
facilities, rooftop pool, gym, two<br />
restaurants.<br />
Sheraton<br />
88 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3827 2828<br />
www.sheraton.com/saigon<br />
Luxury downtown hotel with Level 23<br />
bar, Mojo cafe, Li Bai Chinese restaurant,<br />
fine dining at The Signature on the 23rd<br />
floor.<br />
Sofitel Saigon Plaza<br />
17 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3824 1555<br />
www.sofitel.com/2077<br />
One of <strong>HCMC</strong>’s top hotels with in-room<br />
Wi-Fi, two restaurants with international<br />
cuisine, two bars, six conference rooms,<br />
outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre.<br />
Villa Hotel at Thao Dien<br />
195 Nguyen Van Huong, D2<br />
Tel: 3744 2222<br />
www.thaodienvillage.com<br />
Colonial-style boutique hotel and spa<br />
with fine dining on the banks of the<br />
Saigon River in expat enclave.<br />
Windsor Plaza<br />
18 An Duong Vuong, D5<br />
Tel: 3833 6688<br />
services@windsorplazahotel.com<br />
www.windsorplazahotel.com<br />
Located in a main shopping hub. Four<br />
restaurants, modern discotheque,<br />
conference centre, casino, health club,<br />
shopping centre, supermarket, Chinese<br />
restaurant.<br />
activities<br />
Saigon Scooter Centre<br />
25/7 Cuu Long, Tan Binh District<br />
Tel: 4848 7816<br />
www.saigonscootercentre.com<br />
One-stop rental service with a wide selection<br />
of scooters/motorbikes available<br />
for around town travel or long trips<br />
Vietnam Vespa Adventures<br />
169 De Tham, D1, Pham Ngu Lao<br />
Tel: 3920 3897<br />
www.vietnamvespaadventures.com<br />
Headquaters located in Cafe Zoom.<br />
Offers 3-day trips to Mui Ne, 8-days to<br />
Nha Trang or half-day tours of <strong>HCMC</strong> on<br />
classic Vespas.<br />
56 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 57
HOI AN & DANANG<br />
Cua Dai Hotel<br />
544 Cua Dai Tel: 0510 3862 231<br />
www.cuadaihotel-hoian.com<br />
Open and airy rooms are tastefully decorated<br />
and overlook the garden and pool.<br />
Located roughly between Old Town and<br />
Cua Dai Beach. Bicycle rental arranged.<br />
Green field Hotel<br />
423 Cua Dai, Hoi An Tel: 0510 863<br />
484<br />
www.greenfieldhotel.com<br />
Mid-range hotel with simple but spacious<br />
rooms overlooking the garden<br />
and pool. Rates start below US $20 per<br />
night. Located 400 metres from the Old<br />
Town.<br />
le Domaine de Tam Hai Resort<br />
Tel: 0510 3545105<br />
www.domainedetamhai.com<br />
Occupying an island close to Hoi An,<br />
the resort features 12 villas, a private<br />
beach, and two restaurants serving<br />
French and Vietnamese cuisine.<br />
life Resort Hoi an<br />
1 Pham Hong Thai, Hoi An<br />
Tel: 0510 3914 555<br />
www.life-resorts.com<br />
Within walking distance of Hoi An.<br />
Rooms are chic and minimalist, offering<br />
all the mod cons. Two restaurants, two<br />
bars and an outdoor pool.<br />
<strong>Nam</strong> Hai<br />
Tel: 0510 3940 000<br />
www.ghmhotel.com<br />
Luxury resort accommodation from<br />
single villas to sumptuous five-room<br />
dwellings with private pools. Facilities<br />
include 8 private spa villas; 3 beachfront<br />
swimming pools; library; and tennis,<br />
basketball and badminton courts.<br />
Victoria Hoi an Beach Resort & Spa<br />
Cua Dai Beach Tel: 0510 3927 040<br />
www.victoriahotels-asia.com<br />
Set on its own stretch of beach with<br />
105 rooms spread through a traditional<br />
fishing village design of small “streets”<br />
and ponds.<br />
Vinh Hung Hotel<br />
143 Tran Phu Tel: 0510 3910 393<br />
www.vinhhunghotels.com.vn<br />
Evocative wood carving, antique furniture<br />
and Oriental rugs fill this intimate<br />
guesthouse just down the street from<br />
the Japanese Bridge. Construction<br />
dates back more than a century.<br />
Matterhorn, Wellington NZ<br />
activities<br />
Hoi an Motorbike adventures<br />
Tel: 0918 230 653<br />
www.motorbiketours-hoian.com<br />
Two-wheeled tours of the Central<br />
Highlands, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Monkey<br />
Mountain and more on a fleet of Minsk<br />
dirt bikes and fully and semi-automatic<br />
motorbikes. Customers can drive or be<br />
driven on half- to five-day trips.<br />
Mango Cruise<br />
info@mangorooms.com<br />
Chef Duc from the celebrated Mango<br />
Rooms restaurant and his wife Ly offer a<br />
cruise down the Thu Bon River, complete<br />
with a meal from a menu created by Duc<br />
himself.<br />
Phat Tire Ventures<br />
619 Hai Ba Trung Tel: 0510 391 1700<br />
www.phattireventures.com<br />
Offers rappelling and rock climbing at<br />
Marble Mountains, as well as walking<br />
and mountain biking excursions, from<br />
two-hour countryside trips to two-day<br />
cycling trips to Hue. Also does cultural<br />
and historical tours and car trips to My<br />
Son Holy Land.<br />
Vietnam Sailing<br />
88 Nguyen Thai Hoc Tel: 0918 255 521<br />
www.vietnamsailing.com<br />
Foreign-operated company operates<br />
chartered coach or private tours to Cham<br />
Islands aboard a Corsair Sprint 750<br />
Trimaran. One-day cruises or two-day<br />
excursions with beach camping by<br />
campfire are available.<br />
HUE<br />
Celadon Palace Hue<br />
105A Hung Vuong Tel: 054 3936 666<br />
www.celadonpalacehue.com<br />
Grand building inspired by Indochine<br />
Nobel House with panoramic views, international<br />
restaurant, lounge/bars, pool,<br />
ballroom and wedding planning.<br />
imperial Hue<br />
57 Dang Dung Tel: 054 3522 478<br />
www.imperial-hotel.com.vn<br />
Opulent high-rise hotel with panoramic<br />
views of the city and Ngu Binh Mountain.<br />
Facilities include swimming pool, gym,<br />
Royal spa, Prince Club casino and business<br />
centre.<br />
la Residence<br />
5 Le Loi Tel: 054 3837 475<br />
www.la-residence-hue.com<br />
Former governor’s residence on the<br />
banks of the Perfume River is now home<br />
to a boutique resort where art deco<br />
meets Indochine. La Parfum restaurant<br />
serves local and international dishes.<br />
Facilitiesa include spa, saltwater pool,<br />
tennis court and fleet of bicycles.<br />
Mercure Hue Gerbera<br />
38 Le Loi Tel: 054 3946 688<br />
www.mercure.com<br />
Overlooking the Perfume River, this<br />
centrally located hotel has 110 contemporary<br />
rooms. Local Hue cuisine and<br />
international fare served at Le Bordeaux,<br />
and drinks served up top at Sky Bar or in<br />
the ground-floor Lobby Bar.<br />
Pilgrimage Village Resort & Spa<br />
130 Minh Mang Tel: 054 3885 461<br />
www.pilgrimagevillage.com<br />
Boutique resort with hut, bungalow and<br />
villa accommodation draws on natural<br />
environment and local culture. Features<br />
Vedana spa, two restaurants serving<br />
Vietnamese & Western food and imported<br />
wines and three bar/lounges.<br />
NHA TRANG<br />
evason Hideaway at ana Mandara<br />
Ninh Van Bay, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa<br />
Tel: 058 3728 222<br />
www.sixsenses.com/hideawayanamandara<br />
An island hideaway accessible only by<br />
boat, 58 private pool villas, international<br />
and local restaurants, wedding services,<br />
water sports and scuba diving.<br />
evason ana Mandara Nha Trang<br />
Beachside, Tran Phu, Nha Trang<br />
Tel: 058 3522 222<br />
www.sixsenses.com/evasonanamandara<br />
Beachside resort set in 26,000 square<br />
metres of tropical garden, with 74 guest<br />
villas, three restaurants, Six Senses Spa.<br />
Novotel Nha Trang<br />
50 Tran Phu Tel: 058 625 6900<br />
www.novotel-nhatrang.com<br />
Each of the 154 rooms has a terrace with<br />
seaviews in this modern hotel located<br />
in the city centre. The Square serves<br />
international cuisine in a dining room<br />
overlooking the bay.<br />
Sunrise Beach Resort<br />
12-14 Tran Phu, Nha Trang<br />
Tel: 058 3820 999<br />
www.sunrisehotelvietnam.com<br />
Private beach resort equipped with gym,<br />
fitness centre, outdoor pool and water<br />
sports.<br />
PHAN THIET<br />
full Moon<br />
98A Nguyen Dinh Chieu<br />
Tel: 062 3847 008<br />
fullmoon@windsurf-vietnam.com<br />
Resort set in a private garden with lovingly<br />
decorated bedrooms and terracottatiled<br />
bathrooms. The grounds include a<br />
good Vietnamese restaurant, pool and<br />
kite-surfing school.<br />
l’anmien Beach Resort<br />
Mui Ne Beach, KM10, Ham Tien Ward<br />
Tel: 062 3741 888<br />
www.lanmienresort.com<br />
Beachfront resort with 90 fully equipped<br />
rooms, business centre, spa, fitness<br />
centre and outdoor pool.<br />
Princess D’annam Resort and Spa<br />
Khu Hon Lan, Tan Thanh, Ham Thuan<br />
<strong>Nam</strong>, Binh Thuan<br />
Tel: 062 3682 222<br />
www.princessannam.com<br />
Located on Ke Ga Bay with 57 exclusive<br />
villas, eight swimming pools, two restaurants<br />
and 1,800 square metres spa<br />
complex.<br />
Romana Resort<br />
KM8, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet<br />
Tel: 062 3741 289<br />
www.romanaresort.com.vn<br />
10 beachfront villas and 18 hill villas with<br />
private pools and all the mod cons.<br />
The Sailing Club<br />
24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne,<br />
Phan Thiet Tel: 062 3847 440<br />
www.sailingclubvietnam.com<br />
Open bar overlooking the sea, spacious<br />
rooms, restaurant, swimming pool and<br />
day spa.<br />
Shades apartment<br />
Khu 1, Ham Tien Tel: 062 3743 237<br />
www.shadesmuine.com<br />
Design-led boutique hotel that uses<br />
minimal materials and draws on natural<br />
textures to achieve a sense of timelessness.<br />
Serviced apartments are soundproof<br />
with blackout curtains. Pool and<br />
beachside veranda outside.<br />
Victoria Phan Thiet Resort and Spa<br />
Mui Ne Beach Tel: 84 62 3813 000<br />
www.victoriahotels-asia.com<br />
Located on a private beach, 60 cosy<br />
bungalows, natural spa experiences<br />
amongst other great activities on offer at<br />
the resort.<br />
activities<br />
C2Sky Kitesurfing<br />
Sunny Beach, 64-66 Nguyen Dinh<br />
Chieu Tel: 0916655241<br />
www.c2skykitecenter.com<br />
Operates two schools roughly 500m<br />
apart, staffed by IKO-certified instructors.<br />
Offers a half dozen course types, as well<br />
as instructor training. Equipment rental<br />
and repair.<br />
forester Spa & Mini Golf<br />
65 Nguyen Dinh Chieu<br />
Tel: 062 3743 447<br />
www.forestrestaurant.com<br />
Terraced nine-hole miniature golf course<br />
with distinctly Vietnamese terrain: rice<br />
paddies, palm trees, stilt homes and a<br />
fish pond.<br />
Jibes Beach Club<br />
84-90 Nguyen Dinh Chieu<br />
Tel: 062 3847 008<br />
www.windsurf-vietnam.com<br />
IKO-licensed kite-surfing centre offers<br />
highly structured kitesurfing classes<br />
taught by experienced watersportsmen.<br />
Also offer windsurfing lessons and retails<br />
in watersports equipment (bodyboards,<br />
kayaks, surfboards, windsurfs).<br />
Mui Ne Beach.net<br />
www.muinebeach.net<br />
Informative website run by local writer<br />
Adam Bray covering news, events, community/environmental<br />
issues and more<br />
in Mui Ne and Phan Thiet. Also issues<br />
safety advisories regarding crime and<br />
tour bus accidents.<br />
Mui Ne Cooking School<br />
Sunshine Beach Resort, 84 Tuyen<br />
Quang Tel: 062 383 0755<br />
Al fresco classes begin with a trip to<br />
Rang Market and focus on the provincial<br />
cuisine of Binh Thuan, like banh xeo<br />
(crepes with beef or seafood) and goi hai<br />
san (seafood salad).<br />
Surfpoint<br />
217 Nguyen Dinh Chieu<br />
www.surfpoint-vietnam.com<br />
Offers private and group kiteboarding<br />
courses and equipment rental (from<br />
$40-50/hr). Also runs group and private<br />
surfing lessons, as well as kayaking trips<br />
to Song Quao Lake.<br />
WindChimes School<br />
Saigon Mui Ne Resort, 56 Nguyen Dinh<br />
Chieu<br />
www.kiteboarding-vietnam.com<br />
Surf school situated on 235m of beach<br />
offers kiteboarding, windsurfing and surfing<br />
classes in multiple languages taught<br />
by IKO-certified instructors. Equipment<br />
rented and trips organised. Satellite<br />
school at Bamboo Village Resort.<br />
PHU QUOC<br />
Chenla Resort & Spa<br />
Bai Xep, Ong Lang Beach<br />
Tel: 077 3995 895<br />
www.chenla-resort.com<br />
sales-hcmc@chenla-resort.com<br />
Resort on a bay offers 36 luxury bungalows/villas<br />
with ocean views, swimming<br />
pool, water sports, diving centre, spa<br />
and Mediterannean restaurants.<br />
freedomland<br />
Ong Long Beach Tel: 077 3994 891<br />
freedomlandphuquoc.com<br />
Secluded lodging in six different bungalow<br />
types built from natural materials<br />
sourced from the island. Private or<br />
shared bathrooms, no air-conditioning or<br />
hot water. Boat trips and scooter tours.<br />
la Veranda<br />
Ward 1, Duong Dong Beach<br />
Tel: 077 3982 888<br />
www.laverandaresort.com<br />
Set amid tropical gardens along a beach.<br />
Features a highly-rated spa, beach grill,<br />
Vietnamese, Asian and European cuisine.<br />
Mango Bay<br />
Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc<br />
Tel: 0903 382 207<br />
www.mangobayphuquoc.com<br />
Low-cost seaside resort with ecological<br />
outlook promotes nature activities, forest<br />
walks, snorkelling, open-air seafood<br />
restaurant. No TV or telephone.<br />
SAPA<br />
Chau long Hotel<br />
24 Dong Loi Tel: 020 3871 245<br />
www.chaulonghotel.com<br />
Mid-range hotel with wraparound<br />
construction offering panoramic views.<br />
Rooms in newer wing are more attractive,<br />
with dark wood furnishings and<br />
polished hardwood floors.<br />
Topas eco lodge<br />
24 Muong Hoa Tel: 020 3871 331<br />
www.topasecolodge.com<br />
Overlooking the Hoang Lien Mountains,<br />
Topas is comprised of 25 white granite<br />
and golden hardwood lodges powered<br />
by solar energy. Premises include restaurant<br />
in traditional Tay stilt house, and<br />
Topas offers a range of outdoor activities,<br />
including mountain biking an trekking.<br />
Victoria Sapa Resort<br />
Sapa District, Lao Cai Province<br />
Tel: 020 0871 522<br />
www.victoriahotels-asia.com<br />
Mountain chalet perched over the village<br />
wth cosy but modern guestrooms<br />
overlooking the lawn and garden. Ta Van<br />
restaurant overlooks Mount Fansipan<br />
and Ta Fin bar has stone hearth fireplace.<br />
Connection from Hanoi by private train.<br />
SCUBA DIVING<br />
Note: AsiaLIFE only lists dive centres<br />
recognised by international dive training<br />
programs, such as the Professional<br />
Association of Dive Instructors (PADI)<br />
and Scuba Schools International (SSI).<br />
We strongly advise against diving with<br />
unaccredited dive centres in Vietnam.<br />
Rainbow Divers<br />
55 Nguyen Giai Dang, An Phu, D2<br />
Tel: 3744 6825<br />
www.divevietnam.com<br />
Diving tours and career/instructor development<br />
offered by Vietnam’s first PADI<br />
centre. established in the mid-90s. All<br />
courses can be started at the state-ofthe-art<br />
dive centre in An Phu, from beginner<br />
pool work and theory to divemaster<br />
and instructor certification. Operates dive<br />
centres in Nha Trang, Whale Island, Hoi<br />
An and Phu Quoc.<br />
Octopus Diving<br />
62 Tran Phu, Nha Trang<br />
058 826 528<br />
58 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 59<br />
.<br />
www.divenhatrang.com<br />
PADI/SSI dive centre based in Nha Trang<br />
and affiliated with the Sailing Club Co.,<br />
with additional centres in Mui Ne and Hoi<br />
An. Offers a range of services, including<br />
children’s Bubblemaker classes, courses<br />
in specialised techniques and divemaster<br />
certification.<br />
VUNG TAU<br />
The imperial Hotel<br />
159-163 Thuy Van Tel: 06 4362 8888<br />
www.imperialhotelvietnam.com<br />
Victorian-style hotel with 152 rooms,<br />
outdoor pool, shopping mall and fully<br />
serviced gym.<br />
TRAVEL AGENTS<br />
Budget Car Rentals<br />
198 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D3<br />
Tel: 3930 2929<br />
Tan Son Nhat Airport Tel: 3930 2929<br />
International rental agency offers<br />
chauffeur-driven cars to destinations<br />
throughout Vietnam. Drivers are proficient<br />
in English and trained in defensive<br />
driving. Airport/resort transfers, daily<br />
rentals and corporate fleets available.<br />
Buffalo Tours<br />
Suite 601, Satra House, 58 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong><br />
D1 Tel: 3827 9170<br />
www.buffalotours.com<br />
Tailor-made itineraries, communitybased<br />
tourism, cultural tours, adventure<br />
trips, golfing and premium trips offered<br />
by locally run and well-respected travel<br />
agent.<br />
exotissimo<br />
<strong>HCMC</strong>: 20 Hai Ba Trung St, D1<br />
Tel: 3827 2911<br />
infosgn@exotissimo.com<br />
SD5-2 Grand View, Nguyen Duc Canh,<br />
Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5412 2761/62<br />
pmh@exotissimo.com<br />
HANOI: 26 Tran Nhat Duat St,<br />
Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3828 2150<br />
infohanoi@exotissimo.com<br />
www.exotissimo.com<br />
French-owned agency specialising in<br />
flight bookings, package holidays and a<br />
range of well-run cultural and historical<br />
tours of Vietnam and Southeast Asia.<br />
iTravel<br />
175/22 Pham Ngu Lao, D1<br />
Tel: 0836 4876<br />
www.itravel-online.com<br />
trung@itravel-online.com<br />
Operated out of Le Pub (Hanoi/<strong>HCMC</strong>)<br />
offering a wide range of tour and accomodation<br />
options throughout Vietnam,<br />
as well as custom-made tours tailored<br />
to customer specifications.<br />
iViVu<br />
www.ivivu.com<br />
Offering the traditional services of a<br />
travel agent – airline tickets, tours, packages<br />
and hotels - as well as tips and<br />
up-to-date travel news on Vietnam.<br />
Terraverde<br />
91/10 Tran Quoc Hoan, Tan Binh<br />
Tel: 3948 4754/56<br />
info@terraverdetravel.com<br />
www.terraverdetravel.com<br />
German-owned travel agency specialising<br />
in tailor-made tours combining<br />
nature experiences; site visits; cultural<br />
encounters; biking, boating and trekking<br />
expeditions. Mixes cultural experience<br />
with light adventure tourism.<br />
Trails of indochina<br />
10/8 Phan Dinh Giot, Tan Binh<br />
Tel: 3844 1005<br />
www.trailsofindochina.com<br />
Specialists in custom-made tours<br />
offering cultural and adventurous experiences<br />
throughout the region. Exclusive<br />
resources and locations.
listings<br />
food &<br />
drink<br />
BAR RESTAURANTS<br />
alibi<br />
11 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3822 3240<br />
Hip without being showy, this versatile<br />
venue has a pleasant front porch, stand<br />
up bar and comfortable lounge seating<br />
with bright, warm décor and great tunes.<br />
Drinks list is extensive and the food menu<br />
boasts French-style mains.<br />
Bread & Butter<br />
40/24 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3836 8452<br />
Small eatery with a lunch menu of<br />
American classics (California burritos, po<br />
boy sandwiches, etc.) and a Brit-centric<br />
dinner selection of bangers & mash, fish<br />
& chips and more. Good veggie burger.<br />
Serves Huda Beer from Hue.<br />
Buddha Bar<br />
7 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2080<br />
An Phu institution serves up tasty meals<br />
and good drinks in a friendly, chilled environment.<br />
Plenty of room to relax inside or<br />
out, plus a pool table on premise. <br />
K Cafe<br />
28 Do Quang Dau, D1 Tel: 3913 4673<br />
This down-to-earth bistro-bar is a haven<br />
for French-speaking emigrés looking for<br />
an alternative in the backpackers’ area.<br />
Prop up the bar with a beer or Ricard,<br />
or tuck into the tasty Gallic fare. Good<br />
atmosphere for conversation.<br />
la Habana<br />
6 Cao Ba Quat, D1 Tel: 3829 5180<br />
This charming little place has seating indoors<br />
and outdoors, upstairs and downstairs<br />
to fit your dining pleasure.Relaxed<br />
environment with frequent live music.<br />
Offers Spanish and Cuban fare including<br />
paella and a tapas fiesta comprising three<br />
plates. Open late daily.<br />
feast broaden your palette with promotions around town<br />
Café Central Nguyen Hue<br />
For the month of April, Café Central<br />
Nguyen Hue is featuring a pulled pork<br />
burger covered in BBQ sauce, cheddar<br />
cheese and served with French fries<br />
and pineapple coleslaw (65,000++ VND)<br />
and a cherry tart for only 40, 000 VND<br />
Call 3.821.9303.<br />
Corso Steakhouse & Bar<br />
Throughout April, Corso Steakhouse<br />
& Bar is offering an a la carte Italian<br />
promotion<br />
that includes shrimp scampi, Italian<br />
tossed salad, Italian chicken pizza, fillet<br />
fiorentina, fettuccine Alfredo and vanilla<br />
panacotta. Call 3829 5386 Ext. 6614.<br />
Gardenstadt<br />
Throughout April, Gartenstadt is offering<br />
Austrian striploin steak in onion<br />
sauce served with homemade German<br />
noodles and vegetables and Montepulciano<br />
Rosso DOC red wine (225,000++<br />
VND). Call 3822 3623.<br />
le Pub<br />
175/ 22 Pham Ngu Lao, D1<br />
One of Pham Ngu Lao’s favourite<br />
watering holes, Le Pub also has a good<br />
menu of well-executed pub grub and<br />
international favourites. Hearty breakfast<br />
is available all day and specials are<br />
offered daily.<br />
Mogambos<br />
50 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 1311<br />
This restaurant has been around since<br />
the mid-1990s, which offers an insight<br />
into its enduring quality. Specialises in<br />
American grain-fed steaks, hamburgers<br />
and salads served in a pleasant<br />
atmosphere.<br />
O’Brien’s<br />
74/A2 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3829 3198<br />
A large Celtic-style pub popular with<br />
media types that has an interior done in<br />
brickwork and wood, and an upstairs<br />
dining area. Draught beer is happy hour<br />
between 3pm and 7pm. Great pizzas.<br />
Peaches: The Curry Pub<br />
Sky Garden 2, S57-1, Phu My Hung,<br />
D7<br />
Tel: 5410 0999<br />
Serves up dishes from Thailand, Viet-<br />
Saigon Café<br />
On Mondays from 6 to 10 pm, Spanish<br />
night returns, featuring tapas, paella<br />
Valencia, regional cheese and cured<br />
Spanish ham (725,000++ VND includes<br />
a free flow of Sangria). Call 3827 2828.<br />
Gia Dining Room<br />
Throughout April, Gia Dining Room<br />
is featuring a set four-course yellow<br />
fin tuna dinner and a two-hour free<br />
flow of wine. Dishes include yellow fin<br />
tuna salad with egg, French beans,<br />
tomato and olive; fresh yellow fin tuna<br />
marinated with herbs, yogurt and<br />
olive oil; grilled yellow fin tuna served<br />
with pan-fried French scallops with<br />
nam, Malaysia, China, Japan, Singapore<br />
and Indonesia with a focus on healthy<br />
preparation and fresh produce.<br />
Phatty’s<br />
46-48 Ton That Thiep, D1<br />
Tel: 3821 0705<br />
Jaspa’s Steve Hardy and Ben Winspear’s<br />
sports bar has five widescreen TVs, a<br />
large drop-down screen and lots of pub<br />
grub and beer for fans looking to take in<br />
a game or two.<br />
Qing<br />
110 Pasteur, D1<br />
Sophisticated downtown bar just off Le<br />
Loi specialises in Asian tapas, Asian/<br />
South American fusion dishes and a few<br />
delectable deserts. Variety of good wines<br />
by the glass or bottle.<br />
Rockit Bar & Grille<br />
Lucky Plaza, 69 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
rockitsaigon@gmail.com<br />
British/American sports bar meets bistro<br />
serving local draught beers and pubstyle<br />
food, as well as signature dishes<br />
like stuffed chicken wings and gourmet<br />
wagyu burgers. Pool table, darts and live<br />
sports telecast.<br />
cognac and fried yellow fin tuna with<br />
tomato sauce, steamed vegetables<br />
and steamed rice (USD $35.00++ per<br />
person). Call 3827 9399/3825 6257.<br />
Yu Chu Chinese Restaurant<br />
Dim sum brunch at Yu Chu happens on<br />
Sundays from 11.30am to 2.30pm. The<br />
menu features a variety of barbecued<br />
appetizers, cold dishes and hand<br />
pulled noodles and features steamed<br />
scallop and coriander dumplings,<br />
Beijing pot stickers, baked apple barbequed<br />
pork puffs and more (550,000<br />
VND per person or 730,000 VND per<br />
person with free flow of Trivento<br />
white and red wine, tiger draught, soft<br />
drinks, Illy coffee and Chinese tea.<br />
Email dine@icasianasaigon.com.<br />
Caravelle Lobby Lounge<br />
From April 12 to 25 the Lobby Lounge<br />
will feature a selection of five cupcakes<br />
that include sweet bitter<br />
chocolate, tanguy lime sensation,<br />
Iranian pistachio, Swiss carrot and<br />
Asian lotus, served with Ronnefeldt tea<br />
or Lavazza coffee (114,000 VND per<br />
person). Call 3823 4999.<br />
Olivier<br />
Through April 4, Chef Nicolas Isnard,<br />
head chef of one-Michelin Star<br />
Burgundy restaurant L’Auberge de la<br />
Charme will be preparing his specialties<br />
at Olivier including an avocado tart<br />
with seashell, quinoa tart, tuna ceviche<br />
and raspberry mille-feuille (threecourse<br />
Menu Emotion/500,000++<br />
VND per person and five course Menu<br />
Magnifique/1,100,000++ VND per<br />
person, wine not included). Lunch is<br />
served from 11.30am to 2.30pm and<br />
dinner from 6.30 to 10.30 pm. Email<br />
fb@sofitelsaigon.com.vn.<br />
Sheridan’s irish House<br />
17/13 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 0793<br />
Cosy Irish pub with authentic Irish decor,<br />
a pleasant atmosphere and regular live<br />
music. Wide range of classic pub grub,<br />
East Asian dishes and a fantastic breakfast<br />
fry-up available from 8am.<br />
Storm P Bar & Restaurant<br />
5B Nguyen Sieu, D1 Tel: 2240 7477<br />
This friendly hangout is a favourite with<br />
both the Scandinavian community and<br />
English-speaking expats. Offers Danish<br />
cuisine to go with the drinks.<br />
Tam Tam Bar<br />
24-26 Ho Tung Mao, D1<br />
Multi-level exposed brick space encompassing<br />
a first-floor lounge that hosts<br />
live music, a spacious second floor with<br />
an expansive bar and billiards table and<br />
rooftop barbecue restaurant serving a<br />
range of tasty dishes served at the table.<br />
The Tavern<br />
24 Hung Gia 3, Bui Bang Doan, D7<br />
Tel: 5410 3900<br />
Boasts good international food, a pool<br />
table, dartboards and sports coverage<br />
on large screens. Outdoor seating on<br />
mutiple levels. Second floor sports<br />
lounge hosts DJs at the weekends. <br />
Vasco’s Bar<br />
74/7D Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 2888<br />
Chic bar decked in deep reds that gets<br />
packed to capacity on weekends. Open<br />
Monday to Saturday with live music on<br />
Fridays. Food menu by chef with over 10<br />
years experience at La Camargue. Also<br />
does excellent pizza. <br />
ZanZBar<br />
41 Dong Du, D1<br />
41 Vo Truong Toan, D2<br />
Funky, modern interiors are a dominant<br />
feature of both ZanZBar locations, and<br />
both offer varied international breakfast,<br />
lunch and dinner cuisine. Imported beers,<br />
cocktails, gourmet espresso coffee, and<br />
happy hours make them great after-work<br />
spots but are also open late.<br />
CAFES<br />
annam Cafe<br />
16-18 Hai Ba Trung<br />
Cosy corner cafe with free Wi-Fi overlooking<br />
Hai Ba Trung. Serves a slate of<br />
gourmet sandwiches, coffee and wine.<br />
Bobby Brewer’s<br />
45 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3920 4090<br />
70 Nguyen Cong Tru, D1 Tel: 3821 8100<br />
86 Pham Ngoc Thach, D3 Tel: 6299 1990<br />
www.bobbybrewers.com<br />
This is an attractive fast-food style coffee<br />
shop with friendly staff and good lattes.<br />
All the coffee is roasted on the premises<br />
and there are comfortable couches and<br />
travellers aplenty making it a chilled place<br />
to hang out. <br />
Bull’s Cafe<br />
113C Bui Vien Street, D1<br />
Tel: 3836 1925<br />
www.bullcafe.com.vn<br />
MotoGP-themed lounge serving up coffee,<br />
smoothies and cafe house special,<br />
fruit cocktail.<br />
Cafe Terrace<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
This funky café is frequented by trendy<br />
types attracted by the leather lounges,<br />
outdoor terrace and 52 non-alcoholic<br />
fruit concotions.<br />
Coffee Bean & Tea leaf<br />
12-14 Thai Van Lung, D1<br />
94 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3<br />
Nowzone, 235 Nguyen Van Cu, D5<br />
Metropolitan Building, 235 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
International café chain with a wide variety<br />
of coffees and teas, as well as light<br />
snacks and food. Also sells fresh-roasted<br />
coffee beans and tins of whole leaf tea.<br />
Jubarcalypse<br />
35 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3827 7930<br />
Jubarcalypse has an interesting underground<br />
design. Playing jazz music, it’s<br />
the perfect place to re-energize with a<br />
refreshing selection of juices and snacks.<br />
Kita Coffee House<br />
39 Nguyen Hue, D1, Tel: 3821 5300<br />
Small cafe with a clean and pleasant<br />
atmosphere. Serving quiches, wraps,<br />
vegetables, bread with humus and other<br />
dippings and a variety of coffee and fresh<br />
fruit juices.<br />
la fenetre Soleil<br />
135 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 5209<br />
A Parisian style shabby chic hideaway. It<br />
is a perfect spot to chill out over coffee,<br />
juice or snacks like muffins and cakes.<br />
loaves and fishes<br />
5 Street 11, Thao Dien, D2<br />
Tel: 3547 0577<br />
Coffee house on a side street near Riverside<br />
Apartments serves up drinks and<br />
serves the full line of Western-style baked<br />
goods from Harvest Baking.<br />
Mojo<br />
88 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
A top-end cafe pulling in a mix of tourists<br />
and upper-class Saigonese. Boasts an<br />
attractive interior, outdoor terrace at street<br />
level and comfortable lounges upstairs.<br />
Good business coffee or lunch venue.<br />
Nirvana<br />
14Bis Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1<br />
Tel: 3910 0745<br />
Pleasant retro-styled cafe with outdoor<br />
water features and welcome modern<br />
touches like free Wi-Fi. Live music at<br />
night.<br />
Paris Deli<br />
35 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
Tel: 3821 6127<br />
Grand View Building, Nguyen Duc Canh,<br />
Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 412 2179<br />
Petite boulangerie/cafe decked out with<br />
French-style furnishings. Offering tasty<br />
French and international dishes with a<br />
range of lunchtime specials at reasonable<br />
prices.<br />
X Cafe<br />
58 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3914 2142<br />
212 A2 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3925 9307<br />
Bright, spacious foreign-run cafe<br />
decorated in the style of an Alpine chalet.<br />
Popular with local makers and shakers,<br />
has a great open-plan upstairs area and<br />
two outdoor terraces. Regular live music<br />
and homemade ice cream. Nguyen Trai<br />
location includes children’s playground.<br />
Catering available.<br />
Zenta<br />
41 Mac Dinh Chi, D3<br />
A large, extravagant, kitsch cafe with<br />
several rooms resembling airport departure<br />
lounges. Customers, though, tend to<br />
gravitate to the more attractive outdoor<br />
terrace with its pond and waterfall-style<br />
water features.<br />
CHINESE<br />
Dragon Court<br />
11-13 Lam Son Square, D1<br />
Open until 2am, this vast, no-frills eatery<br />
gets packed with hungry locals who savour<br />
generous portions of tasty dim sum.<br />
All the Chinese staples are here. Expect<br />
a good feed for under VND100,000 per<br />
person.<br />
Dynasty Restaurant<br />
New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 8888<br />
Fine Chinese dining in an opulent<br />
restaurant reminiscent of the Middle<br />
Kingdom’s imperial days. Delicacies clock<br />
in at VND500,000, but most dishes fall<br />
between VND80,000 to VND180,000<br />
60 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 61
imbibe<br />
Changing Tastes<br />
By Ginny Becker<br />
If the slightest weather fluctuation<br />
can affect a grape yield<br />
and ultimately, the wine we<br />
drink, what is the impact of a<br />
larger trend such as climate<br />
change?<br />
By definition, the term<br />
climate change refers to alternations<br />
in a regional climate’s<br />
temperature, humidity, rainfall,<br />
wind and storms. As the world<br />
experiences more and more<br />
significant and often devastating<br />
weather events, it stands<br />
to reason that the wine we<br />
know and love may also be<br />
changing.<br />
“Warmer weather is contributing<br />
to spiking alcohol levels,”<br />
writes winemaker and author<br />
Paul Dolan. “Drought is drying<br />
out and threatening vineyards.<br />
Warmer springs produce<br />
early bud breaks, increasing<br />
the chance that a frost will<br />
damage vines. Rain patterns<br />
are increasingly shifting from<br />
seasonal cycles to random,<br />
unexpected storms that bring<br />
rot and mold.” Dolan adds<br />
that measurable change has<br />
already occurred in recent<br />
decades.<br />
Nicolas Delion, business<br />
development manager at Red<br />
Apron Wine & Spirits agrees,<br />
but adds that weather isn’t the<br />
only factor involved.<br />
“Over the past 50 years, the<br />
average temperature has risen<br />
one and a half to two degrees<br />
Celsius,” he says. “And if the<br />
temperature goes up another<br />
two degrees over the next 50<br />
years, the taste will change<br />
again. But the grape proportions,<br />
length of ageing and<br />
even using wood or stainless<br />
barrels will also impact the<br />
taste.”<br />
Champagne producers are<br />
feeling the heat, as well. A<br />
cool environment and a high<br />
acidity level are essential to<br />
producing quality Champagne,<br />
but both are fleeting. The taste<br />
of bubbly is already different<br />
than it was 50 years ago.<br />
Many producers are struggling<br />
to manage increasing alcohol<br />
content and decreasing acidity,<br />
both of which result in less<br />
aging potential and a lowerquality<br />
product. To counteract<br />
the effects, some French winemakers<br />
have even considered<br />
planting vineyards in cooler<br />
climates, but because of appellation<br />
restrictions, their bubbly<br />
could no longer be called<br />
Champagne if they grow it<br />
outside of the region.<br />
However, the situation may<br />
all be in how you look at it.<br />
Many winemakers are remaining<br />
positive and embracing<br />
the opportunity to produce<br />
younger vintages and thereby,<br />
new branding opportunities.<br />
Delion welcomes the challenge:<br />
“It’s good to provide a<br />
wide range of products. The<br />
more wines you have, the<br />
more they can be modified to<br />
create different tastes. There is<br />
nothing you can do about the<br />
climate’s effect on grapes. You<br />
just have to go with it.”<br />
banh gai<br />
street gourmet<br />
The saying, “Don’t judge a<br />
book by its cover” was made<br />
for ban gai. At first glance it’s<br />
not the most enticing piece<br />
of street food, but look closer<br />
and you’ll find that this treat is<br />
all about the inside. Unwrap<br />
the several layers of neatly<br />
wrapped banana leaf that<br />
surround it and you’ll see<br />
what we mean. The prize is a<br />
Huy long Vien<br />
99 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3823 7799<br />
A magnificent Chinese restaurant with<br />
a leafy slate-tiled courtyard, Chinese<br />
lanterns and a labyrinth of water works.<br />
Lunchtime dim sum is 120,000VND,<br />
while the a la carte menu runs higher<br />
with Chinese specialties such as Peking<br />
duck for 400,000 VND.<br />
Kabin<br />
Renaissance Riverside Hotel, 8-15 Ton<br />
Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 0033<br />
Elegant dining space with beautiful decor<br />
and great views over the river offers<br />
extensive lunch and dinner menus featuring<br />
authentic gourmet Cantonese and<br />
Szechuan dishes and an assortment of<br />
dim sum at lunchtime.<br />
li Bai<br />
Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
Tel: 3827 2828<br />
Imperial-styled restaurant named after<br />
a famous Chinese poet. Excellent lunch<br />
time dim sum buffet for US$17.00.<br />
Nightly à la carte menu with dishes going<br />
from VND100,000.<br />
Ngan Dinh Chinese Restaurant<br />
Windsor Plaza Hotel, 18 An Duong<br />
Vuong, D5 Tel: 3833 6688<br />
Beautiful wood paneling, colourful hanging<br />
lanterns and a sparkling mineral gallery<br />
make for a relaxing dining experience<br />
at the Windsor. Feast on roasted Pi Pa<br />
duck, giant grouper and steamed king<br />
prawns. Be sure to check out monthly<br />
specials.<br />
Ocean Palace<br />
2 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3911 8822<br />
Both traditional and trendy Chinese dishes<br />
are prepared by chef from Hong Kong<br />
and served in an opulent 280-seat dining<br />
room in this restaurant opposite the zoo.<br />
Intimate private rooms and larger party<br />
rooms available for booking.<br />
small, square cake made from<br />
shredded coconut encased in<br />
a sticky, blackish-coloured leaf.<br />
The taste is mildly sweet and<br />
the texture is slightly chewy.<br />
Ban gai originated in the Red<br />
River Delta but can easily be<br />
found in residential neighbourhoods<br />
around town. A piece<br />
will run you approximately<br />
3,000 VND.<br />
Shang Palace Restaurant<br />
Norfolk Mansion, 17-19-21 Ly Tu Trong,<br />
D1 Tel: 3823 2221<br />
An upscale Chinese restaurant with a<br />
spacious and welcoming atmosphere.<br />
The menu boasts a wide range of Hong<br />
Kong Cantonese cuisine, including both<br />
dim sum, a la carte and set menus, regularly<br />
changed by the creative chefs.<br />
Truyen <strong>Ky</strong><br />
261B Dao Duy Tu, D10<br />
Small homestyle Chinese restaurant<br />
specializing in the salty Hakka cuisine of<br />
southeastern China, including tofu and<br />
chilis stuffed with fish paste.<br />
Yu Chu<br />
InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner<br />
of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1<br />
Tel: 3520 9099<br />
dine@icasianasaigon.com<br />
Specialising in authentic Cantonese<br />
and Peking cuisine. Award-winning chef<br />
prepares dishes including handmade<br />
noodles, dim sum and wok-fried items.<br />
Wide selection of live seafood. Five<br />
interactive kitchens.<br />
DESSERT PARLOURS<br />
Bo Gia (The Godfather)<br />
29 Ngo Duc Ke, D1<br />
20 Ho Huan Nghiep, D1<br />
299 Nguyen Van Troi, Tan Binh<br />
Does brisk lunchtime trade with its selection<br />
of more than 25 ice cream favours<br />
and Vietnamese noodle and rice dishes.<br />
Ciao Cafe<br />
40 Ngo Duc Ke, D1<br />
With a number of branches downtown (21<br />
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and 26 Tran Cao<br />
Van, among others), this popular cafe offers<br />
a mixture of food, drinks and books.<br />
Boasts about 20 ice cream specials and<br />
serves crepes, sodas and shakes.<br />
fanny ice Cream<br />
29-31 Ton That Thiep, D1<br />
Tel: 3821 1633<br />
Tranquil open-terraced heaven for<br />
ice-cream lovers. Menu contains fresh<br />
fruit, ice cream, sherbets and sorbets<br />
(coconut, caramel and Bailey’s ice-cream<br />
and mango sorbet are standouts). All you<br />
can eat first Friday of the month.<br />
Ministry of Food<br />
30 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3827 7898<br />
Two-floor dessert house specialising in<br />
Italian and Japanese treats serving a wide<br />
array of ice cream flavours using milk<br />
from Japan’s dairy capital. Also serves<br />
sandwiches and bento boxes.<br />
New Zealand Natural<br />
3rd Floor, Parkson Department Store<br />
39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
4th Floor, Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan<br />
1st Floor, Saigon Superbowl, 843 Truong<br />
Son, Tan Binh<br />
www.newzealandnatural.com<br />
Serves flavours ranging from chocolate<br />
ecstasy, fruits of the forest and boysenberry<br />
dream by the scoop.<br />
Yogen fruz<br />
118 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3914 1188<br />
106 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1<br />
Tel: 3500 1852<br />
Panorama Apartments, Ton Dat Tien,<br />
Phu My Hung, D7 Tel: 5413 6394<br />
www.yogenfruz.com<br />
Frozen yoghurt parlour is decked in modmeets-IKEA<br />
decor and serves no-fat, and<br />
low-fat fro-yo blended with fresh fruits,<br />
as well as soft serve and smoothies.<br />
District 7 parlour located just past SSIS in<br />
Panorama complex.<br />
FRENCH<br />
annamite french Restaurant<br />
21 Tu Xuong, Ward 7 D3<br />
Tel: 6277 8332<br />
The new VN restaurant area of D3 opens<br />
a classic French dinning option, led by ex<br />
Caprice chef. Snug atmosphere with a<br />
classic touch . French favourites such as<br />
escargot in garlic butter, Pan fried goose<br />
froie gras, duck in port wine, poached<br />
river sole with saffron sauce and classic<br />
flambé crepes.<br />
Jardin Delice<br />
4 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 4722<br />
Located in a beautiful French villa with a<br />
swimming pool and spa open to diners,<br />
Jardin Delice specialises in high-end<br />
French cuisine. Hip setting provides a<br />
mish-mash of colourful glass plates,<br />
chairs and massive paintings.<br />
la Bordeaux<br />
F7-F8, D2 Road, P25, Binh Thanh<br />
Tel: 3899 9831<br />
French fine dining in an elegant, intimate<br />
loft space with dark wood and linendraped<br />
tables. Expect simple, classic<br />
dishes prepared to perfection. Rotating<br />
seasonal menu.<br />
la Brasserie<br />
61 Hung Gia 2, Phu My Hung, D7<br />
Tel: 5410 4317<br />
Contemporary French restaurant and<br />
wine bar with outdoor seating and wine<br />
cellar stocked with more than 650 wines.<br />
Features classic French fare like sliced<br />
raw beef Carpaccio with Parmesan<br />
cheese and grilled beef fillet served with<br />
French fries and vegetable gratin.<br />
la Camargue<br />
191 Hai Ba Trung, D3 Tel: 3520 4888<br />
Boasts a reputation for excellence in fine<br />
dining for more than 10 years. Modern<br />
French and Italian cuisine is served in<br />
a colonial-style alfresco dining space.<br />
An extensive wine list allows diners to<br />
choose the perfect pairing.<br />
la fourchette<br />
9 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Tel: 3829 8143<br />
Rustic downtown restaurant, with a good<br />
longstanding reputation for serving good<br />
traditional French fare at reasonable<br />
prices. Open 12am to 2 pm and from<br />
7pm to 10pm.<br />
la Nicoise<br />
42 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Tel: 3822 8613<br />
Small French-style bistro, with pretty mosaic<br />
tiled bar and tables. Offers a good<br />
range of teas, coffees and espressobased<br />
drinks. Lunch menu changes<br />
daily, but always encompasses traditional<br />
French food. Open until 10pm.<br />
le Jardin<br />
31 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3825 8465<br />
This delightful restaurant in a picturesque<br />
garden setting is open for lunch and<br />
dinner and serves excellent French food<br />
at reasonable prices. Main courses cost<br />
about VND60,000 and a carafe of house<br />
wine costs VND50,000.<br />
l’en Tête<br />
139 Nguyen Thai Binh, D1<br />
Tel: 3821 4049<br />
This stylish bistro and gallery serves up a<br />
large selection of French fare representing<br />
an excellent selection of classic<br />
French fish and meat dishes, as well<br />
as international cuisine. Live music on<br />
Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays<br />
starting at 8 pm.<br />
Olivier Restaurant<br />
Level 2, Sofitel Saigon Plaza,<br />
17 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3824 1555<br />
Imaginative French cuisine cooked up<br />
in a blend of classic and contemporary.<br />
Executive Chef Martin Becquart prepares<br />
a solid but creative selection of French<br />
favourites with an extensive range of fish<br />
and meat dishes.<br />
Sesame<br />
153 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, Binh Thanh<br />
Tel: 0989 765 472<br />
A self-styled hospitality school for disadvantaged<br />
children, Sesame gives practical<br />
experience to its students through its<br />
operational restaurant. Serving a mixture<br />
of French and Vietnamese cuisine.<br />
Ty Coz<br />
178/4 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3822 2457<br />
Homely and attractive venue specialises<br />
in classic French cuisine. Does excellent<br />
three-course business set meals for and<br />
sells carefully selected seafood.<br />
INDIAN<br />
ashoka<br />
17/10 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823<br />
1372<br />
33 Tong Huu Dinh, D2 Tel: 744 4144<br />
S9-1 lo R13 - KP Hung Vuong 2, D7<br />
Tel: 5410 1989<br />
Ashoka is one of the city’s most popular<br />
and enduring Indian restaurants with a<br />
reputation for good food and service at a<br />
reasonable price.<br />
Ganesh<br />
15 - B4 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 3017<br />
Casual dining with takeaway available,<br />
Ganesh serves up both North and South<br />
Indian culinary traditions. Very reasonably<br />
priced, with vegetarian curries from<br />
VND40,000 and chicken dishes from<br />
VND64,000. <br />
Mumtaz<br />
226 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3837 1767<br />
Reasonably priced north and south Indian<br />
fare in a clean, light and spacious<br />
setting. Vegetarian curries go for around<br />
VND30,000 while meat dishes cost between<br />
VND45,000 and VND55,000 each.<br />
Excellent kebabs. <br />
Saigon indian<br />
73 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3824 5671<br />
Popular venue with an enormous menu.<br />
Serves both southern and northern<br />
Indian dishes like tandoori, biryani, dosa<br />
and idly snacks, plus a wide range of<br />
62 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 63
vegetarian dishes. Offers a set lunch<br />
menu. Cater service is available. <br />
Tandoor<br />
74/6 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3930 4839<br />
Part of a chain of restaurants covering<br />
Hanoi and Saigon, Tandoor features a<br />
large selection of standard northern Indian<br />
dishes, including a good vegetarian<br />
selection. Excellent cheap set lunches<br />
and reasonable prices all around. Will<br />
organise catering for events. <br />
INTERNATIONAL<br />
al fresco’s<br />
21 Mac Dinh Chi D1<br />
27 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3822 7317<br />
Theme restaurant boasting a range of<br />
Tex-Mex, Italian and Australian-style BBQ<br />
dishes. Huge portions and tasty Australian<br />
ribs coupled with a good atmosphere<br />
and helpful staff. Good lunch menu. <br />
amigo Grill<br />
55 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3829 0437<br />
Outstanding steaks made with Australian,<br />
U.S. and Argentine beef, served<br />
in a cosy, family-friendly environment<br />
with large tables and banquette seating.<br />
Dishes like leg of lamb and seafood are<br />
also on the menu. Open 11am to 11pm.<br />
au lac Do Brazil<br />
238 Pasteur, D3 Tel: 3820 7157<br />
36/19-21 Pham Van Nghi-Bac, D7<br />
Tel: 5410 5566<br />
A Brazilian barbecue restaurant that<br />
takes meat seriously. The mixed grills and<br />
rodizio are fantastic and served in generous<br />
portions. No meat-eater should miss<br />
the churrasco: 12 cuts of meat carved at<br />
your table, plus unlimited salad.<br />
au Parc<br />
23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772<br />
Lavishly decorated brasserie borrowing<br />
from Moroccan and French styles and<br />
To find us, walk through the arch at<br />
74 Hai Ba Trung and discover our<br />
beautiful secluded courtyard.<br />
popular during lunchtime with expats.<br />
Specialises in Middle Eastern and North<br />
African food. The salad menu is a favourite,<br />
and a great range of lush smoothies<br />
and juices are on offer. <br />
Black Cat<br />
13 Phan Van Dat, D1 Tel: 3829 2055<br />
628 An Binh, An Phu, D2<br />
Tel: 3898 9837<br />
480D Nguyen Thi Thap, D7<br />
Tel: 2241 9100<br />
Tiny but popular District 1 restaurant<br />
serving up an excellent selection of<br />
Western and Vietnamese fare and an<br />
extensive range of sandwiches and burgers.<br />
The District 2 location also features<br />
a slate of sushi and Mexican food, and<br />
the District 7 outpost has a full barbecue<br />
menu. <br />
BoatHouse<br />
40 Lily Road, APSC Compound,<br />
36 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6790<br />
Riverside restaurant with umbrella-shaded<br />
tables spread across outdoor deck<br />
and small indoor dining room. Serves<br />
remarkably fresh and inspired dishes<br />
made with choice local and imported<br />
ingredients—favourites include the sirloin<br />
burger and pan-fried fish and chips.<br />
BoatHouse Cafe<br />
37 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6281 9182<br />
BoatHouse’s sister eatery for take-away<br />
and delivery service. Offers coffee,<br />
breakfast sandwiches, juices, smoothies,<br />
pre-packaged salads, sandwiches, burgers<br />
and fish and chips. <br />
Byblos Restaurant & Shisha lounge<br />
11 Ngo Duc Khe, D1 Tel: 3825 7781<br />
www.byblos.com.vn<br />
Downtown restaurant serves a menu<br />
of Lebanese starters, salads and mains<br />
served in a casual dining room. Catering<br />
available. Events and weekly belly dance<br />
show hosted. <br />
Telephone<br />
3823 0509<br />
Open 7 Days<br />
Cafe evita<br />
230 Nguyen Van Huong, An Phu, D2<br />
Tel: 3512 3888<br />
Academic-themed menu at this outlet<br />
near the British International School<br />
includes meals like The Principal, a tripledecker<br />
club with fries and salad and burgers<br />
that range from First to Fourth Grade.<br />
Also has a wood-fired pizza oven.<br />
Cepage<br />
Lancaster Building 22 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 8321<br />
One of the city’s premier venues, Cepage<br />
delivers an up-market bar, wine lounge<br />
and restaurant in one sleek package. Sells<br />
several wines by the glass with several<br />
hundred bottles to choose from. Mixes<br />
some of the city’s best cocktails.<br />
The Deck<br />
38 Nguyen U Di, D2 Tel: 3744 6632<br />
Serves upmarket takes on regional<br />
specialties made with fresh local and<br />
imported products. Well-designed, minimalist<br />
dining space and bar on the river<br />
are a serious draw.<br />
Dragon’s Nest<br />
186 Nguyen Van Huong, D2<br />
Tel: 6271 2072/3<br />
Exquisitely designed restaurant tucked<br />
into luxurious spa complex with indoor<br />
and outdoor seating. Serves an array of<br />
fine contemporary German, European<br />
and Vietnamese mains. Also serves and<br />
delivers pizza. <br />
The elbow Room<br />
52 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3821 4327<br />
elbowroom52@yahoo.com<br />
American-style bistro offering a wide<br />
range of appetisers, soups, salads,<br />
sandwiches, mains and desserts, plus an<br />
extensive wine menu. Open daily 7.30am<br />
to 11pm. Breakfast served all day.<br />
Gartenstadt<br />
34 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3822 3623<br />
Opened in 1992, it’s the first venue in<br />
town to offer German food with specialities<br />
such as pork knuckle and authentic<br />
German sausages prepared fresh each<br />
day. Also offers imported German draught<br />
beer.<br />
Gia Dining Room<br />
5A Nguyen Sieu, D1 Tel: 3827 9399<br />
www.giadiningroom.com<br />
Serves a mid-range slate of mainly grilled<br />
Western mains, single-entree Asian<br />
dishes and wide range of soups, salads,<br />
appetisers. Three intimate dining spaces<br />
pair modern design with Indochina-era<br />
sophistication. Extensive list of Old and<br />
New World wines.<br />
Good eats<br />
NTFQ2, 34 Nguyen Dang Giai<br />
Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6672<br />
Easteran and Western dishes are low in<br />
saturated fat and made from all-natural<br />
ingredients. Organic vegetables, herbs<br />
and spices accompany meals. Even the<br />
French fries are healthy. <br />
Halel@Saigon<br />
31 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3824 5823<br />
Serving up a range of Vietnamese and<br />
Malaysian dishes prepared according to<br />
halal guidelines including ban xeo, pho<br />
and roti chennai and seafood favourites<br />
such as shrimp, squid and mussels.<br />
Hard Rock Cafe<br />
InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner of<br />
Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1<br />
Tel: 3520 9099<br />
Popular theme restaurant/live music<br />
venue serves large portions of pub fare<br />
including salads, fajitas and burgers. Rock<br />
‘n’ roll memorabilia adorns the walls in<br />
classic Hard Rock-style and the rock shop<br />
sells themed shot glasses, t-shirts and<br />
jewellery.<br />
Hideaway Cafe<br />
41/1 Pham Ngoc Thach, D3<br />
Tel: 3822 4222<br />
www.hideawaycafe-saigon.com<br />
Stylishly decorated and relaxing restaurant<br />
and cafe serving an eclectic range of tasty<br />
European-style food. Dine al fresco in the<br />
charming courtyard. <br />
Jaspa’s<br />
33 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3822 9926<br />
Unpretentious brasserie-style restaurant<br />
specialises in Australian-influenced international<br />
fusion cuisine. Full range of drinks<br />
including Australian and French wines<br />
and good cocktails. Hosts monthly Spam<br />
Cham networking event. <br />
Juice<br />
49 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3829 6900<br />
Bright and stylish deli-style restaurant<br />
serving salads, sandwiches, quiches and<br />
meat pies with French fries and potato<br />
salad. Also has daily lunch and dinner<br />
menu. Excellent smoothies and juices,<br />
as well as novelty drinks like wheatgrass<br />
shooter and Cannonball cocktail. <br />
Market 39<br />
InterContinental Asiana Saigon<br />
Ground Floor, Corner Hai Ba Trung and<br />
Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3520 9099<br />
dine@icasianasaigon.com<br />
Seven interactive live kitchens offering<br />
French, Vietnamese and Southeast Asian<br />
cuisines, including a bakery, French patisseries,<br />
pancakes, tossed salads, grilled<br />
steak, seafood, wok-fried items, noodles<br />
and pasta dishes.<br />
Mekong Merchant<br />
23 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 4713<br />
Set in a courtyard, this rustic Australianstyle<br />
brasserie has brought modern<br />
international cuisine to suburban An Phu.<br />
Popular for weekend brunches. Weekly<br />
specials and seafood flown in from Phu<br />
Quoc. <br />
Orientica<br />
Hotel Equatorial, 242 Tran Binh Trong, D5<br />
Tel: 3839 7777<br />
www.equatorial.com/hcm<br />
Top-end seafood and grill restaurant<br />
boasting modern decor. Good service<br />
and excellent food presentation make this<br />
a pleasant alternative to the downtown<br />
scene.<br />
Pacharan Tapas and Bodega<br />
97 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3825 6024<br />
This tapas restaurant and bar serves up<br />
superb Spanish fare crafted from authentic<br />
imported ingredients. The exclusively<br />
Spanish wine list is extensive and Sangria<br />
is half price during happy hour from 5pm<br />
to 7pm and all day Wednesday.<br />
The Refinery<br />
74/7C Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3823 0509<br />
Authentic bistro with cane furniture<br />
outside, informal indoor restaurant section<br />
and a bar area. Cuisine is light, modern<br />
European. The menu spans a price range<br />
to suit most budgets.<br />
Reflections<br />
Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 4999<br />
Fine dining restaurant with European-style<br />
decor serves Pacific Rim cuisine created<br />
by Executive Chef Timo Alfred Fritz Reuss.<br />
Riverside Cafe<br />
Renaissance Riverside, 8-15 Ton Duc<br />
Thang, D1 Tel: 3822 0033<br />
International venue opening onto the<br />
bustling river sidewalk, open for breakfast,<br />
lunch and dinner, and particularly noted<br />
for its sumptuous buffet selection which<br />
combines Asian, Western and Vietnamese<br />
cuisine.<br />
Sandals<br />
93 Hai Ba Trung, D1<br />
www.sailingclubvietnam.com<br />
Casual dining in evocative 3-floor space<br />
with blonde wood accents and cosy seating<br />
throughout. Kitchen turns out elegant<br />
and inspired fare at surprising value for<br />
money: meal-sized salads; filling burgers,<br />
wraps and sandwiches.<br />
Signature Restaurant<br />
Level 23, Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>,<br />
D1 Tel: 3827 2828<br />
Fine dining with panoramic views over<br />
central HCM City. Food is stunningly<br />
presented, top-end European cuisine<br />
with Asian influences cooked by German<br />
chef Andreas Schimanski. A la carte or<br />
five-course set menu available.<br />
Skewers<br />
9A Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3822 4798<br />
www.skewers-restaurant.com<br />
Rustic Mediterranean restaurant where<br />
subtle colours and exposed brickwork<br />
combine with jazzy tunes. Serves tabouleh,<br />
falafel, couscous and kebab. Highly<br />
rated for its grilled meats, bread and dip<br />
combos, soups and pastas. <br />
Square One<br />
Park Hyatt Saigon, 2 Lam Son Square,<br />
D1 Tel: 3520 2359<br />
Specialising in high-end Western and<br />
Vietnamese cuisine, Square One serves<br />
charcoal-grilled meats and seafood,<br />
as well as steamed and wok-cooked<br />
Vietnamese fare.<br />
Texas BarBQ<br />
15/1 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
The flavour and feel of the Wild Wild<br />
West is evoked by both the food and<br />
décor at this perennially popular eatery.<br />
Quarter rack ribs are a mainstay. . <br />
Typhoon<br />
Riverside Apartments, 53 Vo Truong<br />
Toan, D2 Tel: 3744 4111, Ext. 706/707<br />
Family-friendly restaurant serving a varied<br />
slate influenced by the gulf cuisines of<br />
Southeast and East Asia and Central<br />
America. New and Old World wines,<br />
imported beers and tropical cocktails<br />
served inside or poolside. Accessible<br />
from downtown by Riverside boat<br />
shuttle.<br />
Warda<br />
71/7 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 3822<br />
Chic, middle-eastern themed eatery<br />
swathed in oranges and reds serving<br />
Lebanese cuisine prepared by Damascan<br />
chef, Nouman. Mezze and tapas are<br />
the main draw, but you can also puff on<br />
hookas post-meal.<br />
Xu Saigon<br />
71-75 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 8468<br />
www.xusaigon.com<br />
Inspired restaurant with an F&B director<br />
with a passion for mixing Vietnamese<br />
cooking with flavours and styles from<br />
around the world. Sleek but sparsely<br />
designed, the restaurant serves nouveau<br />
takes on Vietnamese cuisine.<br />
ITALIAN<br />
Basilico<br />
InterContinental Asiana Saigon,<br />
Ground Floor, Corner Nguyen Du and<br />
Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3520 9099<br />
dine@icasianasaigon.com<br />
Contemporary and casual trattoria-style<br />
restaurant specialising in authentic Italian<br />
dishes and homemade desserts. Woodfired<br />
pizza oven and a wide selection of<br />
Italian wines.<br />
Centro Caffe & Ristorante<br />
11-13 Lam Son Square, D1<br />
31 Ngo Duc Ke, D1<br />
6 Thai Van Lung, D1<br />
This is home of Illy coffee in Vietnam.<br />
Offers modern and traditional Italian<br />
cuisines in three central locations with<br />
lunchtime set menus and regular wine<br />
tasting evenings. Good spot for business<br />
coffee meetings.<br />
Da Vinci’s Pizza<br />
001B Hoang Dieu, H1, D4<br />
Tel: 3943 4982<br />
Wide variety of brick oven pizza, cal-<br />
zones, spaghetti, subs and sandwiches.<br />
Pizzas come in medium and large sizes<br />
and pay homage to Italy with names like<br />
Verrochio, Pompeii and Assisi. <br />
Good Morning Vietnam<br />
197 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3837 1894<br />
Popular authentic Italian restaurant with<br />
additional outlets around the country.<br />
Specialises in thin-crust pizza, pasta and<br />
a range of Italian dishes. Good selection<br />
of Italian wines. <br />
la Hostaria<br />
17B Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 1080<br />
Rustic eatery specialising in top-end<br />
traditional cuisine from various regions<br />
in Italy. Main courses from VND130,000<br />
with daily specials on offer. Serves excellent<br />
pizza. <br />
Opera<br />
Ground floor Park Hyatt Hotel, 2 Lam<br />
Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234<br />
Slick, contemporary eatery with exposed<br />
brick and glass. The space revolves<br />
around an island kitchen from which<br />
chefs produce gourmet Italian fare.<br />
Internationally trained chefs work with the<br />
freshest and finest ingredients around to<br />
produce some superb dishes.<br />
Pendalasco<br />
87 Nguyen Hue, D1, Tel: 3821 8181<br />
One of the city’s oldest Western restaurants,<br />
Pendalaso serves a wide range if<br />
Italian favourites, as well as remarkably<br />
authentic crispy, thin-crust pizza. <br />
Pepperoni’s<br />
111 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3920 4989<br />
Attractive pizza and pasta restaurant<br />
from the same chain as Al Fresco’s.<br />
Good cheap buffet lunches on weekdays<br />
and all-round large and tasty portions. <br />
Sarpino’s<br />
125 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 7788<br />
Tasty American-style pan pizza in a<br />
pleasant and fresh Italian-themed<br />
environment. Four sizes available, from<br />
personal to extra large, with a large range<br />
of toppings. Also serves pasta, soups,<br />
wings and salads. <br />
Scoozi<br />
6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3823 5795<br />
Italian pizza restaurant affiliated with<br />
Centro Caffe serving tasty gourmet pizzas<br />
prepared in a wood-fired oven. The<br />
delicious creations restore one’s faith in<br />
HCM City’s ability to turn out a quality<br />
pie. <br />
JAPANESE<br />
Dragon Hot Pot<br />
122-124 Ho Tung Mao, D1<br />
Tel: 3915 1001<br />
info@dragonhotpot.vn<br />
Japanese hot pot restaurant serving<br />
motsu nabe, Japanese barbeque and<br />
lots of sake and shoju.<br />
K Cafe<br />
74 A4 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3824 5355<br />
Small, cosy and cheery, this café is noteworthy<br />
for its cracking hand rolls. Salmon<br />
skin rolls are also a treat. The assorted<br />
sushi and sashimi, tasty and beautifully<br />
presented, costs around US$8. Leave<br />
some room for homemade yoghurt.<br />
Kuru Kuru Sushi<br />
129 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3824 3566<br />
Sushi restaurant with colour-coded menu<br />
items served from a rotating conveyor<br />
belt. Helpful place mats in both English<br />
and Vietnamese break down prices and<br />
explain how to choose your food. Very<br />
affordable prices.<br />
Nishimura<br />
Mövenpick Hotel Saigon, 253 Nguyen<br />
Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Tel: 3844 9222<br />
Exquisitely prepared sushi and sashimi<br />
from a globetrotting chef with three<br />
decades’ experience. A wide range of<br />
64 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 65
cooked dishes and monthly meal promotions<br />
are also available. Set lunches cost<br />
about US$15.<br />
Okinawa Yamaneko<br />
13/1 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8433<br />
www.yamaneko-vn.com<br />
Part restaurant, part Japanese pub serving<br />
up a variety of Okinawa favourites like<br />
sashimi with sea grapes, namakari and<br />
goya champuru plus sushi and soba.<br />
Sakae Sushi<br />
Nowzone @ Royal Centre, Level 4<br />
235 Nguyen Van Cu, D1 Tel: 3504 0054<br />
Healthful, affordable and quick service<br />
kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi makes for a<br />
fun dining experience. Extensive menu<br />
also includes beef, chicken and vegetarian<br />
options.<br />
The Sushi Bar<br />
2 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8042<br />
3A Ton Duc Thang, D1, Tel: 3911 8618<br />
This brightly lit Japanese-style restaurant<br />
serves over 40 varieties of sushi at<br />
reasonable prices. Sit at the sushi bar<br />
or in private rooms upstairs. Open until<br />
11.30pm, delivery available on request.<br />
Popular with expats and locals alike. <br />
Zen<br />
20 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3825 0782<br />
Located amid the sea of Japanese<br />
restaurants on Le Thanh Ton Street, Zen<br />
offers a wide range of Japanese dishes.<br />
The yakitori station grills up fantastic<br />
steak and quail’s eggs, and the chilled<br />
udon noodles are also a standout.<br />
KOREAN<br />
25 Si<br />
8A/6D Thai Van Lung, D1<br />
Tel: 3824 6921<br />
Traditional Yasik-style drinking restaurant.<br />
Winter and summer scene murals fill the<br />
walls of this dual level eatery. Large menu<br />
with favs like budae jjigae, a mix of chilli<br />
paste, Spam, hot dog and tofu, as well<br />
super spicy duruchigi.<br />
Hana<br />
8 Cao Ba Quat, D1 Tel: 3829 5588<br />
Japanese-Korean fusion in the heart<br />
of District 1. Contemporary decor with<br />
a private, yet open feel. Broad menu<br />
including cooked and raw fish and<br />
traditional hotpot with fish eggs, rice and<br />
vegetables.<br />
Kim Bab Chun Gook<br />
R4 42 Hung Phuoc 2, Phu My Hung<br />
Tel: 6296 9057<br />
Korean boonshik/snack food eatery<br />
serving up a wide variety of light but<br />
substantial foods including dumplings,<br />
rameyon and fish cakes.<br />
Kumdo<br />
6A Pham Ngoc Thach, D3<br />
Tel: 3824 3253<br />
Korean beef barbecue served in small,<br />
welcoming dining rooms with barbecues<br />
built into tables. Large selection of raw<br />
meat specialties.<br />
SOUTHEAST ASIAN<br />
lac Thai<br />
71/2 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 7506<br />
An elegant restaurant tucked in an<br />
alleyway and decorated with art-deco<br />
furniture. Authentic Thai cuisine prepared<br />
by two Thai chefs. Food is tasty but less<br />
spicy than you’d find in Thailand. <br />
little Manila<br />
S2-1 Hung Vuong 2, Phu My Hung, D7<br />
Tel: 5410 0812<br />
Small, no -frills eatery with outdoor<br />
and indoor seating located on a quiet<br />
street. Serves a range of dishes from the<br />
Philippines (pictured on menu for those<br />
unfamiliar) and draught San Miguel.<br />
The Red Dot<br />
21 Tu Xuong, D3 Tel: 3932 5123<br />
Aptly titled, this Singaporean restaurant<br />
serves decent chicken rice, char kway<br />
teow, chili crab, and a handful of Malaysian<br />
specialties. <br />
Sawasdee Saigon<br />
102 - 104 Le Lai, D1 Tel: 3925 7777<br />
Authentic Thai cuisine in a warm, friendly<br />
atmosphere. <br />
Satay House<br />
35 Mac Dinh Chi, D1 Tel: 3822 1727<br />
Bright and rustic, this Malaysian-run<br />
place specialises in Halal food. Chicken<br />
and asam fish curries are must-tries. Its<br />
famous satays are equally delicious. <br />
Thai express<br />
8A Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 6299 1338<br />
www.thaiexpress.com.vn<br />
Modern restaurant with a massive menu<br />
of Thai specialties served in moderate<br />
proportions. The menu inludes chef’s recommendations<br />
and background on Thai<br />
cuisine. Warning: some dishes will test<br />
your tongue’s threshold.<br />
VEGETARIAN<br />
an lac Chay<br />
175/4 Pham Ngu Lao, D1<br />
Tel: 3837 0760<br />
Apropos of the backpacker district, this<br />
little restaurant offers no frills and a vast<br />
menu. Though meat dishes are available,<br />
it specialises in vegetarian Vietnamese<br />
and quirky “backpacker favourites.” <br />
Hoa Dang<br />
38 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1<br />
Swish vegetarian restaurant on a quiet<br />
street that serves up nutritious dishes,<br />
including meatless versions of bun bo,<br />
pho and steamboat. Cosy bar serving<br />
non-alcoholic drinks, fruits and other<br />
sweets.<br />
LOUISIANE<br />
BREWHOUSE<br />
Saigon Vegan<br />
378/3 Vo Van Tan, D3 Tel: 3834 4473<br />
Rustic vegan restaurant with extensive<br />
menu of healthy food at moderate prices.<br />
Lots of tofu dishes and soya chicken/<br />
beef, soups, banh bao and more. Also<br />
has a kids menu.<br />
Tib Chay<br />
11 Tran Nhat Duat, D1 Tel: 3843 6460<br />
Intimate spot with a big menu of Vietnamese<br />
vegetarian appetisers, salads,<br />
soups, rice/noodle mains and desserts<br />
Viet Chay<br />
339 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D3<br />
Tel: 3526 5862<br />
Upscale vegetarian restaurant specialises<br />
in fake meat dishes. The attractive dining<br />
room is suffused with natural light.<br />
Located within the walls of Vinh Nghiem<br />
Pagoda.<br />
VIETNAMESE<br />
Cha Ca la Vong<br />
3 Ho Xuan Hung, D3 Tel: 3930 5674<br />
This HCM City oupost of the legendary<br />
Hanoi original serves only one dish:<br />
the eponymous and delicious cha ca<br />
la vong, fish pan-fried at the table with<br />
turmeric and dill and served with cold<br />
noodles and peanuts.<br />
Com Nieu<br />
19 Tu Xuong, D3 Tel: 3932 6288<br />
The house specialty, com nieu (smashed<br />
rice), comes with a shattered-crockery<br />
and flying-rice show at this well-known<br />
restaurant, prominently featured in<br />
Anthony Bourdain’s A Cook’s Tour. An<br />
extensive and tasty selection of southern<br />
Vietnamese cuisine rounds out the menu.<br />
Hoa Tuc<br />
74 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3825 1676<br />
This comfortable high-end restaurant<br />
serves traditional Vietnamese fare with<br />
a contemporary, classy twist. Expect to<br />
find your local favourites as you’ve never<br />
experienced them before. Beautifully<br />
plated, this is Vietnamese cuisine at its<br />
best.<br />
Hoi an<br />
11 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 7694<br />
Fine dining Vietnamese-style courtesy<br />
of two sumptuously decorated colonial<br />
villas, a bamboo-clad walled courtyard<br />
and a menu spanning the three main<br />
regions of Vietnam. Specialities include<br />
abalone soup and a raw fish salad. Four<br />
VIP rooms.<br />
Mandarine Restaurant<br />
11A Ngo Van <strong>Nam</strong>, D1 Tel: 3822 9783<br />
Fine dining Vietnamese-style courtesy<br />
of two sumptuously decorated colonial<br />
villas, an antique wooden stair and a<br />
menu spanning all regions of Vietnam.<br />
Traditional music performances are available<br />
for dinner.<br />
Beachside Nha Trang<br />
Asian & Western Cuisine<br />
Swimming Pool & Private Beach<br />
Miami<br />
23 Ton Dan, D4 Tel: 083 941 5433<br />
Lively, interactive restaurant serving<br />
primarily Vietnamese seafood dishes like<br />
hotpot using choice ingredients. Guests<br />
can choose from market-style selection<br />
and watch as chefs prepare their meals.<br />
Frequent food promotions on offer.<br />
<strong>Nam</strong> Kha<br />
46-48-50 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 8309<br />
A swish restaurant from the Khai Silk<br />
family with aquatic décor, massive vases<br />
and a large staff eager to cater to your<br />
every whim. Set and a la carte menus<br />
available. Upstairs is the upmarket<br />
Dragon lounge bar.<br />
Nghi Xuan<br />
5/9 Nguyen Sieu, D1 Tel: 3823 0699<br />
Located down an alley just past Hai Ba<br />
Trung, featuring an attractive open firstfloor<br />
and upstairs dining rooms with dark<br />
wood furniture and carved woodwork.<br />
Serving Hue staples, crab and prawn<br />
spreads and an impressive array of wines<br />
and cocktails.<br />
Quan an Ngon<br />
138 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D1<br />
The long lunchtime queues tell the story:<br />
good food at low prices. More a food<br />
court than a restaurant, this has become<br />
a major favourite for its airy decor combined<br />
with cheap and tasty noodle, rice<br />
and other standard dishes.<br />
Quan Nuong<br />
29 Ton That Thiep, D1<br />
A favourite with both locals and expats,<br />
this rooftop restaurant above the Temple<br />
Club offers an extensive menu of meat,<br />
seafood and vegetarian dishes. Try the<br />
beef wrapped around tasty melting<br />
cheese or deliciously fresh skewered<br />
prawns.<br />
Temple Club<br />
29 – 31 Ton That Thiep, D1<br />
Tel: 3829 9244<br />
This high-end restaurant attached to an<br />
elegant lounge bar is a must-try for its<br />
art deco atmosphere as much as for its<br />
food. Mains go from around VND80,000<br />
to VND150,000.<br />
Tib<br />
187 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3829 7242<br />
100 Nguyen Luong Bang, Phu My<br />
Hung, D7 Tel: 5413 6868<br />
www.tibrestaurant.com.vn<br />
Popular up-market dining spot serving<br />
Hue cuisine in an attactive dining room<br />
that draws on traditional architecture.<br />
Call for reservations.<br />
Tib express<br />
162 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3<br />
Tel: 3822 5038<br />
Serves a large selection of Tib’s Huefood<br />
menu in a more casual dining<br />
www.louisianebrewhouse.com.vn<br />
Banh day could be the Western<br />
equivalent of bologna on<br />
white bread, but thankfully,<br />
it’s a bit more flavourful than<br />
the classic American sandwich<br />
of yesteryear. Eaten<br />
primarily for breakfast, banh<br />
day is made with two small,<br />
round gelatinous pieces of<br />
sticky rice that sandwich a<br />
piece of slightly spicy pork<br />
sausage. Although banh day<br />
is sold year-round by bicycleriding<br />
vendors, during the Tet<br />
holiday it goes by the name<br />
banh chung. But regardless<br />
of when you eat it and<br />
what you call it, there’s no<br />
debating that at 8,000 VND<br />
a fix, banh day is a delicious<br />
mini-meal and economical<br />
way to fill your stomach.<br />
66 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 67<br />
banh day<br />
street gourmet<br />
rooom and at significantly lower prices.<br />
Specialises in bun bo Hue. <br />
Wrap & Roll<br />
62 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3823 4030<br />
SA1–1, My Khanh 1,<br />
Nguyen Van Linh, D7<br />
Attractive downtown venue that brings<br />
street-style food into air-conditioned<br />
and uncluttered comfort. Choose prewrapped<br />
appetisers such as the cha gio<br />
(spring rolls) or roll-it-yourself mains with<br />
ingredients like pickled shrimps, beef on<br />
sugar cane, fish, grilled eel and pork. <br />
nightlife<br />
BARS & LOUNGES<br />
See bar restaurant listings for more popular<br />
watering holes<br />
acoustic Bar<br />
6E1 Ngo Thoi Nhiem, D3<br />
Tel: 3930 2239<br />
A Volkswagen Bug tries to scale the wall<br />
outside this well-priced music venue<br />
popular with college-age Vietnamese and<br />
the occasional expat.<br />
amber Room<br />
59 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 6291 3686<br />
info@theamberoom.com<br />
A true London meets New York lounge,<br />
with chilled out tunes during the day and<br />
more funky vibes at night. A pleasant<br />
meeting place for drinks and a bite to eat.<br />
Ciao lounge<br />
2nd Floor, 74-76 Nguyen Hue, D1<br />
Trendy and attractive lounge bar with a<br />
mixture of retro and modern decor and<br />
a pleasant atmosphere to boot. A great<br />
escape from central Saigon but quite<br />
touristy.<br />
Cranberry Café & Pub<br />
45 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3914 0991<br />
Upmarket,quiet lounge great for private<br />
parties. Brickwork and cranberry-red<br />
chairs speak to the bar’s name, with a<br />
cocktail range and Tigers in blissfully<br />
frosted mugs.<br />
level 23<br />
23rd Floor, Sheraton Hotel<br />
88 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3827 2828<br />
One of the best views of the city from<br />
this upmarket terrace bar and lounge.<br />
Excellent cocktails don’t come cheap<br />
but the atmosphere is great with live<br />
music throughout the week and a live DJ<br />
every Monday.<br />
The library<br />
InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner<br />
of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1<br />
Tel: 3520 9099<br />
dine@icasianasaigon.com<br />
Unwind with a glass of wine or a cup of<br />
tea. The Library provides a welcoming<br />
atmosphere for those in search of calm,<br />
comfort and personalised service.<br />
long Phi<br />
325 Pham Ngu Lao Tel: 3920 3805<br />
Popular late night spot for those who<br />
prefer to spend their after hours over a<br />
cheap beer rather than at a nightclub.<br />
Live music, a fooseball table and a tasty<br />
burger-and-fries plate contribute to the<br />
laid-back vibe.<br />
M52 Bar<br />
52 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 6726<br />
Sparsely-appointed venue with reasonably<br />
priced drinks noted for packing<br />
a punch. Owners Annie and Ms. Van<br />
are never too busy to check on their<br />
patrons, and the busy bartenders are<br />
quick with a smile.<br />
Number five Bar<br />
44 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 6300<br />
Number Five Bar is older than it looks,<br />
having formerly been located at 5 Ly Tu
Trong. The bar attracts a regular clientele<br />
of established expats.<br />
Park lounge<br />
Park Hyatt Hotel<br />
2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234<br />
Elegant lounge bar, with classic songs<br />
played every night by international musicians.<br />
The salubrious surroundings are<br />
matched by the range of the drinks, with<br />
vintage wines from US$6 to US$10 per<br />
glass. Tiger is US$4.50 a bottle.<br />
Purple Jade<br />
InterContinental Asiana Saigon, corner<br />
of Hai Ba Trung and Le Duan, D1<br />
Tel: 3520 9099<br />
Chic lounge blends the stylistic influences<br />
of contemporary design and opium dens.<br />
Hosts live music and serves special<br />
drinks, including Shaoxing and Maotai<br />
rice wines and an exclusive selection of<br />
luxury spirits.<br />
Q Bar<br />
Opera House, 7 Lam Son Square, D1<br />
With low ceilings, intimate cubbyholes,<br />
colonial arches, gold paint, ultraviolet<br />
lighting and clubhouse beats, this is a<br />
bar that has a reputation for being a<br />
place to be seen. Great outdoor terrace<br />
and late-night indoor opening.<br />
QD Bar & lounge<br />
138 Ton That Dam, D1, Tel: 3821 5338<br />
Sophisticated lounge with New and<br />
Old World wines served by the bottle or<br />
glass, modern decor and floor-to-ceiling<br />
windows overlooking Ton That Thiep.<br />
Saigon Saigon Bar<br />
9th floor, Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son<br />
Square, D1 Tel: 3823 4999<br />
Popular bar usually packed out with tourists<br />
and business travellers searching for<br />
some delicious cocktails and a great view<br />
of the city skyline. Cuban band Warapo<br />
plays every night except Monday from<br />
8.30pm until late.<br />
Samsara Club<br />
131 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
A laid-back cosmopolitan drinking and<br />
dance venue with comfy lounge chairs<br />
around low-lying tables and an island bar<br />
bedecked in extravagant white-feather<br />
decorations. Pink neon gives the joint a<br />
contemporary edge.<br />
The Hi-Fi<br />
Lucky Plaza, 69 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
hifisaigon@gmail.com<br />
Dedicated live-music venue with full bar<br />
located in the heart of Saigon. Regularly<br />
hosts both local and international artists.<br />
T&R Tavern<br />
57 Do Quang Dau, D1<br />
Classic ex-pat dive bar with pool table,<br />
darts and comfortable yet simple decor.<br />
Daily happy hour and sportsfans can<br />
catch games on the big screen.<br />
Vibe Billiards & lounge<br />
102 Suong Nguyet Anh, D1<br />
Tel: 3925 2599<br />
Sleek bi-level lounge with Scandinavian<br />
design, Bansky-esque murals and<br />
top-notch billiards and snooker tables,<br />
paid for by the hour. Hosts league play,<br />
half-price Mondays, ladies’ nights and<br />
DJ events.<br />
Voodoo lounge<br />
92 Ho Tung Mau, D1<br />
Voodoo paintings adorn the white walls<br />
at this small, attractive bar south of Sunwah<br />
Tower. A daily happy hour, plenty<br />
of stool space and a pair of dartboards<br />
make it a good place to grab a drink.<br />
Yoko<br />
22A Nguyen Thi Dieu, D3<br />
Tel: 3825 1901<br />
Compact and popular joint with nightly<br />
live music boasts a refreshingly eclectic<br />
range of Western styles, with most songs<br />
sung in English.<br />
BREWHOUSES<br />
alderbrau<br />
98 Nguyen Du, D1<br />
Small brewhouse decorated with antique<br />
brewing miscellanea, with an enclosed<br />
garden for outdoor swilling its small<br />
range of house brews and bottled imports.<br />
The kitchen dishes up sausages,<br />
German fare, and Vietnamese dishes.<br />
Bia Tuoi Tiep<br />
107 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 8619<br />
www.biatuoitiepvn.com<br />
Attractive, multi-story Czech beer hall<br />
furnished with heavy wood and outfitted<br />
with a few flat screen TVs tuned in to<br />
sports. Dark and blonde beers are available,<br />
as well as a full menu of Vietnamese<br />
food from mussels to rabbit.<br />
Hoa Vien<br />
28bis Mac Dinh Chi, D1 Tel: 3829 0585<br />
www.hoavien.vn<br />
Expansive beer hall serves up pilsner<br />
beer crafted from malt, hops and yeast<br />
from the Czech Republic. There’s also<br />
a large food menu and imported Pilsner<br />
Urquell.<br />
lion Brewery<br />
11C Lam Son Square, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 8514<br />
Microbrewery featuring traditional German<br />
brew technology and German fare<br />
like pork knuckle and wurst. Good spot to<br />
meet friends and enjoy a hearty meal and<br />
a whole lot of beer.<br />
NIGHTCLUBS<br />
bounce<br />
Parkson Plaza<br />
35bis-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
High-end hip-hop venue with bottle service,<br />
the club regularly brings in big name<br />
DJs, including Ministry of Sound.<br />
Cage<br />
3A Ton Duc Thang, D1<br />
Tucked away on a small road just off<br />
of Ton Duc Thang, this popular club is<br />
beautifully decorated with purple drapery<br />
and the odd cage, this bar offers a good<br />
mix of lounging and dancing. Often has<br />
live music and DJ’s.<br />
lush<br />
2 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3824 2496<br />
A large and lavishly decorated bar and<br />
club popular on weekends. Good DJs<br />
playing the latest in beat-based music<br />
and the city’s beautiful people add to<br />
the sights and sounds. It’s on-par with<br />
Western clubs in both ambience and<br />
drinks prices.<br />
Velvet Bar<br />
26 Ho Huan Nghiep, D1<br />
Hip-hop and Viet trance club with both<br />
bottle service and bottle beer that isn’t<br />
prohibitively expensive. Circular center<br />
bar is ringed with tables, and VIP areas<br />
and sofa seating line the walls.<br />
at home<br />
BAKERIES<br />
Crumbs<br />
54 Truong Dinh, D1 Tel: 3825 7199<br />
www.crumbs.com.vn<br />
info@crumbs.com.vn<br />
Eat-in bakery offering a wide range of<br />
muffins, whole-grain breads and pastries.<br />
Many of the breads are dairy-free, baked<br />
fresh daily with unbleached white flower,<br />
no added sugar.<br />
Harvest Baking<br />
30 Lam Son, Tan Binh Tel: 3547 0577<br />
harvestbaking@yahoo.com<br />
This authentic bakery offers a range<br />
of specialty baked goods for delivery.<br />
Offering bagels, scones, breads,<br />
desserts,cakes, tarts and more.<br />
Chocolate fudge cake and cinnamon<br />
rolls with cream cheese icing highly<br />
recommended.<br />
Nhu lan<br />
64-68 Ham Nghi, D1<br />
365-367 Hai Ba Trung, D3<br />
The doyenne of bread shops, Nhu Lan<br />
is spread over several buildings and sells<br />
solid baguette-style bread and basic<br />
sandwiches.<br />
Pat a Chou<br />
65 Hai Ba Trung, D1<br />
188 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3<br />
25 Thao Dien, D2<br />
The home of the long and crusty<br />
baguette. Supplies many restaurants<br />
but also sells wholesale. The miniature<br />
patisseries such as crème brulée and<br />
cheesecake are worth a taste. Opens at<br />
6.30am.<br />
Schneider’s finest<br />
27 Han Thuyen, D1<br />
Tel: 3829 1998<br />
www.schneiders-finest.com<br />
Traditional German bakery bakes 45<br />
different kinds of breads, rolls and<br />
baguettes and a wide range of danishes,<br />
pastries and cakes. Catering available.<br />
Sesame Bakery<br />
153 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh, Binh Thanh<br />
Tel: 3518 0897<br />
Located in the premise of the Hospitality<br />
School of <strong>HCMC</strong>, Sesame Bakery provides<br />
practical experience to its students.<br />
Wide variety of French pastries, loaves,<br />
baguettes, cookies at very competitive<br />
prices. Special order & delivery available.<br />
Tous les Jours<br />
180 Hai Ba Trung, D3<br />
Part of the Korean bakery chain, Tous Le<br />
Jours stocks a superb range of freshly<br />
baked good from sugary treats like pain<br />
au chocolat to superior quality baguettes<br />
and loafs.<br />
Une Journee a Paris<br />
234 Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3827 7723<br />
French bakery offering a variety of cakes,<br />
croissants and breads.<br />
Voelker<br />
17 A7 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
Tel: 7303 8799<br />
39 Thao Dien, An Phu, D2<br />
Tel: 6296 0066<br />
Small bakery turns out sweet and salted<br />
pies and mousses in addition to baguettes<br />
and a range of Western sweets.<br />
CATERING<br />
au Parc Catering Services<br />
23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772<br />
Catering services available every day of<br />
the year for birthday cakes, dinner parties,<br />
wine tastings and corporate events.<br />
For a custom-made quotation e-mail<br />
auparc@hcm.vnn.vn or call Quynh on<br />
0908 196261.<br />
Saigon Catering<br />
84 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 6281 8388<br />
Provide services of catering, banquets,<br />
event planning, BBQ’s, daily deliveries<br />
and cocktail parties. For a custom-made<br />
quotation e-mail SaigonGG@gmail.com<br />
or call Huong on 0913 981128.<br />
The Caterers<br />
46D Vuon Lai, Tan Phu<br />
Tel: 3816 2901<br />
sales@thecaterersvietnam.com.vn<br />
www.thecaterersvietnam.com.vn<br />
Newly established catering company<br />
offering extensive services from location<br />
sourcing, décor designing and food<br />
catering. All functions can be catered<br />
for, from low-key barbeques at home to<br />
full-blown weddings and parties.<br />
Xu Catering<br />
71-75 Hai Ba Trung, D1<br />
Tel: 3824 8468<br />
RESTAURANT - LOU NGE - FASHION<br />
Fashionable, sophisticated and a<br />
wonderfully unique concept,<br />
Villa FB merges fashion and<br />
food, providing a space where<br />
artistic talent and sensitive palates<br />
can be enjoyed in harmony.<br />
79 SUONG NGUYET ANH ST., DIST. 1, <strong>HCMC</strong><br />
T: +84 8 6290 6571 - F: +84 8 6290 6572<br />
INFO@VILLAFB.COM<br />
WWW. VILLAFB.COM<br />
Present<br />
this to your<br />
server and receive<br />
a 10% discount<br />
68 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 69
www.xusaigon.com<br />
From the brains behind Xu Restaurant<br />
and Lounge comes this new catering<br />
service, promising the highest standards<br />
in service. Everything from the menu to<br />
the comprehensive bar service and the<br />
staff is tailor-made to your specifications.<br />
COOKERY CLASSES<br />
Caravelle Hotel Cooking Classes<br />
Caravelle Hotel, 19 Lam Son Square, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 4999<br />
Full-day Vietnamese cooking classes for<br />
groups of up to 20 people. The classes<br />
include a visit to the market with the<br />
sous chef. Costs US$45++ each for a<br />
minimum 10 people.<br />
Saigon Cooking Class by Hoa Tuc<br />
The Courtyard, 74/7 Hai Ba Trung, D1<br />
Tel: 3825 8485<br />
i.briosca@saigoncookingclass.com<br />
contact@saigoncookingclass.com<br />
Cooking classes available from Monday<br />
to Saturday 10am-1pm/2pm-5pm. Students<br />
make an entire meal that includes<br />
traditional dishes like pho and cha gio, as<br />
well as more creative fare. Conducted by<br />
Vietnamese chef in English, Japanese or<br />
French on request. Cost is $45.<br />
Vietnam Cookery Centre<br />
362/8 Ung Van Khiem, Binh Thanh<br />
Tel: 3512 1491<br />
Well-known Vietnamese cooking<br />
classes with half-day and more in-depth<br />
eight-day courses. Students work in a<br />
comfortable kitchen area with their own<br />
stove and workspace. Eight-day course<br />
costs US$160.<br />
GROCERIES<br />
annam Gourmet Market<br />
16-18 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3822 9332<br />
41A Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2630<br />
SB2-1 My Khanh 4, Nguyen Duc Canh,<br />
D7 Tel: 5412 3263 / 64<br />
www.annam-gourmet.com<br />
Boutique grocer with wide selection of<br />
foreign foods; Annam-brand coffee, tea<br />
and spices; and household products.<br />
Wine and premium beer, full deli counter,<br />
produce, dairy-frozen and baked goods<br />
on second floor. Cosy café serves coffee,<br />
drinks and sandwiches.<br />
au Parc<br />
23 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3829 2772<br />
A fine deli counter displaying a wide<br />
selection of cheeses, roasted vegetables,<br />
dips and some tempting sweets. The<br />
shelves along the side wall also showcase<br />
a solid selection of dried goods and<br />
some imported condiments.<br />
Classic fine foods<br />
100 Xuan Thuy, D2, Tel: 3744 2717<br />
www.classicfinefoods.com<br />
Luxury food primarily imports for wholesale,<br />
but also takes orders for its range<br />
of dry goods, cheese, meat, poultry and<br />
seafood from private clients.<br />
future Sense<br />
284/9 Nguyen Trong Tuyen, Phu Nhuan<br />
Tel: 3844 6099<br />
Ice cream home delivery service featuring<br />
banana-on a stick, Ola premium<br />
ice cream and frozen yoghurt and I’sa<br />
ice cream, all produced with European<br />
technology and imported ingredients.<br />
Grand-Place Chocolate<br />
1A Me Linh Square, Room C4, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 4068<br />
www.grandplacechocolate.com<br />
delivery@grandplacechocolate.com<br />
Belgian chocolate manufacturer offering<br />
high quality chocolate for professionals<br />
and chocolate lovers. Chocolate available<br />
in 1 kg blocks or 2.5 kg buttons.<br />
Free delivery.<br />
Kim Hai Butchery<br />
41 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D1<br />
Tel: 3821 6057 or 3914 4376<br />
Excellent chilled imported beef, lamb,<br />
veal and other meats sold at reasonable<br />
prices.<br />
le Cochon D’Or<br />
32 Dong Du, D1 Tel: 3829 3856<br />
French-style charcuterie selling quality<br />
cold cuts, smoked sausage and a range<br />
of cheeses at very reasonable prices.<br />
Metro<br />
An Phu, D2 Tel: 3740 6677<br />
www.metro.com.vn<br />
Warehouse wholesaler located just off the<br />
Hanoi Highway in D2 between the Saigon<br />
Bridge and the tollbooths. Sells bulk<br />
food, fresh fruit and vegatables and meat,<br />
as well as paper products, cleaning supplies,<br />
housewares--basically everything.<br />
Organik<br />
11A Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 090 273 3841<br />
arlene@organikvn.com<br />
www.organikvn.com<br />
Online grocer based out of Dalat selling<br />
a range of organic vegetables and<br />
groceries, as well as imported all-natural<br />
products such as cereal, soymilk and tea.<br />
Operates a retail shop in An Phu.<br />
Phuong Ha<br />
58 Ham Nghi, D1 Tel: 3914 1318<br />
A mini-supermarket that sells an<br />
extensive assortment of imported packaged<br />
food, cheese, meat, fresh fruit,<br />
vegetables and fine wines.<br />
Veggy’s<br />
29A Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3823 8526<br />
Sky Garden<br />
Pham Van Nghi, Bac Khu Pho, D7<br />
Riverside Apartments<br />
53 Vo Truong Toan, Thao Dien, D2<br />
Popular expat market with a huge walk-in<br />
fridge area stocked with fresh fruit and<br />
vegetables, dairy products and a range of<br />
meats. Imported canned and dried foods,<br />
wines, beers, soft drinks, spirits and<br />
snacks also available.<br />
LIQUOR & WINE<br />
Bacchus Corner<br />
158D Pasteur, D1<br />
Reliable wine and liquor store owned by<br />
Tan Khoa Wines with a good range of<br />
spirits, whiskies, wines and more all at<br />
decent prices. English-speaking staff can<br />
help with selections.<br />
Connoisseur<br />
7 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 224 6324<br />
A decent range of wines from both old<br />
and new world vineyards lines the walls in<br />
this intimate store. Monthly offers on new<br />
arrivals are often a good deal. The staff are<br />
helpful, but little English.<br />
Red apron<br />
22 Chu Manh Trinh, D1 Tel: 3823 0021<br />
Large wine and spirits wholesaler, with<br />
90,000 bottles stored in its five locations<br />
around the country. Sells wine from all<br />
around the world, particularly France,<br />
Chile, Italy and Australia. Exclusive<br />
distributor of such fine brands as Taittinger<br />
Champagne.<br />
Tapas Wine<br />
2/3A Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1<br />
Tel: 2201 0909<br />
www.tapaswines.com<br />
Home delivery service that specialises in<br />
Spanish wines. Check out the website<br />
for a full catalog of their wines, as well as<br />
reviews by brand.<br />
The Warehouse<br />
178 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3825 8826<br />
924 Tran Hung Dao, D5 Tel: 6261 1525<br />
www.warehouse-asia.com<br />
One of the city’s premier wine distributors,<br />
The Warehouse is an aptly named,<br />
stylish wine store that stocks a full range<br />
of both New and Old World wines,<br />
sparkling wines, Champagne, spirits, imported<br />
beers and accessories. Provides<br />
advice and delivery service.<br />
70 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 71
gym optional<br />
healthy alfresco dining<br />
serving breakfast, lunch and dinner<br />
delivery in anphu, and catering for events<br />
open 7am to 9pm weekdays<br />
7am to 8pm weekends<br />
free wifi<br />
34 nguyen dang giai, q2<br />
tel: 3744 6672<br />
email: ntfq2@nutrifort.com<br />
web: www.nutrifort.com<br />
listings<br />
culture<br />
CLASSES<br />
Creative Writing Classes<br />
Tel: 090 448 2957<br />
kate_orson@hotmail.com<br />
Writer Kate Orson teaches creative writing<br />
courses for fiction, non-fiction and<br />
travel writing. Beginners and experienced<br />
writers are welcome.<br />
Helene Kling Painting<br />
513 An Binh, Street 12, D2<br />
helene_kling@yahoo.com<br />
French painter Helene holds classes<br />
in oil painting at her beautiful river-side<br />
home on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday’s<br />
between 8am and 1pm for adults and<br />
Monday and Friday afternoons between<br />
3pm and 6pm for children.<br />
Printmaking<br />
alphagallery@bluemail.ch<br />
Classes are held at Alpha Gallery taught<br />
by the gallery owner Bernadette Gruber,<br />
who offers the chance to learn monotype,<br />
intaglio and etching techniques.<br />
The Performing arts academy<br />
19A Ngo Quang Huy, D2<br />
Tel: 090 339 0675<br />
info@performingartsacademyhcmc.com<br />
www.performingartsacademyhcmc.com<br />
Enrolling aspiring learners 6 and up for<br />
instruction in guitar, singing, piano, flute,<br />
clarinet, saxophone and drums. ABRSM<br />
qualified. Group dance and drama<br />
session also available. Offering Tiny Tots<br />
music enrichment & dance program for<br />
ages 3-5.<br />
CINEMAS<br />
Bobby Brewer’s Movie lounge<br />
45 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 3610 2220<br />
86 Pham Ngoc Thach<br />
info@bobbybrewers.com<br />
Popular top-floor home cinema showing<br />
movies five times a day on a large<br />
screen. Email for the latest schedule.<br />
Cinebox<br />
212 Ly Chinh Thang, D3 Tel: 3935 0610<br />
240 3 Thang 2, D10 Tel: 3862 2425<br />
Cinebox cinemas show both original<br />
language films with Vietnamese subtitles<br />
and the dubbed versions.<br />
Galaxy Cinema<br />
116 Nguyen Du, D1 Tel: 3822 8533<br />
230 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3920 6688<br />
www.galaxycine.vn<br />
Large, modern cinema that shows the<br />
latest foreign releases in English (with<br />
Vietnamese subtitles).<br />
iDeCaf<br />
31 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3829 5451<br />
French cultural centre and cinema<br />
theatre. Showcases French movies with<br />
English and Vietnamese subtitles. Also<br />
hosts movies and documentaries from a<br />
number of overseas film festivals.<br />
lotte Cinema<br />
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 7897<br />
LotteMart, 469 Nguyen Huu Tho, D7<br />
Tel: 3775 2520<br />
www.lottecinemavn.com<br />
Modern cinema with four-way sound system.<br />
D7 location houses luxury theatre<br />
Charlotte with 32 seats and eight sofas.<br />
Megastar<br />
Hung Vuong Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong,<br />
D5 Tel: 08 2222 0388<br />
Saigon Paragon, 3 Nguyen Luong Bang,<br />
D7 Tel: 5416 0099<br />
CT Plaza, 60A Truong Son, Tan Binh<br />
Tel: 6297 1981<br />
www.megastarmedia.net<br />
State-of-the-art cinema complex screening<br />
the lastest blockbusters with plush,<br />
reclining seats. All movies shown in original<br />
language with Vietnamese subtitles.<br />
GALLERIES<br />
a little blah blah<br />
OUT-2 STUDIO, L6 FAFILM Annex<br />
6 Thai Van Lung, D1<br />
albbsaigon-2010.blogspot.com<br />
Operates as an engine for contemporary<br />
art by organising projects, exhibitions,<br />
screenings and talks. Runs one major<br />
art project each year and a reading<br />
room with more than 1,000 texts on<br />
art, design and creative culture. Free for<br />
everyone and open Tue to Sat 10am<br />
to 6pm.<br />
Blue Space Contemporary arts<br />
Center<br />
97A Pho Duc Chinh, D1<br />
Tel: 3821 3695<br />
bluespaceart@hcm.jpt.vn<br />
www.bluespacegallery.com<br />
Busy, working gallery with easels<br />
propped up outside situated in the<br />
grounds of the beautiful Fine Arts<br />
Museum. Holds regular exhibitions by<br />
local artists.<br />
Duc Minh Gallery<br />
31C Le Quy Don, D3 Tel: 3933 0498<br />
Housed in an opulent colonial mansion,<br />
private museum and art gallery showcases<br />
the private art collection of Vietnamese<br />
business tycoon Bui Quoc Chi.<br />
Containing more than 1,000 pieces that<br />
range from traditional to contemporary.<br />
future Shorts<br />
futureshortsvietnam@gmail.com<br />
www.futureshorts.com/vn<br />
The Vietnam branch of the international<br />
short film network doesn’t have a permanent<br />
space, but it does host semi-regular<br />
film events and workshops around<br />
town. Paricipation gives filmmakers the<br />
potential to have their work screened<br />
internationally at Future Short events.<br />
Galerie Quynh<br />
65 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3836 8019<br />
www.galeriequynh.com<br />
The city’s only international standard<br />
gallery, housed in a modern, two-floor<br />
space. Organises regular exhibitions<br />
featuring established, emerging local/<br />
international contemporary artists, publishes<br />
original catalogs in both English<br />
and Vietnamese.<br />
Ho Chi Minh City fine arts Museum<br />
97A Pho Duc Chinh, D1 Tel: 3829 4441<br />
btmthcm@hotmail.com<br />
Institution housing contemporary/traditional<br />
works by Vietnamese and foreign<br />
artists. Pieces date from as early as<br />
the 7th century. Includes Vietnamese<br />
antiques, art crafted by the Cham and<br />
Funan peoples.<br />
San art independent artist Space<br />
3 Me Linh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3840 0898<br />
hoa@san-art.org<br />
Artist-run, non-profit exhibition space<br />
featuring contemporary work by young<br />
Vietnamese artists. San Art hosts guest<br />
lecturers and curators. A reading room<br />
of art books and magazines is open to<br />
the public.<br />
TuDo Gallery<br />
53 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 0966<br />
www.tudogallery.com<br />
Hosting permanent exhibitions of works<br />
by the city’s artists, Tu Do deals in oils,<br />
silk paintings and lacquerware. More<br />
than 1,000 pieces on show.<br />
sports &<br />
leisure<br />
Sport Street<br />
Huyen Tran Cong Chua, D1 between<br />
Nguyen Du and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai<br />
Services include mending and restringing<br />
broken tennis rackets. Products range<br />
from badminton birdies and rackets to<br />
basketball hoops, free weights, roller<br />
blades, scooters, soccer jerseys and all<br />
manner of balls.<br />
Trophies & Custom Signage Street<br />
Le Lai, D1 between Truong Dinh and<br />
Nguyen Thai Hoc<br />
Offers custom engraving on trophies and<br />
plaques made of plastic, wood, metal<br />
and glass.<br />
CRICKET<br />
Saigon Cricket assocation<br />
Social cricket league plays 25 overs<br />
a side matches Sunday mornings at<br />
RMIT’s District 7 pitch. Season runs November<br />
through May, with friendly games<br />
throughout the pre-season. Practice on<br />
Saturdays and Sunday afternoons.<br />
australian Cricket Club<br />
Mr. Terry Gordon<br />
terrygordoninasia@yahoo.com.au<br />
saigonaustraliancricketclub@yahoo.com<br />
www.saigoncricket.com<br />
english Cricket Club<br />
Richard Carrington<br />
Richard.carrington@pivotalvietnam.com<br />
info@eccsaigon.com<br />
www.eccsaigon.com<br />
indian Cricket Club<br />
Manish Sogani, manish@ambrij.com<br />
United Cricket Club<br />
Mr. Asif Ali, asif@promo-tex.net<br />
keshav.dayalani@rmit.edu.vn<br />
DANCING<br />
DanCenter<br />
46/2 Nguyen Cuu Van, Binh Thanh<br />
Tel: 3840 6974<br />
www.dancentervn.com<br />
Modern, centrally located studio with<br />
foreign trained dance instructors.<br />
Classes for kids age 5+ in jazz, ballet, hip<br />
hop and tap dance. Classes for adults in<br />
yoga, jazz, hip hop, salsa, belly, tap and<br />
capoeira.<br />
Salsa Dancing at la fenetre Soleil<br />
135 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D1<br />
Tel: 0909 365 525<br />
Every Thursday from 8pm with Urko and<br />
Fred, with a total beginners workshop<br />
starting at 8:30pm (minimum 10 people<br />
required; 50,000 VND with a cocktail).<br />
Followed by social dancing until<br />
midnight.<br />
Salsa Dancing at la Habana<br />
6 Cao Ba Quat, D1<br />
www.salsaigon.com<br />
salsaigon@gmail.com<br />
Six-week salsa package at 350,000<br />
VND for single persons and 550,000 for<br />
a couple, run by Urko. Lessons every<br />
Tuesday (beginners L.A. style at 7:30pm;<br />
intermediate L.A style at 8:30pm). Registration<br />
required.<br />
Swing Dancing at la fenetre Soleil<br />
135 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D1<br />
www.saigonswing.com<br />
Free swing dance nights held every<br />
Wednesday from 8pm to 9pm, followed<br />
by a DJ so you can practice your new<br />
moves. Regular classes are held every<br />
six weeks in East Coast Swing and Lindy<br />
Hop.<br />
FITNESS & YOGA<br />
California WOW Xperience<br />
Parkson Plaza, 126 Hung Vuong, D5<br />
28/30-32 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 6291 5999<br />
The world’s biggest fitness centre chain<br />
is one of Saigon’s most modern places<br />
to get your sweat on. Located in Hung<br />
Vuong Plaza, CWX offers a huge workout<br />
area and all kinds of classes including<br />
spinning, KickFit, yoga and more.<br />
Caravelle Club Spa<br />
19 Lam Son Square, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 4999<br />
Modern and stylish gym with lots of cardiovascular<br />
machines and free weights.<br />
The swimming pool is a great place for<br />
a dip, and the massage parlour, sauna,<br />
steam room and jacuzzi are there for<br />
winding down.<br />
Christophe Guillemin<br />
Tel: 0909 365525<br />
azia_shop@yahoo.fr<br />
www.azia-shop.com<br />
French fitness instructor offers his training<br />
assistance both at home or in your<br />
gym to help with everything from weight<br />
loss to muscle building. Also does cardio<br />
training sessions at An Phu swimming<br />
pool on Saturday at 11am.<br />
Curves<br />
15 Trinh Van Can, D1 Tel: 3821 0319<br />
www.curvesvietnam.com<br />
Curves is a women’s only fitness<br />
franchise with over 10,000 locations and<br />
four million members. The centre offers<br />
a famous 30-minute total body workout<br />
that they say will burn up to 500 calories.<br />
Features training on ‘double positive’<br />
resistance equipment.<br />
Diamond Plaza<br />
34 Le Duan, D1<br />
The city’s largest department store has<br />
a well-equipped gym with steam room,<br />
jacuzzi, massage parlour and swimming<br />
pool. The gym costs from US$90 per<br />
month.<br />
equinox fitness & leisure Centre<br />
Equatorial Hotel, 242 Tran Binh Trong,<br />
D5 Tel: 3839 7777<br />
Decent-sized 3rd-floor gym with modern<br />
cardio and weights machines, sauna,<br />
steambath, jacuzzi, and large 4th floor<br />
pool great for swimming laps.<br />
Hollywood fitness World<br />
H3 Building, 384 Hoang Dieu, D4<br />
Tel: 3826 4639<br />
One of the latest & best workout environments<br />
in the city, suitable for all ages and<br />
fitness levels. Personal training is offered.<br />
erick Tony Varin, fitness and<br />
Swimming instructor<br />
Tel: 0939 026 540<br />
Erickforcearca@hotmail.com<br />
French instructor offers individual<br />
adapted programmes at home or at<br />
your gym, including weight loss, muscle<br />
gain, athletic training and post-traumatic<br />
treatment. Swimming and aqua aerobics<br />
classes for groups or individuals are also<br />
offered.<br />
John Huy Tran, fitness instructor<br />
Tel: 0983 789 318<br />
jht_fitness@hotmail.com<br />
Canadian fitness professional certified<br />
trainer with over 10 years’ experience in<br />
the fitness industry, dance and sports.<br />
Can provide training tailored to individual<br />
needs.<br />
K1 fitness and fight factory<br />
346 Ben Van Don, D4<br />
Tel: 0918 337 111<br />
www.teamminetti.com<br />
72 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 73<br />
listings
Reasons to be happy<br />
7 days a week<br />
Daily promotions on a wide range of<br />
signature beverages, as well as<br />
complimentary after-work canapés.<br />
Drop in to experience the new<br />
Happy Hour for yourself.<br />
Please visit the ZanZBar Facebook Group to learn more about the latest<br />
Please visit the ZanZBar Facebook Group to learn more about the latest<br />
Happy Hour promotions - Group name: ZanZBar (Downtown)<br />
41 Dong Du, D1<br />
Tel: (08) 3822 7375<br />
Email: zzb.saigon@gmail.com<br />
nutrifort health feed<br />
Seven Steps Towards Lower Cholesterol<br />
By Nutrifort’s Nicole Hankins<br />
Most people know that<br />
cholesterol is a type of fat<br />
that circulates in our blood<br />
and plays a major role in<br />
the heart’s health. But what<br />
fewer people know is that<br />
their daily eating habits and<br />
lifestyle choices may put<br />
them at risk of developing<br />
high cholesterol.<br />
While genetics in part<br />
dictate your cholesterol levels,<br />
the amount of physical<br />
activity you engage in and<br />
your food choices are more<br />
significant factors. If you are<br />
prone to heart disease because<br />
your body produces<br />
more cholesterol than it<br />
needs, medication may be<br />
the only way to control it. In<br />
other cases, however, there<br />
are ways to lower cholesterol<br />
without medication.<br />
1) Replace white foods such<br />
as sugar, white rice and flour<br />
with whole grains like brown<br />
rice and whole wheat flour.<br />
2) Choose a diet high in<br />
fruit, vegetables, beans and<br />
whole grains and low in<br />
animal fat.<br />
3) Avoid hydrogenated oils,<br />
saturated fats and trans fats,<br />
which have a higher melting<br />
point and longer shelf life<br />
because they are solid rather<br />
than liquid. The best oils are<br />
made from olive, sunflower,<br />
peanut, soybean, corn and<br />
sesame.<br />
4) Don't count calories.<br />
Instead, monitor fats and<br />
sugars that cause heart<br />
problems. Eat a high-fiber<br />
and low-fat diet.<br />
5) Take three grams of fish<br />
oil supplements daily. Rich<br />
in omega-3 fatty acids, fish<br />
oil can help reduce sudden<br />
cardiac death by 50 to 80<br />
percent and help decrease<br />
breast and prostate cancer.<br />
6) Quit smoking. Smoking<br />
puts you at much great risk<br />
of developing heart disease.<br />
If you have high cholesterol<br />
and smoke, you quadruple<br />
your risk.<br />
7) Get regular exercise. Physical<br />
activity increases HDL<br />
levels and lowers your risk of<br />
heart disease. Aerobic activity<br />
like brisk walking, biking or<br />
swimming at moderate-tovigorous<br />
intensity is the best<br />
way to condition your heart.<br />
Aim for a minimum of 45 minutes,<br />
three times per week.<br />
The goal is to get your total<br />
cholesterol under 150 milligrams<br />
per deciliter of blood<br />
(mg/dL). The LDL (low-density<br />
lipoprotein) or the “bad” cholesterol<br />
needs to be under 95<br />
mg/dL and the HDL (highdensity<br />
lipoprotein) or “good”<br />
cholesterol level should be<br />
greater than 40 mg/dL.<br />
If your total cholesterol<br />
levels fall between 200 to 239<br />
mg/dL, they are borderline<br />
high. If they exceed 240 mg/<br />
dL, you have high blood cholesterol.<br />
When this happens,<br />
it’s time to take a look at your<br />
lifestyle and assess whether<br />
you need to take one or<br />
more of these seven steps.<br />
Fitness centre teaching English and<br />
Thai boxing, karate, Vietnamese martial<br />
arts, judo, fencing, grappling, and mixed<br />
martial arts with classes for both adults<br />
and children. All training conducted by a<br />
professional foreign instructor.<br />
l’apothiquaire fitness Centre<br />
64A Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3932 5181<br />
www.lapothiquaire.com<br />
Internationally-certified teachers offer<br />
daily classes in Sivananda, Iyengar,<br />
Power, Yoga, Abdo-Pilates, Taebo and<br />
Aqua-Aerobics. Peaceful swimming<br />
pool, sauna and steam room.<br />
la Cochinchine<br />
Rex Hotel, 146 Pastuer, D1<br />
Tel: 3825 1812 (ext 7477)<br />
New and affordable fitness centre<br />
located in the heart of the city. This gym<br />
has a wide range of weight machines, as<br />
well as many cardio machines, including<br />
treadmills, cross-trainers and bikes. A<br />
good variety of classes are available,<br />
including yoga and aerobic dance.<br />
legend Hotel fitness Centre<br />
2A-4A Ton Duc Thang, D1<br />
One of the best hotel fitness centres.<br />
Very well-equipped gym with cardiovascular<br />
and weight machines, along with<br />
a circular swimming pool and massage<br />
parlour. A three-month membership<br />
costs US$400++.<br />
Michelle lloyd Yoga<br />
Tel: 090 964 8193<br />
michelleglloyd@gmail.com<br />
www.michellelloyd.com<br />
Certified yoga instructor offering Vinyasa<br />
yoga classes at various locations around<br />
the city. Private and corporate yoga<br />
programmes available. Contact Michelle<br />
for information on her current schedule<br />
and special events.<br />
Nutrifort<br />
2B1 Chu Manh Trinh, D1<br />
Tel: 3825 8560<br />
news@nutrifort.com/www.nutrifort.com<br />
Comprehensive health and fitness centre<br />
offering customized exercise, nutritional<br />
counseling to members. Specializing in<br />
weight loss programs, core/body alignment<br />
training with Pilates equipment.<br />
Healthy snacks available.<br />
NTfQ2<br />
34 Nguyen Dang Giai, D2<br />
Tel: 3744 6672<br />
ntfq2@nutrifort.com/www.nutrifort.com<br />
First boutique, purpose-built fitness<br />
and wellness centre in Vietnam. Offers<br />
personal training, small group classes,<br />
specialised treatment and healthy dining<br />
at on-site restaurant Good Eats.<br />
Park Hyatt fitness Centre<br />
2 Lam Son Square, D1 Tel: 3824 1234<br />
Luxury health centre with the full range<br />
of facilities including swimming pool,<br />
steam room, jacuzzi and fitness centre.<br />
Three-month peak membership costs<br />
US$810++ and off-peak is US$450++.<br />
Patricia Romero, eRYT200<br />
Phu My Hung, An Phu<br />
Tel: 090 387 2832<br />
saigonease@yahoo.com<br />
Alignment-based yoga classes that<br />
infuse elements from the Ashtanga and<br />
Iyengar traditions. Group and private<br />
classes. Also specialising in therapeutics<br />
and restorative yoga. Patricia has been<br />
teaching yoga in Saigon since 2002.<br />
Renaissance Hotel Health Club<br />
8-15 Ton Duc Thang, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 0033<br />
Stylish health club with gym, swimming<br />
pool, steam room, massage parlour,<br />
pool-side bar and an outstanding view<br />
of the city. Costs US$140 a month, or<br />
US$10 a day.<br />
Saigon fitness Club<br />
New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 8888<br />
The modern Nautilus-equipped gym is<br />
staffed by highly-qualified instructors to<br />
cater for your fitness needs. Features a<br />
swimming pool, floodlit tennis court, golf<br />
driving range, jogging track, sauna, and<br />
massage rooms.<br />
Saigon Yoga<br />
Somerset Apartments<br />
8A Nguyen Binh Khiem, D1<br />
Tel: 090 835 2265<br />
www.saigonyoga.com<br />
info@saigonyoga.com<br />
Yoga and pre-natal yoga classes held<br />
downtown and in D3. Taught by experienced,<br />
certified instructrs from the US.<br />
Class size limited to 12 students. Reservation<br />
is requested to ensure a space.<br />
Private group and pre-natal classes of<br />
up to 8 by appointment.<br />
Sheraton fitness<br />
Level 5, Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers,<br />
88 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3827 2828<br />
sheraton.saigon@sheraton.com<br />
www.sheraton.com/saigon<br />
Sheraton Fitness features a team of<br />
trained professionals and new Technogym<br />
equipment. Members have full use<br />
of leisure facilities and receive discounts<br />
at hotel bars and restaurants and Aqua<br />
Day Spa.<br />
Star fitness Gym<br />
Manor Apartments, 91 Nguyen Huu<br />
Canh, Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0255<br />
This 1,600sq.m gym is apparently the<br />
biggest in Vietnam. Has a good range<br />
of machines for any type of workout.<br />
Membership involves one time entry fee<br />
plus monthly subscriptions and gives<br />
free access to regular fitness classes.<br />
Sofitel Saigon Plaza fitness Centre<br />
17 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3824 1555<br />
Small but well-equipped gym with<br />
helpful staff and quality equipment.<br />
Membership costs US$700++ for six<br />
months and US$1,300++ for a year.<br />
Also runs a number of fitness classes<br />
including yoga.<br />
Yoga & Meditation Centre<br />
335 Dien Bien Phu, D3<br />
Tel: 3929 1706<br />
www.ymc.org<br />
Profesional team of Western and local<br />
teachers show you how to practice a<br />
combination of yoga and meditation with<br />
a range of classes such as Hatha, Yin,<br />
Vikram, Ashtanga yoga and Pilates.<br />
Yoga living<br />
95 Pasteur, D1<br />
Tel: 098 880 4598<br />
info@yogaliving.com.vn<br />
www.yogaliving.com.vn<br />
Yoga studio offering hatha, vinyasa,<br />
power and ashtanga yoga. Schedule<br />
can be self-made by members.<br />
FOOTBALL & RUGBY<br />
australian Rules football<br />
Tel: 093 768 3230<br />
www.vietnamswans.com<br />
vietnamswans@gmail.com<br />
The Vietnam Swans play regular<br />
international footy matches around<br />
Asia. Training sessions are held weekly<br />
in HCM City (2.30pm Saturday, RMIT<br />
D7) and Hanoi (midday, Saturday, UN<br />
International School, Ciputra). All skill<br />
levels and codes welcome.<br />
les Gaulois de Saigon<br />
www.gauloisdesaigon.com<br />
info@gauloisdesaigon.com<br />
A new team of French footballers, the<br />
side invites players and their families to<br />
come and join in their friendly training<br />
sessions, where everyone can get together<br />
and enjoy the sport while making<br />
new friends. Contact Sebastien on 0919<br />
691785 or Romain on 0908 060139.<br />
RMiT Vietnam<br />
sports.recreation@rmit.edu.vn<br />
A new player on the SIFL scene with<br />
a team made up of students from the<br />
University. They have their own football<br />
ground on-site consisting of two brand<br />
new pitches. Contact Landon Carnie.<br />
Saigon Raiders<br />
jon.hoff@saigonraiders.com<br />
Sociable football side who are always<br />
on the lookout for new talent for their<br />
weekly matches and training sessions.<br />
The team participates in the Saigon International<br />
Football League and also has<br />
regular fixtures against local teams in the<br />
outlying provinces and also participates<br />
in international tournaments.<br />
Saigon Rugby Club<br />
Tel: 0903 735 799<br />
www.saigonrfc.org<br />
saigonrugbyfootballclub@yahoo.com<br />
Social, mixed touch rugby played every<br />
Saturday afternoon for adults at RMIT<br />
from 4pm until 6pm. Regularly welcomes<br />
visiting teams and tours the region for<br />
men’s contact and women’s touch rugby<br />
tournaments. Beginners welcome.<br />
Saigon Saints<br />
chris@saigonsaints.com<br />
www.saigonsaints.com<br />
Expat football club of all ages which<br />
has been running since 1995 and<br />
plays in the SIFL. Regularly venture on<br />
international tours especially to Bangkok<br />
and Manila and play in other local and<br />
international tournaments. The players<br />
train weekly, and new players are<br />
encouraged to join.<br />
GOLF<br />
Dalat Palace Golf Club<br />
Phu Dong Thien Vuong, Dalat<br />
Tel: 063 3821 101<br />
dpgc@vietnamgolfresorts.com<br />
The most beautiful course in Vietnam,<br />
combining the crisp mountain air with an<br />
environment of stately pine trees. Overlooking<br />
Xuan Huong lake, the 7,009-yard<br />
course is an enjoyable challenge for<br />
golfers of all levels.<br />
Dong Nai Golf Resort<br />
Trang Bom Town, Trang Bom<br />
Tel: 061 3866 288 / 3677 590<br />
www.dongnaigolf.com.vn<br />
Large golf resort with 27 holes, plus a<br />
villa complex, bar, sauna. jacuzzi and<br />
billiards. The resort sits on 160 hectares<br />
of land in Dong Nai Province, about 50<br />
kilometres from the city. Membership<br />
starts at US$2,000 a year.<br />
Ocean Dunes Golf Club<br />
1 Ton Duc Thang, Phan Thiet<br />
Tel: 062 3821 995<br />
odgc@vietnamgolfresorts.com<br />
Designed by Nick Faldo, the 6,746-yard<br />
par-72 course winds through seaside<br />
dunes, with the variable coastal breezes<br />
changing its character each day. An<br />
enjoyable and eminently playable course<br />
and has become a favourite venue for<br />
expatriate tournaments.<br />
Saigon South Golf<br />
Nguyen Van Linh, Tan Phu, D7<br />
Tel: 5411 2001<br />
sgs.golf@yahoo.com.vn<br />
Nine-hole mini golf course and driving<br />
range set amongst attractive gardens<br />
just behind FV Hospital. Membership<br />
starts from US$700 for 6 months. Visitors’<br />
greens fees for a round of golf are<br />
around US$16 before 5pm and US$19<br />
after. Club, shoe and umbrella hire is<br />
also available.<br />
Song Be Golf Resort<br />
77 Binh Duong Blvd, Thuan An<br />
Tel: 0650 3756 660<br />
info@songbegolf.com<br />
www.songbegolf.com<br />
Located 22 kilometres from the city centre,<br />
the premier golf course in the area<br />
74 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 75
Danang Golf Club<br />
features an 18-hole, 6,384-metre course.<br />
Also has tennis courts, a swimming pool,<br />
and a gymnasium.<br />
Vietnam Golf and Country Club<br />
Long Thanh My Village, D9<br />
www.vietnamgolfcc.com<br />
This facility consists of two courses of<br />
18 holes each, one of which is designed<br />
in a more traditional Asian style, and the<br />
other in international style. Has other<br />
attractions such as boating, tennis and a<br />
restaurant area.<br />
LEISURE<br />
Hash House Harriers<br />
www.saigonh3.com<br />
Running club that meets every Sunday<br />
at 2pm at the Caravelle Hotel to go on<br />
a run in different locations out of town<br />
with their traditional balance of exercise<br />
and beer.<br />
Phun Runners<br />
www.phun-run.com<br />
info@phun-run.com<br />
Running group that meets Sundays at<br />
7am for a scenic run around Saigon<br />
before breakfast. Great way to explore<br />
the city, meet fellow runners and get<br />
fit for future events. Check website for<br />
rendezvous points.<br />
Saigon international Dart league<br />
www.thesidl.com<br />
A highly popular group in town, the darts<br />
club runs a competitive year-long league<br />
for 16 pub-based teams. There are some<br />
excellent players in this sociable and international<br />
group. See website for details<br />
of how to join and latest 180 scores.<br />
Saigon Pony Club<br />
Lane 42, Le Van Thinh, D2<br />
Tel: 09 1373 3360<br />
A standout facility offering pony rides,<br />
riding lessons, horse clinics and pony<br />
rentals. Also hosts events and birthdays.<br />
Squash<br />
The Landmark, 5B Ton Duc Thang, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 2098 ext 176<br />
76 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong><br />
www.thelandmarkvietnam.com<br />
One of three squash courts in town.<br />
Membership is open to non-Landmark<br />
residents and drop-in players. Lessons<br />
and racquets are available for additional<br />
fees. Balls are provided. Book in advance<br />
or phone for further information.<br />
Ultimate frisbee<br />
RMIT, 702 Nguyen Van Linh, D7<br />
www.saigon-ultimate.com<br />
Join in this exciting popular sport every<br />
Sunday afternoon from 3pm to 5pm in<br />
Saigon South. Pan-Asian competitions<br />
also organised for the more experienced.<br />
Contact David Jensen at 0909458890<br />
Vietnam Hobby Brewers<br />
hobbybrewer.vietnam@gmail.com<br />
www.hobbybrewer-vietnam.de.tl<br />
Small group of beer enthusiasts gather<br />
bi-monthly at microbrewery to talk beer,<br />
share brewing tips and sample homemade<br />
suds. The group is keen on taking<br />
on new members with an interest in<br />
learning how to brew.<br />
Vietwings Paragliding<br />
info@vietwings-hpg.com<br />
Promoted by a local advertising executive<br />
turned test pilot, paragliding, hanggliding,<br />
trike plane can be performed<br />
in several locations across southern<br />
Vietnam including Dalat, Phan Thiet,<br />
Tay Ninh. Call Loco on 0903 825607 for<br />
more information.<br />
X-Rock Climbing<br />
Phan Dinh Phung Sport Centre<br />
75 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3<br />
Tel: 6278 5794<br />
503A Nguyen Duy Trinh, D2<br />
Tel: 2210 9192<br />
www.xrockclimbing.com<br />
Offering safe and professional climbing<br />
for anyone aged 4 and up. Featuring<br />
mountain climbing routes rated from<br />
beginner to advanced, climbing and<br />
belay-safety courses and training,<br />
birthday parties, corporate team building.<br />
Excellent facilities for children and annual<br />
membership for kids.<br />
listings<br />
health &<br />
beauty<br />
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE<br />
american Chiropractic Clinic<br />
8 Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3930 6667<br />
www.vietnamchiropractic.com<br />
A chiropractic, physiotherapy, foot<br />
care clinic staffed by american-trained<br />
chiropractors speaking French, English,<br />
Chinese, Vietnamese ad Korean. Treat<br />
back pain, neck pain, knee pain, also<br />
specialising in sports injuries, manufacture<br />
of medical grade foot orthotics.<br />
Ciro Gargiulo<br />
CARE1 Executive Health Care Center<br />
The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh,<br />
Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0757<br />
care1_reception@vietnammedicalpractice.com<br />
www.care1.com.vn<br />
A holistic approach is used by this<br />
acupuncturist and traditional medicine<br />
practitioner to rebalance the body’s<br />
energy fields. A wide range of ailments<br />
are treated including back pain, allergies<br />
and insomnia.<br />
institute of Traditional Medicine<br />
273-275 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan<br />
Dr. Le Hung is the man to see at this<br />
well-established traditional hospital &<br />
training centre. He speaks good English<br />
and provides excellent treatments in a<br />
clean environment. The Institute also<br />
provides acupuncture lessons at US$30<br />
per day.<br />
Osteopathic Medicine/Physiotherapy<br />
– David Truong Tan<br />
Tel: 0903 09 81 24<br />
www.osteopathy-vietnam.com<br />
French-trained osteopath and physiotherapist<br />
specializing in the treatment of<br />
back pain and muscular, ligament and<br />
joint problems using a holistic approach<br />
and gentle manipulative techniques.<br />
Consultations available at International<br />
SOS in District 3 and Nutrifort in Districts<br />
1 and 2.<br />
Traditional Medicine Hospital<br />
197 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D3<br />
Friendly staff speak little to no English<br />
at this well-known and spotlessly clean<br />
hospital offering treatments that combine<br />
traditional Chinese medicine with modern<br />
knowledge and expertise.<br />
COSMETIC TREATMENT<br />
Cao Thang lasik & aesthetic Clinic<br />
135-135B Tran Binh Trong, D5<br />
Tel: 3923 4419<br />
A modern clinic offering a comprehensive<br />
range of optical services. Specialises in<br />
LASIK correctional procedures, costing<br />
from US$700 to US$1,100 for both eyes.<br />
English spoken. Open seven days a week.<br />
fV Hospital Cosmetic Surgery<br />
45 Vo Thi Sau, D1 Tel: 6290 6167<br />
6 Nguyen Luong Bang, D7<br />
Tel: 5411 3366<br />
www.fvhospital.com<br />
International-standard cosmetic procedures<br />
from simple dermabrasion and<br />
chemical peels to collagen injections,<br />
nose and eye shaping, liposuction, and<br />
breast enhancement. Procedures carried<br />
out by French and Vietnamese doctors<br />
using the latest equipment.<br />
Parkway Shenton international Clinic<br />
Suite 213-214, 37 Ton Duc Thang, D1<br />
Owned by the Singapore-based healthcare<br />
giant Parkway Holdings, this aesthetics<br />
clinic offers a range of both surgical<br />
and non-surgical treatments including<br />
dental reconstruction.<br />
DENTAL<br />
european Dental Clinic<br />
127 Dien Bien Phu, Dakao, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 8680<br />
Expat English and French-speaking<br />
dentist. Performs full range of dental<br />
treatment including whitening, aesthetic<br />
fillings, porcelain crowns, full ceramics,<br />
veneer and orthodontic treatment.<br />
24-hour emergency line: 0909 551916 or<br />
0918 749204.<br />
Koseikai Dental Clinic<br />
3rd floor, 21 Nguyen Trung Ngan, D1<br />
Tel: 3910 6255<br />
info@koseikai.com.vn<br />
www.koseikaidentist.com<br />
A member of Dental Clinic Vietnam, provide<br />
full range of dental services with the<br />
latest in technology, delivery of laboratory<br />
work and new technologies now available.<br />
Starlight Dental Clinic<br />
Dr. Philippe Guettier & Associates<br />
3 Han Thuyen, D1 Tel: 3822 6222<br />
doc.linh@gmail.com<br />
With 10 years’ experience providing<br />
dental treatment to expat and Vietnamese<br />
patients, this well-known dental surgery<br />
is staffed by both foreign & local practitioners.<br />
Au fait with the latest treatments and<br />
techniques, the surgery prides themselves<br />
on their high standard of equipment &<br />
sterilization.<br />
Westcoast international Dental Clinic<br />
27 Nguyen Trung Truc, D1<br />
Tel: 3825 6999<br />
71-79 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3825 6777<br />
info@westcoastinternational.com<br />
www.westcoastinternational.com<br />
Canadian-run dental clinic staffed by<br />
French, Japanese, English and Vietnamese<br />
speaking dental professionals.<br />
See Medical listings for hospitals with<br />
dental services<br />
HAIR & SALON<br />
anthony George for london Hair &<br />
Beauty<br />
FIDECO Riverview Building<br />
14 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 6475<br />
www.aglondonsalon.com.vn<br />
Top British stylist George brings his unique<br />
flair to hair in District 2. The modern,<br />
stylish and profess ional salon is host to a<br />
staff of professionally trained beauty therapists.<br />
Uses Dermalogica, Schwarzkopf<br />
and L’Oreal products. Shampoo, cut and<br />
blow-dry starts at US $26; mini facials<br />
from $12.<br />
Jasmine<br />
45 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3827 2737<br />
jasminespa@hcm.vnn.vn<br />
Friendly and efficient staff offers haircuts<br />
and a wide range of services including<br />
waxing, manicures, pedicures and other<br />
beauty treatments. Skin renewal facial,<br />
salt or rice body scrub & deep tissue massage<br />
costs US$98<br />
le Brian Salon<br />
201 Calmette, D1<br />
195 Nguyen Van Hoang, D2<br />
Vietnamese-American hairstylist with<br />
dual locations, offering a full range of hair<br />
services, as well as professional make-up<br />
application.<br />
lloyd Morgan international Hair<br />
Studio<br />
Dragon’s Nest, 186 Nguyen Van Huong,<br />
D2 Tel: 6273 2078<br />
International stylist Lloyd Morgan is one<br />
of the best in town. He’s been in the<br />
business for over 30 years and brings his<br />
expertise to this established, top-notch<br />
salon.<br />
Qi Spa<br />
151 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan<br />
Tel: 3844 1719<br />
Caravelle Hotel Tel: 3824 7150<br />
Mövenpick Hotel Saigon,<br />
Tel: 3997 5437<br />
High-end salon and spa offers the<br />
standard range of services in a calming<br />
atmosphere with good service. Waxing,<br />
nail services, hair dressing as well as<br />
luxurious facial and massage treatments<br />
all go for upwards.<br />
Souche<br />
2nd Floor, Saigon Trade Centre<br />
37 Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 0372<br />
A top-end beauty salon using the<br />
Dermatologica line of skincare products.<br />
Specialises in personalised facial care<br />
treatments from US$30 and medicated<br />
acne treatments from US$40. Waxing<br />
and other aesthetic services are also<br />
available in a pleasant atmosphere with<br />
excellent service.<br />
Sunji Matsuo Hair Studio<br />
Saigon Paragon, 3 Nguyen Luong<br />
Bang, D7 Tel: 5416 0378<br />
Celebrity hairstylist Sunji Matsuo’s Singapore-based<br />
hair salon has a variety of<br />
hair services including scalp treatments,<br />
rebonding and hair extensions.<br />
The Salon<br />
21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 9660<br />
65 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3821 6394<br />
Reliable haircuts from well-trained<br />
stylists at this local salon with multiple<br />
locations. A haircut starts at US $28 for<br />
women and US $22 for men.<br />
Venus<br />
41 Nguyen Trung Ngan, D1<br />
Tel: 3829 6298<br />
French Vietnamese stylist Sandrine<br />
Nguyen trained with worldwide academics<br />
Toni & Guy and Vidal Sassoon. With<br />
asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 77
140 Hoa Lan, Phu Nhuan District<br />
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam<br />
t: 083 517 2037 / 083 517 2208<br />
f: 083 517 8532<br />
more than eight years experience, she<br />
offers haircuts for men from US$10 and<br />
US$20 for women. Special services are<br />
colouring and highlights.<br />
YKC Beauty & Hair Studio<br />
219 Dien Bien Phu, D3<br />
Tel: 3829 2791/3827 5194<br />
www.ykcspa.com<br />
Popular amongst the expat community,<br />
the salon is run by Toronto trained<br />
mother and son duo of Cindy (owner)<br />
and <strong>Ky</strong> The Guy (hair stylist). Offers a full<br />
range of spa and hair services and has<br />
a second hair salon located in the Park<br />
Hyatt Hotel.<br />
YKC esthetics & Hair Spa<br />
219 Dien Bien Phu, D3<br />
Tel: 3829 2791<br />
An excellent salon with a following<br />
of expat regulars. A Toronto-trained<br />
mother-and-son team manage YKC’s<br />
staff and offer the full range of services<br />
from facials, body therapy, waxing, nails<br />
to cut, color and highlights.<br />
MEDICAL<br />
australian Clinic & Pathology<br />
Diagnostics (aCPD)<br />
273-275 Ly Thai To, D10<br />
Tel: 3834 9941<br />
www.australianclinic.com.vn<br />
Services include general outpatient<br />
healthcare, corporate / visa healthchecks,<br />
X-ray, full laboratory and<br />
in-house pharmacy including specialist<br />
medical services covering cardiology,<br />
paediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology,<br />
orthopedic and dermatology.<br />
CaRe1 executive Health Care Center<br />
The Manor, 91 Nguyen Huu Canh,<br />
Binh Thanh Tel: 3514 0757<br />
care1_reception@vietnammedicalpractice.com<br />
www.care1.com.vn<br />
Sister clinic of Family Medical Practice,<br />
CARE1 is an executive health care centre<br />
offering comprehensive preventative-care<br />
checkups in a modern and professional<br />
setting. State-of-the-art technology provides<br />
fast and accurate diagnoses.<br />
Centre Medical international (CMi)<br />
1 Han Thuyen, D1<br />
Tel: 3827 2366<br />
www.cmi-vietnam.com<br />
Located downtown next to the cathedral,<br />
the centre provides a high standard<br />
of medical care from qualified French<br />
and Vietnamese physicians. Its range<br />
of services include general and tropical<br />
medicine, cardiology, gynaecology, osteopathy,<br />
pediatrics, psychiatry, speech<br />
therapy and traditional Eastern medicine.<br />
Columbia asia Saigon Clinic<br />
8 Alexandre de Rhodes, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 8888<br />
Respected multi-specialty clinic with<br />
foreign and local physicians. Doctors on<br />
call 24 hours a day. Standard checkups<br />
cost between VND400,000 and<br />
VND800,000.<br />
family Medical Practice <strong>HCMC</strong><br />
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 7848<br />
www.vietnammedicalpractice.com<br />
Leading international primary healthcare<br />
provider, with a 24-hour state-of-the-art<br />
medical centre and highly-qualified multilingual<br />
foreign doctors. Extensive experience<br />
in worldwide medical evacuations<br />
with car and air ambulance on standby.<br />
Also in Hanoi and Danang.<br />
fV Hospital<br />
6 Nguyen Luong Bang, D7<br />
Tel: 5411 3333<br />
www.fvhospital.com<br />
A foreign-owned international-standard<br />
hospital with a mixture of French and<br />
Vietnamese physicians. Offers quality<br />
services, comprehensive patient care<br />
and is particularly well regarded for<br />
its maternity care. Full array of dental<br />
services from examination, cleaning and<br />
whitening to fillings, cosmetic procedures<br />
and implants. 24-hour emergency line:<br />
3411 3500.<br />
international SOS<br />
167A <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D3<br />
Tel: 3829 8424<br />
www.internationalsos.com<br />
Globally-renowned provider of medical<br />
assistance and international healthcare.<br />
Specializes in offering medical transport<br />
and evacuation both within and outside<br />
of Vietnam for urgent medical cases.<br />
Foreign and Vietnamese dentists. Has<br />
multilingual staff.<br />
Victoria Healthcare international<br />
Clinic<br />
79 Dien Bien Phu, D1 Tel: 3910 4545<br />
www.victoriavn.com<br />
Well-regarded clinic offering general examinations,<br />
and specialising in women’s<br />
health, paediatrics, digestive diseases<br />
and internal medicine. Offers a membership<br />
programme. Open seven days a<br />
week. Doctors on call 24 hours.<br />
NAILS<br />
<strong>Nghia</strong> Beauty<br />
20 Phan Boi Chau, D1<br />
Tel: 3829 2688<br />
Located next to the Ben Thanh Market,<br />
clean efficient and friendly staff service<br />
your hands and feet with a range of<br />
treatments while you relax in a comfortable<br />
atmosphere.<br />
Nail P.KH<br />
51 Nguyen Huu Cau, D1<br />
A well-known local place with a number<br />
of manicure stations and an extensive<br />
range of services. A mani-pedi with polish<br />
starts at VND40,000.<br />
OPI<br />
253 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D3<br />
International brand of nail care offering<br />
a variety of treatments from standard<br />
manicures at VND50,000 to the whole<br />
host nail services such as acrylics, powder<br />
gell, cuticle treatments and French<br />
polishing.<br />
Quang Qui’s Nails<br />
146 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
242 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
Locally popular spots with low prices and<br />
good service, offering anything you could<br />
possibly want for your nails.<br />
SKINCARE<br />
avon<br />
186A <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D3<br />
Tel: 3930 4018<br />
www.vn.avon.com<br />
<strong>HCMC</strong> branch of the world’s largest<br />
direct seller of cosmetics occupies the<br />
ground floor of District 3 villa, selling<br />
brand names like Anew, Skin-So-Soft<br />
and Avon Natural.<br />
aZial and rendez-vous<br />
Eden Mall, 106 Nguyen Hue, D1<br />
Tel: 3824 3579<br />
www.azial.com<br />
www.naturalrdv.com<br />
All-natural skin and body care products<br />
free from synthetic ingredients. Made<br />
with freshly extracted Aloe Vera gel<br />
and enhanced with therapeutic-grade<br />
essential oils. Found in many of the bestknown<br />
spas in Vietnam.<br />
The Body Shop<br />
87 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3823 3683<br />
www.thebodyshop.com<br />
Internatioanl cosmetics retailer with<br />
strong commitment to environment<br />
sources natural ingredients from small<br />
communities for its line of more than 600<br />
products.<br />
Dermalogica<br />
Saigon Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc<br />
Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 0372<br />
www.dermalogica.com<br />
U.S. brand of cleansers popular among<br />
skin care professionals. The line of toners,<br />
exfoliants, moisturizers and masques<br />
are engineered by skin therapists to<br />
be free of common irritants, and the<br />
company is categorically opposed to<br />
animal testing.<br />
The face Shop<br />
294 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3820 2325<br />
598B Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3<br />
Tel: 3832 2095<br />
94 Nguyen Trai, D5 Tel: 3923 9868<br />
www.thefaceshop.com<br />
Local retailer for the South Korea-based<br />
international brand of natural body, bath<br />
and skincare products. The company<br />
pairs variety with value, offering hundreds<br />
of products for different skin types. Also<br />
has kiosks at Co.op Mart in Phu My<br />
Hung, Diamond Plaza and Zen Plaza.<br />
l’apothiquaire<br />
64A Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3932 5181<br />
www.lapothiquaire.com<br />
info@lapothiquaire.com<br />
French-made natural products for all<br />
types of skin. Also offers exclusive<br />
natural Italian skin, body and hair care<br />
from Erbario Toscano. Available at all<br />
L’Apothiquaire outlets.<br />
l’Occitane en Provence<br />
New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1<br />
French cosmetics company with a 30year<br />
history offering a range of bath and<br />
massage oils, essential oils, body and<br />
hand care products are especially well<br />
known. Also has outlets in all the major<br />
downtown shopping malls.<br />
Sian Skincare laser Clinic<br />
71–77 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel:3827 6999<br />
info@sianclinic.com<br />
www.sianclinic.com<br />
Skincare laser clinic offering the latest<br />
in non-surgical esthetic treatments<br />
including Botox, laser, acne treatments,<br />
hair loss regrowth, hair removal, skin<br />
rejuvenation and anti-aging treatments.<br />
Led by Dr. Tran Ngoc Si, a leading<br />
esthetic dermatologist from the hospital<br />
of Dermatology of <strong>HCMC</strong>.<br />
Yves Rocher<br />
16-18 Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3824 8782<br />
www.yves-rocher.com<br />
Small centrally located boutique retailing<br />
in French brand of botanical fragrances,<br />
face and body care, cosmetics and antiaging<br />
solutions.<br />
SPAS<br />
aqua Day Spa<br />
Sheraton Saigon, 88 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
Tel: 3827 2828<br />
Recently revamped luxury eight-room<br />
spa with a holistic approach to treatment,<br />
using natural Harnn products<br />
plus hot stone therapy and seaweed<br />
treatments.<br />
Belissima Spa<br />
3rd Floor Saigon Center, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
Tel: 3272 8682<br />
Well known in Hanoi and now available in<br />
Ho Chi Minh City, Belissima offers range<br />
of facial treatments, body therapies,<br />
and hand and foot treatments as well as<br />
special packages such as Coffee and<br />
Chocolate Body Toning Treatment.<br />
Dragon’s Nest<br />
186 Nguyen Van Huong, D2<br />
Tel: 6271 2076<br />
Exquisite interior and outdoor design in<br />
remodeled villa. An extensive range of<br />
pampering options are available as well<br />
as a restaurant, hair salon, pool and<br />
terrace bar.<br />
Glow Spa<br />
Eden Mall, Mezzanine Level<br />
106 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3823 8368<br />
spa@glowsaigon.com<br />
www.glowsaigon.com<br />
Decorated in mandarin orange, this<br />
urban spa boasts four single rooms, two<br />
couples suites with private shower, and<br />
a VIP suite, complete with a hydro bath.<br />
Uses Italian products, Comfort Zone.<br />
Henni Biscoe<br />
NTFQ2<br />
34 Nguyen Dang Giai, D2<br />
Tel: 0126 874 9596<br />
henni.biscoe@gmail.com<br />
Physical therapist from the U.K. offers<br />
personal training and therapeutic massage,<br />
including deep tissue/sports and<br />
pregnancy massage.<br />
Jasmine Spa<br />
45 Ton That Thiep, D1<br />
Tel: 3827 2737<br />
jasminespa@hcm.vnn.vn<br />
Friendly and efficient staff offer haircuts<br />
and a wide range of services including<br />
waxing, manicures, pedicures and other<br />
beauty treatments.Skin renewal facials,<br />
salt or rice body scrub & deep tissue<br />
massages from US$79.<br />
la Maison de l’apothiquaire<br />
61-63 Le Thanh Ton, D3 Tel: 3822 1218<br />
64A Truong Dinh, D3 Tel: 3932 5181<br />
info@lapothiquaire.com<br />
www.lapothiquaire.com<br />
Traditional French day spa in colonial villa<br />
with professional therapists and state-ofthe-art<br />
treatments. Complimentary use of<br />
swimming pool, sauna and steam bath.<br />
Has fitness centre and organic garden<br />
restaurant and offers gentlemen’s care.<br />
Winner of Guide Award 2005-2009. Also<br />
offers exclusive natural Italian skin, body<br />
and hair care from ErbarioToscano.<br />
NTfQ2 Spa<br />
34 Nguyen Dang Giai, D2<br />
Tel: 3744 6672<br />
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We can show you your risk of heart<br />
disease.<br />
Therapeutic massage with a focus on<br />
sports massage to increase circulation,<br />
remove lactic acid build-up, restore flexibility<br />
and relieve back pain. Also offering<br />
Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage to reduce<br />
tension and reiki treatments.<br />
Renaissance Riverside Spa<br />
8-15 Ton Duc Thang, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 0033<br />
No-frills Vietnamese, shiatsu and aromatherapy<br />
massages from US$22 plus<br />
a room dedicated to foot massages from<br />
US$18 at the atrium level. Also has sizable<br />
steam and sauna rooms at the club<br />
Spa authentic at Thao Dien<br />
195 Nguyen Van Huong, D2<br />
Tel: 3744 6453<br />
Located on the banks of the Saigon<br />
River, offering day spa and fitness facilities<br />
with a riverside pool.<br />
Xuan Spa<br />
Park Hyatt, 2 Lam Son Square, D1<br />
Tel: 3824 1234<br />
Beautiful spa with highly rated Swedish<br />
massage and water therapy<br />
including the unique 60 minutes Vichy<br />
shower to soften and smooth skin or<br />
the Indian Shirodhara with special oil<br />
for 45 minutes. Spa packages aimed at<br />
rejuvenation, calming, and hydrating are<br />
also available.<br />
YKC Spa & Hair Studio<br />
219 Dien Bien Phu, D3<br />
Tel: 3829 2791/3827 5194<br />
www.ykcspa.com<br />
Frequented by expats, Canadian owner<br />
Cindy offers a full range of spa services<br />
including waxing, facials and hand,<br />
foot and body treatments in a relaxed<br />
setting.<br />
MEN’S HEALTH PROMOTION<br />
*35% DISCOUNT OFF OUR LOW EVERYDAY PRICES*<br />
Cardiology Packages offered:<br />
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Coronary Artery Check Up<br />
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Urology Package:<br />
Prostate Cancer Screening<br />
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Al Fresco’s<br />
Au Parc<br />
Black Cat<br />
Boat House<br />
Bobby Brewers<br />
Buddha Bar<br />
Jaspa’s<br />
Juice<br />
Kim Hai<br />
Le Pub<br />
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Mogambo<br />
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Ipanima<br />
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Rainbow Divers<br />
Sailing club<br />
Joe’s The Art Cafe<br />
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HANOI<br />
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PHAN THIET<br />
Pacharan<br />
Peaches<br />
Phattys<br />
Refinery<br />
Sheridan’s<br />
The Coffee<br />
Bean & Tea Leaf<br />
The Deck<br />
The Tavern<br />
Tourist Information<br />
Center<br />
ZanZBar 1<br />
ZanZBar 2<br />
Le Pub<br />
R&R Tavern<br />
Zeno Designs<br />
Sailing Club<br />
healthy hair<br />
Questions for the Coiffeur<br />
By lloyd Morgan<br />
Q: I have fine hair. Should I<br />
consider extensions to add<br />
volume?<br />
A. Many people have wised up<br />
about the damaging effects of<br />
hair extensions, but chances<br />
are, fine hair will fare worse<br />
than thicker hair. If you decide<br />
that extensions are the way to<br />
go, keep the following in mind:<br />
1) In Vietnam, super glue is<br />
often used to fasten hair extensions,<br />
so be sure that your<br />
stylist uses a silicone rubberbased<br />
glue made specifically<br />
for use on hair.<br />
2) The extensions must be<br />
applied in a brick-like manner,<br />
one above the other.<br />
3) The hair must be layered so<br />
that it blends with the extensions.<br />
4) Each extension must be<br />
exactly the same wave and<br />
colour as the natural hair.<br />
5) Sleeping on a satin pillowcase<br />
will help avoid breakage<br />
by allowing the extensions<br />
to slide. A cotton pillowcase<br />
will encourage breakage by<br />
constraining the hair.<br />
Q. Is it true that hair<br />
should be dirty before it is<br />
coloured?<br />
A. This is a bit of an old wives<br />
tale, as colour can’t fully<br />
penetrate dirty or product-filled<br />
hair. To get the most from<br />
your colouring, shampoo your<br />
locks the night before your<br />
appointment, but don’t use a<br />
conditioner.<br />
Q. I’m a vegetarian and<br />
would like to find a natu-<br />
ral shampoo that doesn’t<br />
have a silicone base. Can I<br />
find this type of product in<br />
Vietnam?<br />
A. Azial is a 100-percent<br />
natural shampoo that can be<br />
purchased in HCM City. Natural<br />
shampoo doesn’t lather like<br />
commercial shampoo, but it<br />
will effectively clean your locks.<br />
Many advertisers will lead you<br />
to believe that a product must<br />
lather to work, but this isn’t<br />
the case.<br />
Q. I’m Asian and trying to<br />
go blonde, but the result<br />
is always yellow. How can<br />
I achieve a more natural<br />
colour?<br />
A. Only a very experienced<br />
colourist can do this, as it is<br />
difficult to lighten Asian hair.<br />
Here’s my secret:<br />
1) Use a 12-percent peroxide<br />
and bleach and process until a<br />
lighter yellow is achieved.<br />
2) Wipe the bleach off the foil<br />
carefully. Do not use water.<br />
3) Re-apply the same mixture<br />
onto the foil, wrap and check<br />
regularly.<br />
4) When the colour reaches<br />
the desired shade, spray the<br />
hair. Remember, bleach is like<br />
acid and will keep working<br />
until rinsed. In some cases a<br />
toner can be added, but only<br />
on healthy, undamaged hair.<br />
Lloyd Morgan runs the Lloyd<br />
Morgan International Hair Studio<br />
at Dragon’s Nest, District<br />
2. Contact him at 090 842<br />
2007 or lloydskate@hotmail.<br />
com.<br />
family<br />
ACTIVITIES<br />
alpha Gallery<br />
10 Chu Manh Trinh, D1<br />
Printmaking classes for both adults and<br />
children run by Swiss artist Bernadette<br />
Gruber. Six-week courses start with the<br />
basics and swiftly move students towards<br />
producing proofs and final prints from<br />
copper plates they have created. Freedom<br />
of expression is encouraged and<br />
other mediums are also explored.<br />
Conservatory of Music<br />
112 Nguyen Du, D1<br />
The established training centre for professional<br />
musicians offers private piano<br />
and violin lessons to foreigners in the<br />
evenings.<br />
Helene Kling Painting<br />
helene_kling@yahoo.com<br />
Offers classes in oil painting to both<br />
children and adults for 150,000VND and<br />
300,000VND respectively. Classes are<br />
paced to suit each student.<br />
Rubba Duckies Swim School<br />
rubbaduckiesswim@hotmail.com<br />
Parent and infant water familiarisation<br />
classes in a group environment from<br />
six to 48 months. Classes take place<br />
at Somerset Apts., D1; Riverside, D2;<br />
APSC, D2 or AI D2 and D3. Email for<br />
schedule.<br />
Saigon Movement<br />
An Phu Tel: 098 702 7722<br />
saigonmovement@gmail.com<br />
Sports and creative movement classes for<br />
kids 2 to 11. Classes improve children’s<br />
total body awareness through a variety of<br />
games and sports-based activities. Phu<br />
My Hung schedule starts in September.<br />
Saigon Pony Club<br />
Lane 42, Le Van Thinh, D2<br />
Tel: 0913 733 360<br />
Close to X-rock climbing centre, kids<br />
from three and upwards can ride one<br />
of the stable’s 16 ponies. Lessons with<br />
foriegn teachers last 45 minutes and cost<br />
350,000VND for kids from age six.<br />
SaigonSports academy<br />
An Phu and Phu My Hung<br />
Tel: 0862 819 790<br />
info@saigonsportsacademy.com<br />
Sports academy founded by Pro tennis<br />
coach currently offering tennis, football,<br />
basketball and swimming training to kids<br />
4 to 18. Professional coaches integrate<br />
international concepts and systems to<br />
draw out athletes’ natural abilities. Also<br />
operates a youth football league.<br />
Tae Kwondo<br />
BP Compound, 720 Thao Dien, D2 and<br />
Riverside Villa Compound, Vo Truong<br />
Toan, D2<br />
phucteacherkd@yahoo.com<br />
Private and group classes are run after<br />
school three times a week by the friendly<br />
Mr. Phuc. Anyone over the age of five<br />
is welcome to join in the course, which<br />
costs US$50 for 12 classes/months with<br />
a US$25 fee for non-members. Contact<br />
Mr. Phuc directly on 0903 918149.<br />
BABY EQUIPMENT<br />
Baby<br />
66B Cach Mang Thang Tam, D10<br />
A large store stocking a good range of<br />
80 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 81<br />
listings<br />
baby needs, including toys, buggies,<br />
cots and bottles. Prices are reasonable.<br />
Babyland<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
Quality products including car seats,<br />
buggies, prams and travel cots and a<br />
good selection of baby toys. Carries<br />
Avent bottles and sterilizer sets, and a<br />
small range of educational books. Prices<br />
are higher than the other places, but so<br />
is the quality.<br />
Me & Be<br />
230 Vo Thi Sau, D3<br />
40 Ton That Tung, D1<br />
141D Phan Dang Luu, Phu Nhuan<br />
246 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3<br />
101-103 Khanh Hoi, D4<br />
287A Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan<br />
The closest thing to Mothercare the city<br />
has to offer. Stocks a substantial range<br />
of apparel for babies including bottles<br />
and sterilizers, cots (including travel<br />
cots), clothing, toys, safety equipment<br />
and more, all at reasonable prices.<br />
Me Oi<br />
1B Ton That Tung, D1<br />
A small shop adjacent to the maternity<br />
hospital bursting at the seams with everything<br />
you need for your baby. Clothing,<br />
footwear, bottles, nappies, nappy<br />
bags and toys all at reasonable prices.<br />
New Parent Street<br />
Nguyen Thong Street, D3 between<br />
Ly Chinh Thang and <strong>Ky</strong> Dong Street.<br />
An interesting array of baby formula and<br />
hard liquor. A one stop shopping cluster<br />
for first time parents.<br />
EDUCATION<br />
aBC international School<br />
2,1E street, KDC Trung Son, Binh Hung,<br />
Binh Chanh Tel: 5431 1833<br />
abcintschoolss@vnn.vn<br />
www.theabcis.com<br />
UK standards-based curriculum<br />
awards diploma with IGCSE’s & A<br />
Levels certified by Cambridge Universit<br />
examinations board. From playgroup to<br />
pre-university matriculation. Served by<br />
80+ British teachers. Good facilities and<br />
extra-curricular activities.<br />
aCG international School<br />
East West Highway, An Phu, D2<br />
Tel: 3747 1234<br />
www.acgedu.com<br />
Part of the Academic Colleges Group’s<br />
international network of schools, ACG<br />
offers comprehensive education from<br />
kindergarten to senior high school and<br />
a range of extracurricular activities.<br />
International curricula (IB PYP and Cambridge<br />
International Examinations).<br />
australian international School<br />
1 Cherry Blossom & Lotus 1, APSC<br />
Compound, 36 Thao Dien, D2<br />
Tel: 3744 2549<br />
21 Pham Ngoc Thach, D3<br />
Tel: 3822 4992<br />
www.aisvietnam.com<br />
A highly selective school currently offering<br />
an international curiculum as a<br />
PYP school and Cambridge A Levels.<br />
For children from pre school and primary<br />
through to year 12. Has an excellent<br />
range of extra-curricular activities and<br />
aims to foster cultural awareness. Campuses<br />
District 2 and 3.<br />
British international School<br />
An Phu Secondary Campus<br />
246 Nguyen Van Huong, D2<br />
Tel: 3744 2335<br />
www.bisvietnam.com<br />
With campuses all over the city and<br />
expansion underway, BIS offers a<br />
mixture of both English and International<br />
curricula-based education alongside<br />
excellent facilities and extra-curricular<br />
activities. Senior students follow the<br />
IGCSE and IB programmes.<br />
Canadian international School<br />
SC 39, Panorama Building, Nguyen Duc<br />
Canh, Phu My Hung, D7<br />
Tel: 5412 1549
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editorial blog<br />
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over 1,500 downloads a month<br />
ask auntie emily<br />
Answering Those Difficult Questions<br />
Dear Auntie Em: My 5-year-old<br />
daughter asked, “Mom, what’s<br />
a pimp?” I nearly choked on<br />
my bowl of pho! When I asked<br />
her where she heard that<br />
word, she told me that Jamie,<br />
one of the boys in her class,<br />
used it in a poem on the playground.<br />
I stuttered, “It’s a man<br />
who is not very nice…and we<br />
would never say it out loud.”<br />
-Where Do I Start?<br />
Dear WDIS:<br />
It’s not unlikely that young<br />
children have at least one<br />
classmate who is allowed to<br />
listen to music, watch movies<br />
or play video games that are<br />
not age-appropriate. (Might he<br />
have he been rhyming something<br />
about the Pimp My Ride<br />
TV show?) Or perhaps there’s<br />
a child whose conversation or<br />
knowledge about sex or other<br />
sensitive subjects seems way<br />
beyond his years.<br />
This is a common concern<br />
for parents. On one hand,<br />
we can be amazed at how<br />
much kids know—at how<br />
adult they seem to be. On the<br />
other hand, it’s sad because<br />
sometimes they get too much<br />
information before they’re<br />
ready to process it. While you<br />
try hard to create an age-appropriate<br />
environment for your<br />
kids, you can’t be with them<br />
24/7. Recognize that children<br />
are curious about adult things,<br />
forbidden things. If we don’t<br />
talk to our kids about what’s<br />
on their minds, someone else<br />
will and we run the risk that<br />
they will be misled.<br />
Posing a question in<br />
response to the question was<br />
a good idea. Sometimes kids<br />
are seeking answers, but they<br />
may also be seeking reassurance.<br />
Asking, “Where did<br />
you hear that?” is good, but<br />
enquiring, “Why do you ask?”<br />
is more specific. This question<br />
promotes the sharing of<br />
information that helps you to<br />
understand why they want to<br />
know and to better prepare<br />
your answer.<br />
A good example comes<br />
from a doctor friend. Her<br />
6-year-old daughter asked,<br />
“Where do I come from?” My<br />
friend went into a complicated<br />
explanation but her daughter<br />
interrupted and added,<br />
“Because Lu Li comes from<br />
China, and Sarah comes from<br />
Canada…”<br />
Don’t stonewall by saying,<br />
“I’ll tell you about that when<br />
you’re ready.” Do your best to<br />
answer the question. Resist<br />
the urge to rush to judgment:<br />
“Jamie has no business talking<br />
about those things and you<br />
certainly shouldn’t be repeating<br />
them.” If children ask a<br />
question—no matter how<br />
taken aback you are—they<br />
deserve an honest answer.<br />
Email your questions about<br />
early childhood development<br />
to auntie-em@asialifehcmc.<br />
com.<br />
82 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 83
If we don't take<br />
tuna off the menu,<br />
it will be off the<br />
menu forever<br />
The resources of the oceans contribute an estimated 12 trillion dollars to the global<br />
economy each year, so there are huge economic benefits from a healthy ocean. Overfishing<br />
is the main cause of the ocean’s destruction intensified by pollution and climate<br />
change with tuna at the frontline of destruction in 5% of the world catch.<br />
• Tuna, specifically bluefin are close to extinction,<br />
on par with pandas, rhinos and tigers.<br />
• Although one of the fastest animals on the<br />
planet reaching speeds of up to 90km/hour<br />
in long distance oceanic migration, they<br />
cannot escape the weapons of mass<br />
destruction (trawlers, commercial long line<br />
fishing vessels) and man’s voracious appetite<br />
for sashimi and steaks.<br />
• A third of their population is depleted annually<br />
with significant by-catch of sharks,<br />
dolphins, turtles and rays. Their spawning<br />
age is 8-9 years and conservation prevented<br />
by a lack of protected spawning grounds, a<br />
lack of appropriate management, organized<br />
crime, corruption, rising market value and<br />
short term benefits to a relatively few people.<br />
• Collective action is needed to stop eating the<br />
bluefin tuna and let tuna grow and multiply.<br />
N.B. As bluefin stocks drop, greater pressure is on albacore, bigeye and yellowfin species. All<br />
tuna are warm blooded and their meat spoils easily plus Albacore tuna has relatively high<br />
levels of mercury.<br />
tuna off the menu at refinery<br />
To find us, walk through the arch at<br />
74 Hai Ba Trung and discover our<br />
beautiful secluded courtyard.<br />
Telephone<br />
3823 0509<br />
Open 7 Days<br />
www.cis.edu.vn<br />
cis@cis.edu.vn<br />
The first Canadian international school in<br />
Vietnam offers classes from kindergarten<br />
to grade 9 for local and foreign students.<br />
Teaches core Ontario curriculum and<br />
awards Ontario Secondary School<br />
Diploma (OSSD), recognised by universities<br />
worldwide. Vietnamese programme<br />
taught by local teachers.<br />
international School <strong>HCMC</strong><br />
28 Vo Truong Toan, D2<br />
Tel: 3898 9100<br />
www.ishcmc.com<br />
One of 136 schools around the world to<br />
be accredited as an IB World School. Offers<br />
all three of the IB programmes from<br />
primary through to grade 12. The school<br />
is fully accredited by CIS and NEASC<br />
and has a strong focus on community<br />
spirit and fosters an awareness of other<br />
languages and cultures.<br />
Montessori international School<br />
42/1 Ngo Quang Huy, D2<br />
Tel: 3744 2639<br />
www.montessori.edu.vn<br />
Montessori utilises an internationally<br />
recognised educational method which<br />
focuses on fostering the child’s natural<br />
desire to learn. The aim is to create an<br />
encouraging environment conducive to<br />
learning by developing a sense of self and<br />
individuality. A wide array of curriculum/<br />
extra-curricular activities are on offer<br />
including Bilingual programs.<br />
Renaissance international School<br />
74 Nguyen Thi Thap, D7<br />
Tel: 3773 3171<br />
www.rissaigon.edu.vn<br />
IB World school, one of Vietnam’s international<br />
schools operating within the framework<br />
of the British system. RISS provide a<br />
high quality English medium education in<br />
a stimulating, challenging and supportive<br />
environment. The purpose built, modern<br />
campus has excellent facilities.<br />
RMiT<br />
702 Nguyen Van Linh, D7<br />
Tel: 3776 1369<br />
Australian university located in District 7,<br />
offers a highly regarded MBA and undergraduate<br />
courses in various fields.<br />
Saigon Kids Centre<br />
104A Tran Quoc Toan, D3<br />
Tel: 3932 5579<br />
saigonkidscentre@yahoo.com<br />
An international childcare centre for<br />
children aged between two and six years<br />
old. Offers a homely and warm environment<br />
for children to play and learn.<br />
Saigon South international School<br />
Nguyen Van Linh Parkway, D7<br />
Tel: 5413 0901<br />
www.ssis.edu.vn<br />
An International school environment offering<br />
an American/international program<br />
in a large, spacious campus, to children<br />
from age 3 to grade 12. Great facilities,<br />
extra-curricular activities and internationally<br />
trained teachers giving an unique<br />
opportunities to learn.<br />
Saigon Star international School<br />
172 Nguyen Van Thu, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 0341<br />
www.saigonstarschool.edu.vn<br />
Offers a British primary curriculum approved<br />
by Cambridge University and integrated<br />
Montessori programme for nursery<br />
and kindergarten. Qualified, experienced<br />
teachers and small class sizes cater to<br />
individual needs and abilities.<br />
Singapore international School (SiS)<br />
No.29, Road No.3, Trung Son Residential<br />
Area, Hamlet 4, Binh Hung Ward,<br />
Binh Chanh District<br />
Tel: 5431 7477<br />
www.kinderworld.net<br />
Students play and learn in an environment<br />
where the best of Western and<br />
Eastern cultures amalgamate to prepare<br />
KinderWorld’s students for today’s<br />
challenging world drawn from both the<br />
Singapore and Australian curriculum. The<br />
school offers International Certifications<br />
such as the iPSLE, IGCSE and GAC.<br />
Smartkids<br />
1172 Thao Dien Compound, Thao Dien<br />
Ward, D2 Tel: 3744 6076<br />
www.smartkidsinfo.com<br />
International child care center offers day<br />
care and pre-school to children from eighteen<br />
months to six years old. Fun and<br />
friendly environment focuses on learning<br />
through play.<br />
Stamford Grammar<br />
214 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D3<br />
Tel: 3930 7343<br />
4Bis Phung Khac Khoan, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 3339<br />
www.stamfordgrammar.com<br />
enquiry@stamfordgrammar.com<br />
International kindergarten following a<br />
Singapore curriculum for children from<br />
18 months to 6 years of age. Taught by<br />
Vietnamese and native English-speaking<br />
teachers. Outdoor play areas, swimming<br />
pool, music and art & craft rooms where<br />
students can play and learn in a safe<br />
environment.<br />
ENTERTAINMENT<br />
Diamond Plaza<br />
34 Le Duan, D1<br />
The top floor arcade and bowling alley is<br />
bound to keep your little ones entertained<br />
for hours with an impressive array of<br />
video games. Some child-friendly dining<br />
options too, with Pizza Hut on hand,<br />
a KFC and a New Zealand Natural ice<br />
cream concession.<br />
Gymboree Play & Music<br />
Somerset Chancellor Court<br />
21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1<br />
Tel: 3827 7008<br />
www.gymboreeclasses.com.vn<br />
The Gymboree Play & Music offers<br />
children from newborn to 5 years old the<br />
opportunity to explore, learn and play in<br />
an innovative parent-child programmes.<br />
Parkson Plaza<br />
39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
Arcade game after arcade game line the<br />
top floor here with a bowling alley and a<br />
decent food court thrown in on the floor<br />
below. A good place to take the kids after<br />
trawling through Parkson’s numerous<br />
concession stands.<br />
PARTIES<br />
a2<br />
196 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D3<br />
Well-known toy shop that also does a<br />
substantial line in fancy dress costumes<br />
and partywear. Also has a concession at<br />
An Phu Supermarket.<br />
Beatrice’s Party Shop<br />
235 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
A lovely little shop selling everything you<br />
need to throw your little ones a good<br />
party. A catalogue of entertainers showcases<br />
a number of party favourites such<br />
as magicians, circuses and more.<br />
Nguyen Ngoc Diem Phuong<br />
131C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1<br />
A curious shop stocking a range of handmade<br />
fancy dress costumes such as<br />
masks, superman outfits and much more.<br />
The stock changes seasonally, so this is<br />
a good place to stock up on Halloween,<br />
Christmas and other holiday-specific<br />
party costumes. Prices are also on the<br />
cheap.<br />
The Balloon Man<br />
Tel: 3990 3560<br />
Does exactly as his name suggests – balloons.<br />
Great service has earned this chap<br />
a reputation around town for turning up<br />
almost instantly with a superb selection of<br />
balloons. Also provides helium balloons.<br />
Childcare for children<br />
from 18 months to 6 years old<br />
Flexible programs available<br />
enrolment possible at any moment of the year<br />
1172 Thao Dien Compound, District 2, <strong>HCMC</strong> (Thao Dien)<br />
26 Street 10, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, <strong>HCMC</strong> (Riverside/ IS<strong>HCMC</strong> area)<br />
Tel: +84 (0) 8 3744 6076 or 0903 957 316 (Ms. Yoko)<br />
Email: enquiry@smartkidsinfo.com<br />
Web: www.smartkidsinfo.com<br />
84 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 85
finance<br />
Living Your Life<br />
By Paul Mclardie<br />
The vast majority of people<br />
working in Vietnam have<br />
health insurance through their<br />
employer. However, what<br />
happens if you fall ill and can’t<br />
return to work? Do you know<br />
how long your sick benefits<br />
will last?<br />
Paying for your children’s<br />
education, rent and day-today<br />
life will start to eat away<br />
at your savings and soon<br />
enough, you may find yourself<br />
on a plane back home, even<br />
if you want to stay here.<br />
So, what can you do?<br />
There are two alternatives:<br />
either live off your savings or<br />
consider purchasing disability<br />
insurance.<br />
Living off of your savings<br />
will only last as long as you<br />
can make it last. Think about<br />
how much you earn. Add<br />
to that the things that your<br />
employer may already pay<br />
for—your rent, car, flight allowances<br />
and the children’s<br />
school fees. Next, look at the<br />
value of your savings. If you<br />
wish to continue leading the<br />
life you have at the moment,<br />
your savings may quickly<br />
diminish.<br />
You could take a regular<br />
income from your savings,<br />
leaving the pot untouched<br />
and living off the interest. But<br />
how much will you actu-<br />
ally need to replace the lost<br />
income? For example, for you<br />
to have an income from your<br />
savings at 5 percent of USD<br />
$40,000, you would need to<br />
have a savings in excess of<br />
$700,000. Not many people<br />
have that.<br />
The second option is to<br />
have separate critical illness<br />
or income protection insurance.<br />
These are plans that<br />
you can pay into monthly.<br />
Like automobile or house<br />
insurance, you only get paid<br />
if something happens to<br />
you. The price of these plans<br />
varies depending on factors<br />
such as your age, occupation<br />
and general health.<br />
You wouldn’t think twice<br />
about taking auto or home<br />
insurance, so why not insure<br />
yourself?<br />
Please make sure that<br />
your health insurance is up to<br />
date and the level of cover is<br />
more than what you think you<br />
require, but also have a look<br />
at income protection insurance.<br />
The first may save your<br />
life; the latter will let you lead<br />
it how you want.<br />
Contributed by Paul<br />
McLardie, Partner at Total<br />
Wealth Management. Paul.<br />
mclardie@t-wm.com, www.twm.com.<br />
listings<br />
living<br />
BUSINESS GROUPS<br />
amCham<br />
New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1<br />
Business Centre, Room 323<br />
Tel: 3824 3562<br />
www.amchamvietnam.com<br />
ausCham<br />
TV Building, Suite 1A, 31A Nguyen Dinh<br />
Chieu, D1 Tel: 3911 0272 / 73 / 74<br />
www.auschamvn.org<br />
British Business Group of Vietnam<br />
25 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3829 8430<br />
execmgr@bbgv.org<br />
www.bbgv.org<br />
CanCham<br />
New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1<br />
Business Centre, Room 305<br />
Tel: 3824 3754<br />
www.canchamvietnam.org<br />
eurocham<br />
257 Hoang Van Thu, Tan Binh<br />
Tel: 3845 5528<br />
www.eurochamvn.org<br />
German Business Group<br />
21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1<br />
www.gba-vietnam.org<br />
Singapore Business Group<br />
Unit 1B2, 21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai,<br />
D1 Tel: 3823 3046<br />
www.sbghcmc.org<br />
Hong Kong Business association<br />
New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai, D1<br />
Business Centre, Room 322<br />
Tel: 3824 3757 / 3822 8888<br />
www.hkbav.com<br />
NordCham<br />
Bitexco Building, 19-25 Nguyen Hue, D1<br />
Tel: 3821 5423<br />
www.nordcham.com<br />
CAMERAS<br />
Hung Hai<br />
75 Huynh Thuc Khang, D1<br />
A good place to purchase hard-to-find<br />
gear and some rare equipment, mainly<br />
auto focus lenses.<br />
le Duc<br />
5B Huynh Tinh Cua, D3<br />
A shop for all your professional accessory<br />
needs. From lighting equipment to tripods<br />
and reflectors, the shop offers the best<br />
equipment and service in HCM City.<br />
Pham The<br />
11 Le Cong Kieu, D1<br />
An authorized service center for Nikon<br />
camera that also specialises in repairing all<br />
camera makes. Measurement equipment<br />
and spare parts also available.<br />
Shop 46<br />
46 Nguyen Hue, D1<br />
Small shop run by photographer and collector.<br />
The owner’s more collectible pieces<br />
are pricey, but entry-level manual focus<br />
SLRs from the 70s and 80s are affordable.<br />
COMPUTERS<br />
Computer Street<br />
Luong Huu Khanh, D1 between Nguyen<br />
Thi Minh Khai and Nguyen Trai<br />
This stretch of District 1 is literally wall to<br />
wall with small shops selling computers,<br />
printers, monitors and everything computer<br />
related, more so toward the NTMK<br />
end of the drag.<br />
iCenter<br />
142A Vo Thi Sau, D3<br />
Tel: 3820 3918<br />
Professional, polished Apple retailer and<br />
repair centre with an attractive showroom<br />
featuring some of the latest in accessories<br />
and audio. English-speakers on staff. Honours<br />
Apple service plans.<br />
future World<br />
240 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3<br />
Authorized reseller of Apple computers<br />
and products, as well as some off-brand<br />
items like headphones. Excellent service<br />
and English-speaking staff. Accepts credit<br />
cards.<br />
Phong Vu Computer<br />
264C Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1<br />
Tel: 3933 0762<br />
www.vitinhphongvu.com<br />
The biggest and busiest of the PC stores<br />
in town. Known for good, efficient service,<br />
in-house maintenance and after-sales<br />
repair on the second floor.<br />
SYS Vi Tinh Saigon<br />
96C <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D1<br />
www.vtsaigon.com<br />
A superb place with an excellent reputation<br />
for after-sales service with competent<br />
English speaking staff and a wide range<br />
of products and services. Freeware and<br />
shareware also available on the store<br />
website.<br />
CONSULTING<br />
Concetti<br />
33 Dinh Tien Hoang, D1 Tel: 3911 1480<br />
www.concetti-vn.com<br />
Consulting and research company for<br />
technology transfer and investment.<br />
ernst & Young<br />
Saigon Riverside Office Center, 2A-4A<br />
Ton Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3824 5252<br />
www.ey.com<br />
Professional service firm specializing in<br />
advisory, assurance, tax, transactions and<br />
strategic growth markets.<br />
flamingo Corporate Services<br />
Indochina Park Tower, Room 606,<br />
4 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1<br />
Tel: 2217 1662<br />
www.flamingovn.com<br />
Provide optimised immigration solutions<br />
and services such as visas, work permits,<br />
resident permits, police clearances,<br />
authentication, certification and apostille in<br />
Vietnam and worldwide.<br />
Grant Thornton<br />
Saigon Trade Centre, 37 Ton Duc Thang,<br />
D1 Tel: 3910 9100<br />
www.gt.com.vn<br />
International business advisors specializing<br />
in auditing, management consulting,<br />
corporate finance, risk management and<br />
information technology.<br />
inspired image<br />
42/2A Ho Hao Hon, D1<br />
Tel: 091 635 2573<br />
www.inspiredimage.co.uk<br />
Image consultant and personal stylist.<br />
Previous clients include business leaders,<br />
TV presenters and busy professionals.<br />
Phuong Nguyen Consulting<br />
TPC Business Center, 92-96 Nguyen<br />
Hue, D1 Tel: 3829 2391<br />
www.pnp-consulting.com<br />
Specializing in business facilitation, conferences,<br />
education counselling, marketentry<br />
research and IT/business consulting.<br />
Rouse & Co. international<br />
Abacus Tower, 58 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 6770<br />
www.iprights.com<br />
Global intellectual property firm providing<br />
a full range of IP services including patent<br />
and trade mark agency services.<br />
Star Management limited<br />
92-96 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3897 2765<br />
www.starlimited.com<br />
Business advisory services for companies<br />
investing in Vietnam, business/project<br />
advancement and a range of business<br />
development services.<br />
Towers Watson Vietnam (formerly<br />
Watson Wyatt and SMaRT HR)<br />
Sun Wah Tower, 115 Nguyen Hue, Suite<br />
808, D1<br />
Tel: 3821 9488<br />
Global HR consulting firm specializing in<br />
executive compensation, talent management,<br />
employee rewards and surveys,<br />
HR effectiveness and technology, data<br />
services and total rewards surveys.<br />
DECOR<br />
Antique Street<br />
Le Cong Kieu Street, D1 between Nguyen<br />
Thai Binh and Pho Duc Chinh<br />
A Variety of antiquesand faux antiques<br />
from Thailand, China and Vietnam<br />
including silverware, compasses, lighters,<br />
brass knockers, urns, vases, abacuses,<br />
religious and pagan statues, candlestick<br />
holders, furniture and watches.<br />
anupa Boutique<br />
84 Pho Duc Chinh, D1 Tel: 3915 1473<br />
Retails in unique and affordable range of<br />
consol and coffee tables, trays, mirrors<br />
and lamps in a range of different textures<br />
such as leather resin, bamboo and<br />
walnut.<br />
asian fish<br />
34 Mac Thi Buoi, D1<br />
Boutique-style arts and crafts store selling<br />
locally made gifts and souvenirs, all designed<br />
by the Japanese owner. Products<br />
include clothing, bags, crockery, sandals,<br />
chopsticks and jewellery.<br />
Aquarium Street<br />
Nguyen Thong Street, D3 between Vo<br />
Thi Sau and Ly Chinh Thang<br />
Dedicated street has everything one<br />
needs to display fish: tanks, decor, feed,<br />
filters and the fish themselves.<br />
Budget Housewares Street<br />
Corner of Pasteur and Nguyen Dinh<br />
Chieu<br />
Stock up on shower heads, kitchen<br />
supplies (juicer, spatula, grater, etc.),<br />
coat racks, clothes hangers, pots, pans,<br />
champagne flutes, bowls, coolers, trash<br />
bins, ironing boards, magazine racks and<br />
the like.<br />
Chau loan<br />
213 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3825 7991<br />
Gallery based in a colonial shophouse<br />
stocking mainly Vietnamese-themed oil<br />
paintings and images of Buddha. Also<br />
deals in better-known reproductions.<br />
Decosy<br />
112 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 6281 9917<br />
Producer of a large selection of European<br />
styled furniture and interior fittings,<br />
specializing in wrought iron and patine<br />
(distressed) wood finishes. Also stocks a<br />
wide- range of decorative accessories,<br />
crockery and fixtures. Custom design<br />
services available upon request.<br />
Dogma<br />
175 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3836 0488<br />
www.dogmavietnam.com<br />
Located upstairs from Saigon Kitsch,<br />
this art gallery deals in Vietnamese propaganda<br />
posters, apparel, accessories<br />
and random paraphernalia. Large prints<br />
are sold at US$60 each and small prints<br />
cost US$25.<br />
Minh Boutique<br />
15 Nguyen Thiep, D1<br />
Lacquerware pieces, tea boxes, teapot<br />
warmers, ice buckets and sake drinking<br />
sets all handmade in Vietnam. Also sells<br />
a range of silverware, egg holders and<br />
ice tongs.<br />
OUT-2 STUDiO<br />
L6 Fafilm annex<br />
6 Thai Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3825 6056<br />
STUDIO@OUT-2.com<br />
www.out-2.com<br />
Studio space for independent designers<br />
to showcas their wares, sell their work<br />
and meet with clients. Open Monday t<br />
Saturday 10am to 6pm.<br />
Phuong Mai<br />
213C Dong <strong>Khoi</strong><br />
www.phuongmai-gallery.com<br />
Gallery specialising in original oils by<br />
Vietnamese artists. The works here are a<br />
mish-mash of styles but do contain some<br />
standouts, particularly well-known local<br />
artists La Hon, Quy Tam and Pham Trinh.<br />
Sapa<br />
125 Ho Tung Mau, D1<br />
Offers a better selection of hill tribe<br />
handicrafts than most of its rivals.<br />
Concentrates mainly on the hand-woven<br />
clothing of the indigenous tribespeople of<br />
the region. There is also a line in ladies’<br />
shoes and the standard range of silk<br />
wraps and bags.<br />
Son & Then Photogallery<br />
94 Mac Dinh Chi, D1<br />
Adorning the walls of this gallery-cumcafé<br />
are a number of photographs by<br />
local photographers mostly focusing on<br />
tasteful female nudes. Smaller prints start<br />
at US$20 while larger works can reach<br />
US$500. Framing, consulting and delivery<br />
services are also available.<br />
Vietnam-Quilts<br />
64 Ngo Duc Ke, D1 Tel: 3914 2119<br />
www.mekong-quilts.org<br />
NGO enterprise specialises in quilts and<br />
Houses & Villas<br />
For rent in Dist.2, HCM: An Phu,<br />
Thao Dien, & Tran Nao<br />
Save time:<br />
See all pictures<br />
& details online.<br />
Updated daily.<br />
www.snap.com.vn<br />
E : linhnguyen@hbdecor.com.vn - www.linhfurniture.com<br />
86 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 87
sells a range of appealing handmade<br />
products created by underprivileged<br />
women in Binh Thuan Province.<br />
ELECTRONICS<br />
Hi end audio<br />
84 Ho Tung Mau, D1<br />
A standout that stocks the very latest<br />
and greatest in home entertainment.<br />
Retails in everything from giant plasmascreen<br />
TVs to audio equipment. Most<br />
top brands are available.<br />
iDeaS Shopping Centre<br />
133-141AB Cach Mang Thang Tam, D3<br />
The largest of the electonics stores along<br />
the street, the three-storey iDEAS sells<br />
every type of electronic and home appliance<br />
imaginable. Offers proper warranties.<br />
Staff speaks some English.<br />
Nguyen Kim Shopping Centre<br />
63-65 Tran Hung Dao, D1<br />
Tel: 3821 1211<br />
www.nguyenkim.com<br />
Stocks DVD/CD players, cameras,<br />
TVs, hi-fis and more from Sony, Sanyo,<br />
Panasonic, Philips and other major<br />
manufacturers. Also a good place to pick<br />
up electronic kitchen supplies like coffee<br />
makers and rice cookers, as well as large<br />
and small appliances, from hot water<br />
heaters to regrigerators.<br />
Phong Vu<br />
125 Cach Mang Thang Tam, D1<br />
Tel: 6290 8777<br />
www.vitinphongvu.com<br />
Two-storey electronics store retails in<br />
international products conveniently<br />
grouped by brand. Carries computers,<br />
home audio, printers, hard drives and<br />
more, as well as a variety of mobile<br />
phones, handheld electronic devices and<br />
accessories.<br />
Savico<br />
117 Ho Tung Mau, D1 Tel: 3821 7993<br />
One-stop electronics and home appliance<br />
superstore. All products have a one<br />
to three-year warranty.<br />
Tech Street<br />
Huyen Thuc Khang Street between Ton<br />
That Dam and Nguyen Hue, D1<br />
Sells compact discs, DVDs, electronic<br />
money counters, video games and<br />
systems, Discmans, mp3 players and<br />
portable DVD players.<br />
FURNITURE<br />
appeal<br />
41 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 5258<br />
A small, upscale shop that offers modern<br />
accents for the sleek dining room. The<br />
colours of the over-sized vases and<br />
fruit bowls are either glistening red or<br />
lacquered black.<br />
austinHome<br />
20 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3519 0023<br />
Outstanding quality and style for your<br />
home. The shop says its products are<br />
hand-picked by an American furniture<br />
expert from the best factories in Vietnam.<br />
Upholstery, accessories, antiques and<br />
more.<br />
Catherine Denoual<br />
15C Thi Sach, D1 Tel: 3823 9394<br />
Beautiful showroom with clean lines and<br />
a sumptuous array of bedroom products<br />
including bedside lamps, linens, pillowcases<br />
and duvet covers.<br />
Decosy<br />
112 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 6281 9917<br />
Producer of a large selection of European<br />
styled furniture and interior fittings,<br />
specializing in wrought iron and patine<br />
(distressed) wood finishes. Also stocks a<br />
wide- range of decorative accessories,<br />
crockery and fixtures. Custom design<br />
services available upon request.<br />
el Gallery<br />
23 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3824 8306<br />
Traditional decor with a modern twist.<br />
Offers a variety of mid- to high-range<br />
furniture, rugs, lighting, art and accessories<br />
from around the world, plus interior<br />
design services. Also imports furniture<br />
to Vietnam for export to Europe and the<br />
United States.<br />
esthetic<br />
2B Ngo Van <strong>Nam</strong>, D1 Tel: 3910 1996/7<br />
Design and manufacture as order with a<br />
mixture of antique and modern furniture.<br />
Friendly staff speak excellent English.<br />
furniture Outlet<br />
3A Ton Duc Thang, D1<br />
Tel: 2243 7955/3911 0104<br />
Wide selection of well-crafted and carefully<br />
constructed pine wood pieces at<br />
good prices, aimed at customers craving<br />
a taste of Europe.<br />
furniture Street<br />
Ngo Gia Tu, D10 between Ly Thai To and<br />
Nguyen Chi Thanh<br />
Very affordable furniture can be found on<br />
this stretch: couches, mattresses, desks,<br />
chairs, etc. It often takes some looking to<br />
find a gem. A connected sidestreet, Ba<br />
Hat, features woodworkers’ shops.<br />
Gaya<br />
1 Nguyen Van Trang, D1 Tel: 3925<br />
1495<br />
www.gayavietnam.com<br />
Four-floor store featuring the work of<br />
foreign designers: home accessories and<br />
outdoor furniture by Lawson Johnston,<br />
linens by Corinne Leveilley-Dadda,<br />
furniture and lighting by Quasar Khanh,<br />
laquerware decor by Michele De Albert<br />
and furniture and decor by vivekkevin.<br />
linh’s White<br />
37 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 6281 9863<br />
Furniture shop that focuses on solid<br />
wood furniture and decorative items<br />
ranging from pillows and lamps to<br />
bedding. Also offers kids’ furniture and<br />
custom pieces.<br />
Mantra<br />
84 Pho Duc Chinh, D1<br />
Tel: 3915 1473<br />
www.mantravietnam.com<br />
Tables, photo frames, trays, stools are<br />
just some of the elegant vivekkevin items<br />
you will find at Mantra. If you’re looking<br />
for items that use Vietnamese materials<br />
but have a modern contemporary feel,<br />
Mantra is it. New items received daily.<br />
Mekong Merchant Boutique<br />
23 Thao Dien, D2<br />
Tel: 3744 4713<br />
Small rustic boutique attached to the<br />
popular restaurant sells hybrid furniture,<br />
accessories, candles and handicrafts.<br />
Also hosts sem-regular bazaars in support<br />
of the Indochina Media Memorial<br />
Foundation.<br />
Rare Decor<br />
41 Hai Ba Trung, D1 Tel: 3822 2284<br />
137/1 Nguyen Huu Canh, Binh Thanh<br />
Tel: 3840 6304/5<br />
Leading home furnishings company in<br />
Vietnam, supplying high quality, unique<br />
products. Also offer custom made<br />
furniture, accessories and lighting for<br />
commercial projects and home use.<br />
Remix Deco<br />
222 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D3<br />
Tel: 3930 4190<br />
www.remixdeco.com<br />
Boutique furniture store in sprawling<br />
white with modern furniture including<br />
sofas, tables and seating from around<br />
the world. Featured designers include<br />
Le Corbusier, Ray & Charles Eames,<br />
Philippe Starck and Ludwig Mies Van<br />
der Rhode.<br />
Shop 63<br />
63 Xuan Thuy, D2 Tel: 3898 2821<br />
Large, serene antique shop specializing<br />
in furniture in French colonial, Asian and<br />
art deco styles, as well as lamps, vases<br />
and other home décor from around the<br />
world. Also carries small collection of<br />
original paintings, fashion and jewellery.<br />
The lost art<br />
31 Nguyen Cong Tru, D1<br />
Tel: 3829 0134<br />
Extensive product range as well as<br />
comprehensive interior design service,<br />
from initial conceptualization to design,<br />
manufacture and installation of unique<br />
products.<br />
The Sixty Three<br />
63 Xuan Thuy Ward, Thao DIen, D2<br />
Tel: 0938 485 211<br />
www.let-us-do.com<br />
New show room concept store of architectural<br />
and interior design collective ‘Let<br />
Us Do’. Specialises in unique and original<br />
furnitures, interior decoration, lamps and<br />
women’s fashion and jewellery.<br />
Thien an furniture<br />
90A Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D1<br />
Tel: 3910 5650<br />
A range of beautiful furniture with a<br />
distinct traditional flavor from colourful<br />
silk lampshades, wooden carved beds,<br />
screens, chests and more.<br />
LEGAL<br />
allens arthur Robinson<br />
Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 1717<br />
www.vietnamlaws.com<br />
Australian law firm for law translation<br />
services and legal advice on foreign<br />
investment and business in Vietnam.<br />
Baker & McKenzie<br />
Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1<br />
Tel: 3829 5585<br />
www.bakernet.com<br />
International law firm providing on-theground<br />
liaison and support services<br />
to clients interested in investigating,<br />
negotiating and implementing projects<br />
in Vietnam.<br />
frasers international<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
Tel: 3824 2733<br />
www.frasersvn.com<br />
Full service commercial law firm providing<br />
international and Vietnamese legal advice<br />
to both foreign and local clients specializing<br />
in transactions in Vietnam.<br />
indochine Counsel<br />
Han <strong>Nam</strong> Building, 65 Nguyen Du, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 9640<br />
www.indochinecounsel.com<br />
Business law practitioners specializing<br />
in mergers & acquistions, inward investment,<br />
and securities & capital markets.<br />
limcharoen, Hughes and Glanville<br />
Havana Tower, 132 Ham Nghi, D1<br />
Tel: 6291 7000<br />
www.limcharoen.com<br />
Full service international law firm with<br />
head office in Thailand. Main focus on<br />
real estate in Asia.<br />
lucy Wayne & associates<br />
17 Le Duan, D1 Tel: 3824 4395<br />
www.lwavietnam.com<br />
Law firm providing legal services across<br />
the board from entertainment and<br />
environmental law to health care and<br />
real estate.<br />
Phillips fox<br />
Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 1717<br />
Full service law firm providing legal<br />
services in healthcare, education, crime,<br />
banking and hospitality among others.<br />
Pricewaterhousecoopers legal<br />
Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan, D1<br />
Tel: 3823 0796<br />
www.pwc.com/vn<br />
Part of a network of international legal<br />
and financial advisors, PWC gives both<br />
specialist and general legal advice with a<br />
focus on mutli-territory projects.<br />
Rödl & Partner<br />
Somerset Chancellor Court<br />
21-23 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1<br />
Tel: 3824 4225<br />
www.roedl.com<br />
European legal firm assisting foreign<br />
investors with structuring/establishing<br />
companies, investment projects, and<br />
mergers & acquistions.<br />
LIGHTING<br />
Caodong Design Boutique<br />
37bis Mac Dinh Chi, D1<br />
207L Vo Thi Sau, D3<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
Spanking new store with a range of<br />
beautiful items ranging from interesting<br />
lighting with decorative table lamps with<br />
hand-painted paper shades and some<br />
lovely leather boxes and gift ideas.<br />
light House<br />
92 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D1<br />
Tel: 3914 2662<br />
Small retail shop is packed with ceiling<br />
and wall light fixtures, and a good selection<br />
of desk and ceiling lamps. Most of<br />
the stock is decidedlly modern and sleak.<br />
luxury light<br />
1483 My Toan 1, Nguyen Van Linh,<br />
Phu My Hung, D7<br />
For those who really want to bring a<br />
touch of luxury to their homes, this place<br />
deals with Italian imported lighting from<br />
the ultra - modern to the traditional<br />
Murano style chandeliers. Extremely expensive<br />
reflecting the quality of the design<br />
and workmanship.<br />
Mosaique<br />
98 Mac Thi Buoi, D1<br />
One of the best and most diverse selections<br />
of lamps in town with everything<br />
from the ordinary decorative lotus silk<br />
lamp to more inventive and original<br />
designs in lacquer and silk.<br />
Treasure light<br />
18A Bis Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 4315<br />
www.treasure-light.com<br />
High-end lighting shop specialising in fine<br />
lacquered lamps. Designs are sophisticated<br />
and minimilast. Wide selection of<br />
table lamps, wall lamps, floor lamps and<br />
ceiling lamps.<br />
MOTORBIKES<br />
Automotive Street<br />
Ly Thai To Street, D10 starting at Dien<br />
Bien Phu and running southeast<br />
Services include mending motorbike<br />
seats and sound system installation.<br />
Products range from zebra print motorbike<br />
seat covers to car and motorbike<br />
tyres, hubcaps, rims, subwoofers and<br />
sound systems by Xplode.<br />
Bike City<br />
480D Nguyen Thi Thap, D7<br />
Luxury motorcycle shop carries a range<br />
of accessories, including apparel. Sells<br />
Vemar helmets, a brand that passes<br />
rigorous European Union standards.<br />
Protec Helmets<br />
18bis/3A Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, D1<br />
248C Phan Dinh Phung, Phu Nhuan<br />
417B Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3<br />
American nonprofit manufacturer makes<br />
helmets with densely compressed polystyrene<br />
shell with ABS, PVC or fiberglass<br />
exterior, available with polycarbonate<br />
shatter-proof shield. Lots of options for<br />
kids.<br />
Zeus Helmets<br />
Founded in Taiwan to manufacture cool,<br />
comfortable helmets that meet worldwide<br />
safety standards. Basic models feature<br />
thermo-injected shells constructed from<br />
lightweight ABS composite with interiors<br />
lined with moisture-absorbant brushed<br />
nylon. Shops selling authentic Zeus<br />
helmets are located on Pham Hong Thai<br />
near Ben Thanh Market.<br />
REAL ESTATE<br />
CB Richard ellis<br />
Me Linh Point Tower, 2 Ngo Duc Ke, D1<br />
Tel: 3824 6125<br />
www.cbre.com<br />
International property consultants and<br />
developers with both commercial and<br />
private properties for sale, lease and rent.<br />
Chamber Property Consultants<br />
Tel: 0168 349 9991<br />
www.chamberproperty.com<br />
Chamber Property Consultancy has more<br />
than 100 houses and flats available for<br />
rent in <strong>HCMC</strong>. Contact them today for<br />
more information.<br />
Diamond Plaza<br />
34 Le Duan Street<br />
Tel: 3822 1922<br />
lntdung@diamondplaza.com.vn<br />
Located in the heart of District 1, connected<br />
to Diamond PLaza. Services<br />
1- to 4-bedroom apartments with gym,<br />
swimming pool and panoramic views of<br />
the city<br />
interContinental asiana Saigon<br />
Residences<br />
Corner of Hai Ba Trung & Nguyen Du, D1<br />
Tel: 3520 8888<br />
saigon@interconti.com<br />
www.intercontinental.com/saigonres<br />
Contemporary residential space in the<br />
heart of the major business and cultural<br />
area in District 1. There are 260 one, two<br />
or three-bedroom units plus health club<br />
and outdoor swimming pool.<br />
<strong>Nam</strong>house Corporation<br />
24 Xuan Thuy, Thao Dien, D2<br />
Tel: 0989 007 700, 0989 115 511<br />
www.namhouse.com.vn<br />
Provides rental properties, construction<br />
services and interior decorating. Supports<br />
professional services and after-sales.<br />
The Nest<br />
Tel: 090 319 8901 (Laurence)<br />
Tel: 090 793 3000 (Thuong)<br />
laurence@thenest-vietnam.com<br />
thuong@thenest-vietnam.com<br />
www.thenest-vietnam.com<br />
Real estate agent maintains a wellorganized<br />
and frequently updated website<br />
listing apartments, villas, townhouses<br />
condos and offices. Renters/buyers can<br />
receive regular updates via email.<br />
Nguyen Du Park Villas<br />
111 Nguyen Du, D1<br />
Tel: 3822 0788<br />
www.ndparkvillas.com.vn<br />
Boutique residence of fully-serviced,<br />
luxury downtown apartments designed<br />
to combine the atmosphere of a villa with<br />
ranges in size from one-bedroom apartments<br />
to four-bedroom duplex units.<br />
Platinum1<br />
Star Building, 33 Mac Dinh Chi, D1<br />
Tel: 3911 8193<br />
www.platinum1corp.com<br />
Your one-stop agency for housing and<br />
office space in the city with pre-viewing<br />
selection before the visit and full support<br />
throughout your lease.<br />
Riverside apartments<br />
53 Vo Truong Toan, D2<br />
Tel: 3744 4111<br />
www.riverside-apartments.com<br />
One of the first luxury serviced apartments<br />
in town located next to the Saigon<br />
River set in lush tropical gardens.<br />
Saigon Village<br />
523 To Hien Thanh, D10<br />
Tel: 3865 7249<br />
www.saigonvillage.vnn.vn<br />
Fully furnished villas and apartments in<br />
a tranquil, leafy complex cordonned off<br />
from the pressures of Ho Chi Minh City.<br />
Snap<br />
Tel: 0989 816 676<br />
www.snap.com.vn<br />
Online Real Estate service providing infor-<br />
88 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 89
people matter<br />
Transparency: Is it Important?<br />
By Gary Woollacott<br />
At a recent networking event<br />
I was pleased to receive<br />
feedback on this column. The<br />
best bit was that it wasn’t<br />
unqualified praise, but rather<br />
constructive criticism. So,<br />
DW—you know who you<br />
are—this column is dedicated<br />
to you. Thanks for sharing<br />
your views.<br />
It was suggested that<br />
a suitable topic would be<br />
transparency, defined as the<br />
importance of being clear in<br />
our dealings with colleagues,<br />
clients and acquaintances.<br />
How many times have we<br />
suspected that others have<br />
a hidden agenda? Have you<br />
had the feeling that someone<br />
just isn’t playing it straight?<br />
Why can't people be truthful?<br />
After all, you are, so why<br />
aren't they?<br />
That's not to say that one<br />
has to be totally open about<br />
everything—we all have our<br />
commercial and personal<br />
secrets—but it is important<br />
to create a sense of trust,<br />
and displaying an honest and<br />
open attitude in your dealings<br />
can be a good way to foment<br />
that.<br />
Being transparent projects<br />
self-confidence and a feeling<br />
that one is reliable and can be<br />
trusted. In my business, we<br />
have found this to be invaluable.<br />
To be able to talk openly<br />
with clients about the market,<br />
candidates and the likelihood<br />
of achieving their business<br />
goals has paid dividends.<br />
They come to believe that<br />
we know the market and we<br />
know what we are doing.<br />
Fostering trust, understanding<br />
our experience and our<br />
readiness to share knowledge<br />
are essential elements of our<br />
consulting services; without it<br />
we would simply be a provider<br />
of CVs.<br />
This hasn’t come about by<br />
accident, of course, and we<br />
have had some pretty heated<br />
arguments in our office about<br />
the wisdom of being so open.<br />
My own feeling is that yes,<br />
there are people out there<br />
who will take advantage, but<br />
the benefits of displaying trust<br />
and integrity far outweigh the<br />
occasional disappointment<br />
(even though it hurts).<br />
Think about it: What might<br />
you gain by being more transparent?<br />
There’s certainly some<br />
risk, but being truthful on a<br />
regular basis easily trumps<br />
being selective with the truth<br />
and then spending productive<br />
effort trying to remember<br />
to whom you told what and<br />
when. This is wasting precious<br />
energy that could be spent<br />
building your business or your<br />
career.<br />
As usual, let me know if<br />
you have any particular topic<br />
you would like to see covered<br />
here.<br />
Gary Woollacott is the Chief<br />
Representative for Opus executive<br />
search in Vietnam and<br />
Thailand. He can be reached<br />
at 3827 8209 or via gary@<br />
opusasia.net. Opus is an<br />
associate of Horton International.<br />
mation on rental properties exclusively in<br />
district two. Full listings online.<br />
RECRUITMENT<br />
first alliances<br />
#609, Saigon Trade Center<br />
37 Ton Duc Thang, D1<br />
Tel: 3910 2080 Fax: 3910 2079<br />
www.firstalliances.net<br />
cv@firstalliances.net<br />
As Vietnam’s most established recruitment<br />
consultancy, First Alliances operates<br />
across all major industry sectors<br />
and at all levels of seniority. Also providing<br />
HR outsourcing solutions for staffing<br />
and payroll,overseas employment and<br />
education services.<br />
HR2B / Talent Recruitment JSC<br />
Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu,<br />
D3 Tel: 3930 8800<br />
www.hr2b.com<br />
HR consulting advises businesses on<br />
how to improve employee productivity.<br />
The search team specialises in matching<br />
senior level Vietnamese professionals<br />
and managers to top level opportunities<br />
in both major cities.<br />
Mekong emerald Talent Recruitment<br />
68 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1<br />
Tel: 0938 001 509<br />
www.mekongem.com<br />
Offers comprehensive manpower<br />
services including executive search and<br />
selection, employment outsourcing and<br />
HR management in a wide variety of<br />
industries.<br />
Navigos Group<br />
130 Suong Nguyet Anh, D1<br />
Tel: 3825 5000<br />
www.navigosgroup.com<br />
Recruitment agency offering a complete<br />
portfolio of HR services including<br />
executive search, HR advisory, training,<br />
online recruitment, and print recruitment<br />
advertising.<br />
Opus Vietnam<br />
2A Rolanno Offices, 128 Nguyen Phi<br />
Khanh, D1 Tel: 3827 8209<br />
www.opusasia.net<br />
Established in <strong>HCMC</strong> in 2005, Opus services<br />
local and multinational companies<br />
seeking to recruit high quality personnel.<br />
An Associate of Horton International, one<br />
of the world’s leading search groups with<br />
over 30 offices worldwide. For more info<br />
contact info@opusasia.net.<br />
Smart HR<br />
Capital Place Building, Suite 601, 6 Thai<br />
Van Lung, D1 Tel: 3823 5828<br />
www.smarthrvietnam.com<br />
Human resource consultants specialising<br />
in job search and selection, and human<br />
resource management.<br />
TMf Vietnam<br />
Saigon Trade Center, Unit 2811, 37 Ton<br />
Duc Thang, D1 Tel: 3910 9229 / 9222<br />
hang.bui@tmf-group.com<br />
www.tmf-group.com<br />
With more than 3,300 professionals<br />
working out of 86 offices in 65 countries,<br />
TMF provides independent accounting<br />
and corporate secretarial services to<br />
companies worldwide.<br />
Vietnamworks.com<br />
130 Suong Nguyet Anh, D1<br />
Tel: 5404 1373<br />
www.vietnamworks.com<br />
Excellent section on advice for jobseekers<br />
focusing on topics such as resume<br />
writing, cover letters, interview technique<br />
and more.<br />
RELOCATION AGENTS<br />
allied Pickfords<br />
Satra Building, Room 202, 58 Dong<br />
<strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 0122 5141 848<br />
aurelien.jouve@alliedpickfords.com.vn<br />
http://vn.alliedpickfords.com<br />
Moving and relocating services company<br />
specialising in business and office<br />
moves. Overseas and specialist movers<br />
also available.<br />
asian Tigers Transpo international<br />
Room 201 and 202, 216 Nguyen Thi<br />
Minh Khai, D3 Tel: 3930 9484<br />
Tel: 3945 0891<br />
matt.king@asiantigers-vietnam.com<br />
www.asiantigersgroup.com<br />
International moving agency, homesearch,<br />
orientation, settling in programs<br />
and work permit assistance.<br />
Crown Worldwide Movers<br />
48A Huynh Man Dat, Binh Thanh<br />
Tel: 3823 4127<br />
www.crownrelo.com<br />
International moving company serving<br />
diplomats and private customers, employees<br />
and expats, providing domestic<br />
and iternational transportation of household,<br />
office and industrial goods.<br />
UTS Saigon Van intl’ Relocations<br />
HUD Buillding, Unit 1303, 159 Dien Bien<br />
Phu, Binh Thanh Tel: 3840 3629<br />
www.saigonvan.com<br />
Full service relocating agency with warehousing,<br />
handyman, insurance & claim,<br />
orientation an partner career support<br />
services also availble.<br />
JVK international Movers<br />
Saigon Port Building, 3 Nguyen Tat<br />
Thanh, D4 Tel: 3826 7655/6<br />
chris.honour@jvkasia.com<br />
www.jvk.com<br />
International agengy with a full range of<br />
services including sea/air freight services<br />
and worldwide transit coverage.<br />
Mekong emerald (MeK) Relocation<br />
68 Huynh Khuong Ninh, D1<br />
Tel: 09800 1509<br />
www.mekongem.com<br />
Full range of services including pet move/<br />
care, car rental, pre-move consultation,<br />
cross-cultural training and visa/immigration<br />
support.<br />
Resident Vietnam<br />
187/9/1 Bach Dang Street, Tan Binh<br />
Tel: 3848 8443 / 3848 8285<br />
www.residentvietnam.com<br />
Specialises in immigration management,<br />
destination services and cross-cultural<br />
training and car leasing assistance.<br />
Santa fe Relocation Services<br />
Thien Son Building, 5 Nguyen Gia Thieu,<br />
D3 Tel: 3933 0065<br />
www.santaferelo.com<br />
Provides a range of services including<br />
home/school search, language/cultural<br />
training, tenancy management and immigration/visa<br />
support.<br />
UniGroup Worldwide UTS Vietnam<br />
440/26A Tran Hung Dao, D5<br />
Tel: 3836 3002<br />
www.unigroupworldwide.com<br />
Global mobility company offering international<br />
corporate relocations, settling-in<br />
assistance and cross-cultural training.<br />
STATIONARY<br />
Custom Signage Street<br />
Le Lai, D1 between Truong Dinh and<br />
Nguyen Thai Hoc<br />
Offers custom-designed signs and custom<br />
engraving on trophies and plaques<br />
made of plastic, wood, metal and glass.<br />
Fahasa<br />
40 Nguyen Hue, D1 Tel: 3822 5796<br />
Bookstore chain carries an expansive<br />
stock of office and home stationary; a<br />
one-stop shop for basic needs.<br />
Pi-Channel<br />
45B Le Thanh Ton, D1 Tel: 3822 0253<br />
www.pi-channel.com<br />
Boutique shop carries up-market collections<br />
of pens and notepads, as well as<br />
desktop organisers, clocks, calendars<br />
and frames. Corporate services offered.<br />
Stationary and Printing Street<br />
Ly Thai To Street, D3 starting at Dien<br />
Bien Phu and running southeast<br />
More than 25 stores providing photocopying<br />
services, from business cards to<br />
flyers and colour prints to invitations.<br />
fashion<br />
ACCESSORIES<br />
accessorize<br />
48 Dong Du, D1, Tel: 3822 1081<br />
www.monsoon.co.uk/icat/accessorize<br />
Fashion-forward accessories including<br />
necklaces, handbags, wallets, flip-flops,<br />
sunglasses, hair accessories, belts and<br />
more.<br />
alfred Dunhill<br />
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1<br />
A timeless style in male luxury providing<br />
formal and casual mens accesories<br />
tailored for the discerning man. Also<br />
stocking handcrafted leather goods.<br />
anupa Boutique<br />
17/27 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
84 Pho Duc Chinh, D1 Tel: 3915 1473<br />
anupaboutiquevietnam@anupa.net<br />
Two locations feature an ever-changing<br />
range of elegant accessories made from<br />
high-quality leather. as well as a collection<br />
of semi-precious jewellery. Collections<br />
available for men and women, with a line<br />
children’s wear. Stock updated weekly.<br />
Bally<br />
Rex Hotel, 141 Nguyen Hue, D1<br />
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1<br />
www.experience.bally.com<br />
Flagship store in the Rex Hotel providing<br />
luxury Italian-made accessories for men.<br />
Among these are shoes, belts, wallets and<br />
a collection of male jewellery.<br />
Banana<br />
128 Ly Tu Trong, D1<br />
Women’s accessories and more, from<br />
bags, clutches and belts to clothes and<br />
jewellery, all at reasonable prices.<br />
Cartier<br />
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan<br />
This well-known designer brand displays<br />
a wide range of accessories for men. Famous<br />
for its watches, Cartier also stocks<br />
pens, key rings, belts and sunglasses.<br />
Cincinati<br />
177P Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
www.cincinati.vn<br />
info@cincinati.vn<br />
Vietnamese brand of genuine leather<br />
bags, shoes, accessories and personal<br />
goods for men and women such as<br />
notebooks for a classic vagabond look.<br />
Quality leather from crocodile, horse,<br />
snake and fish made with excellent local<br />
craftsmanship.<br />
Cleo-Pearls<br />
30 Nguyen Dang Giai, An Phu, D2<br />
Tel: 091 3587 690<br />
Jewellery designer Birgit Maier operates<br />
Cleo-Pearls from her home, specializing<br />
in necklaces, bracelets, earrings, key<br />
holders and bag accessories. All pieces<br />
created with gemstones, fresh water<br />
pearls and beads.<br />
Coconut<br />
100 Mac Thi Buoi, D1<br />
Bags of all shapes and sizes rule the<br />
roost in this small shop. Made of silk and<br />
embroidered to the brim, these unique<br />
bags start at about US $30, and many<br />
are suitable for both day and night.<br />
Creation<br />
105 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3829 5429<br />
A two-storey shop selling scarves, intricate<br />
handbags (from US $30), tailor-made<br />
silk dresses and tops. Has a wide range<br />
of materials on the second floor. Prices<br />
start from US $65 for an ao dai with<br />
simple embroidery.<br />
Deanh Jewellery<br />
Eden Mall, 106 Nguyen Hue, D1<br />
Tel: 3827 6039<br />
Gorgeous selection of gold accessories<br />
imported from Turkey and Italy. Also has<br />
a selection of simple ring designs to set<br />
your precious stones in.<br />
Gallery vivekkevin<br />
FAFILM Building, 6 Thai Van Lung, D1<br />
Tel: 6291 3709<br />
info@vivekkevin.com<br />
www.galeryvivekkevin.com<br />
Handcrafted pendants, necklaces, rings<br />
and bracelets. The gallery’s focus is on<br />
design, craftsmanship and finish, as well<br />
as educating clients on the intricacies of<br />
each piece.<br />
Gucci<br />
88 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3827 6688<br />
Located on the main shopping street in<br />
<strong>HCMC</strong>, this flagship store brings Florentine<br />
fashion to an array of luxury leather<br />
goods such as briefcases, luggage and<br />
a selection of men’s shoes for office or<br />
more casual occasions.<br />
ipa-Nima<br />
85 Pasteur, D1 Tel: 3824 3652<br />
New World Hotel, 76 Le Lai<br />
Well-known Hanoi-based fashion brand.<br />
Founder Christina Yu is a former lawyer<br />
turned designer who produces eclectic<br />
and eye-catching handbags. Also stocks<br />
costume jewellery and shoes.<br />
J. Silver<br />
803 Nguyen Van Linh Parkway, D7<br />
Tel: 5411 1188<br />
Make a statement without being ostenta-<br />
90 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 91<br />
listings<br />
112 Xuan Thuy<br />
Ward Thao Dien<br />
District 2<br />
Ho Chi Minh City<br />
Tel/Fax. (+84) 8 62.819.917<br />
shop-hcm@decosy.biz
sartorial conundrums<br />
A Man’s Pocket-sized Style Guide<br />
By luis antonio Torres<br />
A fashionable and stylish<br />
man is pleasing to the eye<br />
because he has taken the<br />
trouble to ensure his style<br />
choices suit his age, size and<br />
personality. Equally, a man<br />
who has no sense of style<br />
can look like a disaster area<br />
with a clothing and grooming<br />
style that is anything but<br />
fashionable.<br />
When new fashion trends<br />
emerge, they can either help<br />
or hurt a man's appearance.<br />
What looks stunning on<br />
one man may look awful on<br />
another, so there are clearly<br />
some pros and cons in the<br />
fashion stakes for men.<br />
Hairstyle: A modern trend<br />
for men who are losing their<br />
hair is to shave their entire<br />
head, like me. For many, this<br />
can be stylish and appropriate<br />
when their head and face<br />
shape complements their<br />
choice of clothing. Other men<br />
simply must avoid this trend<br />
if they have a very small head<br />
and thin features. For those<br />
who still have their hair, their<br />
chosen style can have either<br />
a positive or negative effect<br />
on their overall appearance.<br />
The trend is moving back<br />
toward long hair and it is ideal<br />
for those with good, luxurious<br />
hair but not so good for<br />
men who have limp, fine hair.<br />
Hairstyles say a lot about a<br />
man and choosing the right<br />
one will determine whether he<br />
is stylish or not.<br />
Clothing: Clothing styles<br />
can make or break a man<br />
in the fashion stakes. Some<br />
modern styles are created<br />
for the younger man and<br />
are often favoured by older<br />
men making an effort to stay<br />
young. Sometimes it works,<br />
sometimes not. Age is<br />
obviously a factor in men's<br />
fashion but this doesn't have<br />
to preclude looking stylish.<br />
The key is choosing the right<br />
look for you as an individual<br />
without giving a "pig wearing<br />
a silk hat" impression. Style<br />
and fashion are not the sole<br />
domain of young men.<br />
An important feature of<br />
style is having garments that<br />
fit properly. When men try to<br />
squeeze into sizes that are<br />
too small for them, it detracts<br />
from the overall impression<br />
and can be as bad as clothing<br />
that is too large. The variety of<br />
clothing on offer in the fashion<br />
world means there is no<br />
excuse for a man not to dress<br />
with style. When it comes to<br />
fashion, making the distinction<br />
between dos and don'ts<br />
is crucial in selecting the look<br />
and style that suits you as a<br />
person.<br />
Luis Antonio Torres is a designer<br />
and the creative director<br />
of Massimo Ferrari.<br />
tious with handcrafted silver jewellery from<br />
the boutique store. Expect big, interesting<br />
pieces that are simple yet glamorous.<br />
laura V Signature<br />
11 Dong Du, D1<br />
Tel: 7304 4126<br />
www.laurav.net<br />
Vintage designs aplenty with everything<br />
from jewellery and hair accessories to<br />
funky styled sunglasses, umbrellas and<br />
colourful maxi dresses.<br />
lovely lien Jewellery<br />
20 Le Loi, D1<br />
A small and unassuming jewellery store<br />
with beautiful and reasonably-priced<br />
necklaces, bracelets and earrings. You<br />
can also bring your own precious stones<br />
or ask the designers to make something<br />
unique for you.<br />
louis Vuitton<br />
Opera View, corner of Dong <strong>Khoi</strong> and Le<br />
Loi Tel: 3827 6318<br />
Designer brand name housing traditional<br />
craftsmanship of luxury leather goods<br />
for men and women. An array of bags,<br />
wallets, cuff links and watches are<br />
available.<br />
Mai O Mai<br />
4C Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3829 4007<br />
A superb little place with beautiful jewellery<br />
and accessories to suit all budgets.<br />
Silver necklaces, bracelets, rings and<br />
more in both classic and imaginative<br />
designs, as well as gorgeous handembroidered<br />
bags.<br />
Mont Blanc<br />
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan<br />
Notable for fine writing instruments, Mont<br />
Blanc also houses cuff links and other<br />
male accessories<br />
Therese Jewellery<br />
Sheraton Hotel, 88F Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
www.theresejewelry.com<br />
Small, glitzy retail outlet. Sells everything<br />
from diamond earrings to gold and silver<br />
wedding rings. Of special note is the<br />
selection of jade Buddhas in varying sizes,<br />
with the larger ones costing US$250. The<br />
friendly staff speak excellent English.<br />
Tic Tac Watch Shop<br />
72 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong> Tel: 0838 293519<br />
www.tictacwatch.com<br />
Elegant show room displaying some of<br />
the world’s most recognized Swiss brands<br />
such as Rolex, Tag Huer, Baume &<br />
Marcer, Omega and Hirsch. On-site watch<br />
repair service and complementary watch<br />
evaluation available. Also carries a small<br />
collection of vintage Rolexes.<br />
Tombo<br />
145 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
Of all the embroidered and sequined<br />
bags, shoes and tidbits (or “Zakka”<br />
shops) that can be found in Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>,<br />
this shop’s has products that are prettier<br />
than most. Shoes can be custom-made<br />
and the sales staff is friendly.<br />
Tumi<br />
Rex Hotel, 151 Nguyen Hue<br />
www.intl.tumi.com<br />
Tumi houses an opulent selection of<br />
Italian-made luggage geared towards<br />
men. Briefcases, messenger bags and<br />
backpacks are among those on display.<br />
Umbrella<br />
35 Ly Tu Trong, D1 and 4 Le Loi, D1<br />
Tel: 6276 2730<br />
www.umbrella-fashion.com<br />
Sophisticated boutique showcasing<br />
a diverse range of imported women’s<br />
accessories. Also houses women’s garments<br />
from office wear to cocktail and<br />
party creations.<br />
luggage Street<br />
Le Lai Street, D1 between Ben Thanh<br />
Market and Truong Dinh.<br />
Duffle bags, backpacks, messenger<br />
bags and carry-on suitcases are all available<br />
on this stretch of District 1.<br />
ACTIVE WEAR<br />
airwaves<br />
23 Thao Dien, An Phu, D2<br />
One-stop surf shop selling its own brand<br />
of surfware. Also specializes in suncare<br />
products, ladies and mens swimwear,<br />
surfboards, skateboards and watches.<br />
Also with an outlet at Saigon Kitsch at 43<br />
Ton That Thiep in District 1.<br />
China Beach Surf Club<br />
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1<br />
Stocks famous surf and surf-inspired<br />
brands like Reef, Rip Curl and men’s wear<br />
from Volcom. It has everything you’d need<br />
for a visit to the beach and more. There<br />
are string bikinis, tees, board shorts, caps<br />
and thongs, just to name a few.<br />
Pinko<br />
Rex Hotel, 146-148-150 Pasteur, D1<br />
Tel: 3827 2240<br />
Spacious and simple store displaying<br />
women’s sportswear imported from Hong<br />
Kong and China. Body lotion and perfume<br />
imported from America.<br />
Roxy and Quiksilver<br />
Parkson Plaza, 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
The original active living and extreme<br />
sports brands, Roxy and Quiksilver products<br />
combine form and function. Choose<br />
from outdoor gear to cool indoor clothes.<br />
TBS Sports Centre<br />
102 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan<br />
This store stocks a range of good sports<br />
clothes and equipment from big name<br />
brands such as Puma, Adidas, Ecco, Nike<br />
and Converse.<br />
Volcom<br />
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1<br />
Chic and funky ladies’ apparel brand from<br />
America. Lots of tank tops, minis and<br />
shorts for day tripping with girlfriends or<br />
lazing on the beach.<br />
READY TO WEAR<br />
unisex<br />
2bling<br />
246 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan<br />
Specializes in urban streetwear, with<br />
a range of t-shirts, sneakers, baseball<br />
caps, hoodies and more. Tees are both<br />
imported from around Asia and designed<br />
in-house.<br />
BAM Skate Shop<br />
174 Bui Vien, D1 Tel: 0903 641 826<br />
In addition to a range of decks, wheels<br />
and trucks, this small shop is stocked<br />
with bookbags, skate sneakers, track<br />
jackets and t-shirts emblazoned with your<br />
skateboard company of choice.<br />
“ello<br />
263 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan<br />
Ths tiny little shop on Phu Nhuan’s hipster<br />
fashion strip is stocked with some of the<br />
coolest trend items in HCM City. Carries<br />
a frequently refreshed selection of t-shirts,<br />
skinny pants and women’s tops.<br />
FCUK<br />
127 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
Tel: 3914 7740<br />
www.frenchconnection.com<br />
Trendy UK brand with a selection of<br />
fashion-forward dresses for women and<br />
smart workwear and funky casual wear<br />
for men, all at middle-market prices.<br />
Hagattini<br />
1A Pham Ngoc Thach, D1<br />
Tel: 2244 8105<br />
www.hagattini.com<br />
Vietnamese brand housing clothing for all<br />
occasions. Normal to office wear, casual<br />
to party outfits using materials imported<br />
from Hong Kong and designed and made<br />
in Vietnam.<br />
Konheo<br />
32 Dinh Tien Hoang, Binh Thanh<br />
Tel: 6653 4187<br />
info@konheo.com<br />
www.konheo.com<br />
Founded and run by a group of local<br />
Vietnamese guys, this T-shirt store flaunts<br />
simple-cut T-shirts with playful prints and<br />
humorous printed texts. Also does custom<br />
made t-shirts for VND160,000.<br />
levi’s flagship Store<br />
19–21 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3500 1501<br />
The 320-square-metre retail space spread<br />
over three levels offers the city’s largest<br />
and most exclusive collection of Levi’s<br />
bottoms, tops and accessories.<br />
l’Usine<br />
151/1 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
Lifestyle store and cafe housed in a period<br />
building restored to evoke the aesthetic<br />
of an early 20th-century garment factory.<br />
Carres an exclusive, frequently refreshed<br />
line of imported men’s and women’s fashion,<br />
including t-shirts and footwear, and a<br />
range of unique accessories. Entrance via<br />
the street-level Art Arcade.<br />
lu.Xu.Bu<br />
320 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan<br />
Well known among the <strong>HCMC</strong> hipsterati,<br />
this trendy shop is mostly given over to<br />
t-shirts (many by young, Bangkok-based<br />
designers), but also carries jeans, button<br />
shirts and more.<br />
Miss Sixty & energie<br />
13 Ngo Duc Ke, D1<br />
Local outlet of the Miss Sixty brand hugely<br />
favoured by Hollywood’s young starlets.<br />
Also stocks clothes from its men’s label,<br />
Energie.<br />
Orange<br />
238 Pasteur, D3<br />
Funky little boutique carries unique<br />
accessory pieces a good selection of<br />
t-shirts with quirky, unique graphics for<br />
very reasonable prices. A smaller outpost<br />
is located at the corner of Pasteur and Le<br />
Thanh Ton in District 1.<br />
Rok factory<br />
382 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan<br />
www.rokexchange.com<br />
Small shop founded by local artist/<br />
photographer carries streetwear for the<br />
rock-oriented lifestyle, including t-shirts,<br />
hoodies, socks and accessories.<br />
See By Harajuku<br />
130 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3<br />
Tel: 090 986 8622<br />
Small, friendly store stocking both men’s<br />
and women’s streetwear, channelling Japanese<br />
and Korean fashion trends. Bright<br />
and funky t-shirts and maxi dresses, as<br />
well as accessories and footwear. New<br />
stock every month.<br />
Versace<br />
26 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong><br />
Designer brand in men’s formal wear.<br />
Houses suit jackets and trousers, shirts<br />
as well as an array of men’s accessories.<br />
Also stocks womens clothing and shoes.<br />
VOV<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
403 Huynh Van Banh, Phu Nhuan<br />
www.vovietchung.com<br />
Retail base for Vo Viet Chung, one of<br />
Vietnam’s best-known designers. VOV is<br />
known for blending traditional form with<br />
contemporary cuts, colours and textures.<br />
menswear<br />
lucas<br />
69A Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3827 9670<br />
Fashion store housing contemporary<br />
designs in casual, office and evening wear<br />
imported from Hong Kong.<br />
Massimo ferrari<br />
42-A1 Tran Quoc Thao, D3<br />
Tel: 3930 6212<br />
Traditional Italian sartorial techniques are<br />
employed to offer a full wardrobing service<br />
and custom tailoring for men. Carries a<br />
line of European-quality shoes, bags and<br />
accessories designed in-house, as well as<br />
exclusive Orobianco unisex bags.<br />
Mattre<br />
19 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3925 3412<br />
This local men’s clothes shop has some<br />
funky tops and jeans for more fashionforward<br />
males. Apparel in sizes that fit<br />
the typical Western man’s frame are often<br />
available. Another store is located on Hai<br />
Ba Trung and Ly Tu Trong<br />
Milano<br />
Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong><br />
www.milanogoods.com<br />
A conjoining shop with D&G offering a<br />
selection of men’s shoes and accessories<br />
with a sideline in women’s clothing.<br />
D&G provides a collection of menswear,<br />
from casual jeans and t-shirts to uniquely<br />
designed suit jackets.<br />
Mizada<br />
150 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3822 2508<br />
mizada07@yahoo.com<br />
An A-to-Z collection of men’s clothing<br />
with an influx of new fashion arriving on<br />
the racks regularly. Carries smart, casual<br />
shirts, trousers, jeans and jackets, as well<br />
as bags and scarves.<br />
New Urban Male<br />
226 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3824 4416<br />
www.newurbanmale.com<br />
Caters to a wide range of consumer<br />
tastes from beach duds to streetwear. The<br />
goods include international men’s brands<br />
such as Havaianas, C-IN2, Jabs Waterboys,<br />
Rebel Jeans and aussieBum. Also<br />
carries men’s grooming products.<br />
Timberland<br />
Parkson Plaza, 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
Sells everything the brand is known<br />
for, from heavy-duty boots to tops and<br />
trousers that are both smart and casual.<br />
The emphasis is on muted tones and<br />
unobtrusive logos for men who don’t like<br />
to show off.<br />
womanswear<br />
Balenciaga<br />
Rex Hotel, 155 Nguyen Hue<br />
Tel: 6291 3572<br />
Sporting modern shapes and elegant<br />
items crafted from natural, raw and<br />
artificial materials.<br />
Bebe<br />
Saigon Center, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
Tel: 3914 4011<br />
www.bebe.com<br />
An international brand that specializes<br />
in contemporary, modern tees and sexy,<br />
elegant dresse, tops and party attire.<br />
Caro<br />
Zen Plaza, 54-56 Nguyen Trai, D1<br />
Local designs and tailoring of elegant tops<br />
and dresses with a distinctly Eastern influence.<br />
Provides a range of attire for both<br />
the office and a night out. The friendly<br />
staff is eager to help find an outfit for any<br />
occassion.<br />
Chloe<br />
Rex Hotel, 155 Nguyen Hue, D1<br />
Tel: 6291 3582<br />
Parisian-influenced fashion house specializes<br />
in simple, traditional designs with a<br />
feminine and fashionable twist. Jeans,<br />
satin dresses and a wide array of accessories<br />
are on display.<br />
Contraband<br />
Parkson Plaza, 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
Ready-to-wear brand for hip, modern<br />
women. Range includes office wear to<br />
evening wear. The collection is updated<br />
each month with new international trends.<br />
92 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 93
femme fashion<br />
Cruise Control<br />
By adrian Nguyen<br />
April is here and it’s the perfect<br />
time to hit the beautiful<br />
beaches. It would be mean<br />
to let you go on vacation with<br />
your regular Bermuda shorts.<br />
Plus, two long weekends this<br />
month are the perfect reason<br />
to fab up for the Cruise<br />
season.<br />
Stripes<br />
It should be the biggest trend<br />
yet again, but stripes are no<br />
longer a trend—they’re<br />
more like a fashion staple.<br />
They come back every<br />
Cruise season, so invest in<br />
some nice pieces and you’ll<br />
be good to go for a long<br />
time. Sonia Rykiel has the<br />
best stripes in the world if<br />
you have the cash. Alternatively,<br />
you can opt for the<br />
high-street brands for more<br />
reasonable prices—from<br />
mini to maxi, figure-hugging<br />
dresses to blazers and even<br />
playsuits.<br />
Micro Mini<br />
You’re going to need a pair<br />
of lean straight legs to keep<br />
up with the trend this season.<br />
Designers have cut their<br />
hemlines shorter than short<br />
and the mini is this season’s<br />
silhouette. And there’s no<br />
better occasion to rock this<br />
trend than going down to<br />
the beach: slinky shorts, hot<br />
pants, mini-dresses… go<br />
for it! And while you’re at it,<br />
throw on a fake tan if you<br />
haven’t gotten your real one.<br />
Monokini<br />
This season is about statement<br />
swimwear. Check out<br />
Emilio Pucci and Diane<br />
Von Furstenberg for supergorgeous<br />
printed bikinis and<br />
one-piece suits. But<br />
the one shoulder and cutout<br />
monokinis are what you<br />
should be wearing this<br />
summer. Team them up with<br />
some fierce colorful bangles,<br />
metallic heels and<br />
a lychee martini and you’re<br />
ready to make a splash<br />
poolside.<br />
Kaftan<br />
For the moment, the hippest<br />
frock to be wearing beside<br />
that monokini is the<br />
kaftan. It's a great way to<br />
look fabulous in your swimwear<br />
without necessarily having<br />
to bear all. Cinch a sheer<br />
multi-coloured flower or animal<br />
print with a self-tie waist<br />
belt over your swimwear, or<br />
pair it with those short-shorts<br />
and some embellished flats<br />
for a glamorous after-sunset<br />
drink session. Roberto Cavalli<br />
and Moschino Cheap & Chic<br />
have some show-stopping<br />
pieces this season.<br />
Glow<br />
No, not that international<br />
success, fresh-sexy-clean<br />
perfume “Glow” by Jennifer<br />
Lopez; it’s your personal<br />
glow. This is a never-outof-trend<br />
thing, so always<br />
try to achieve it for yourself.<br />
Make sure you have a goodie<br />
drawer wherever you go and<br />
always remember to use it!<br />
Adrian Nguyen is a designer<br />
and owner of the Valenciani<br />
brand. Email your fashion<br />
questions to adrian.ngn@<br />
gmail.com.<br />
eR-Couture Boutique<br />
43 Thao Dien, D2 Tel: 3744 2411 www.<br />
er-couture.com<br />
erolskov@er-couture.com<br />
Exclusive Scandinavian brand offering<br />
designer garments. Versatile fashion for<br />
women in European sizes 34-44. Each<br />
style is released in limited quantities and<br />
can be tailored to individual taste.<br />
esprit<br />
58 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
Outpost for the international brand of<br />
colourful, preppy men’s and women’s<br />
casual wear.<br />
etam<br />
188 Hai Ba Trung, D1<br />
Famous all over the world for their French<br />
style. There’s a large range of shirts,<br />
t-shirts, dresses and more. Also available<br />
in Zen Plaza and Diamond Plaza.<br />
Gaya<br />
1 Nguyen Van Trang, D1 Tel: 3925 1495<br />
Carries a range of couture and pret-aporter<br />
garments and silk and organza<br />
dresses in vibrant colours created by<br />
Cambodia-based designer Romyda Keth.<br />
Geisha Boutique<br />
43 Ton That Thiep, D1 Tel: 3821 8272<br />
enquiry@geishaclothing.com<br />
Facebook: Geisha Boutique<br />
Australian fashion label offering a contemporary<br />
range of casual and evening<br />
wear with an Asian influence. Printed tees,<br />
singlets, shorts, skirts, jeans, summer<br />
scarves, dresses, silk camisoles and satin<br />
maxi dresses.<br />
Kiwi<br />
74/1 Hai Ba Trung<br />
Tel: 3822 1191<br />
Small and intimate shop with a modern<br />
collection of fashion items geared towards<br />
the young and active urban female. The<br />
showroom has a wide collection, from<br />
casual clothing to office wear.<br />
Kookai<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi<br />
French brand stocking classic, feminine,<br />
styles with a twist. Gypsy day dresses and<br />
classic little black dresses at mid- to highrange<br />
prices are perfect for twenty- and<br />
thirty-something women.<br />
labella<br />
85-87 Pasteur, D1<br />
This three-storey shop will take care of all<br />
your wardrobe needs: affordable clothes,<br />
shoes, bags and lingerie, all well made<br />
and fashionable.<br />
le Samedi<br />
21 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 3925 5013<br />
Boutique retailing in clothes imported<br />
mainly from Italy and France, from cocktail<br />
dresses to chiffon skirts.<br />
la Senza<br />
47B–47C Nguyen Trai, D1<br />
Tel: 3925 1700<br />
65 Le Loi, Saigon Centre, D1<br />
Tel: 3914 4328<br />
www.lasenza.com<br />
Boutique carrying a wide range of bras,<br />
panties, pyjamas, accessories and lounge<br />
wear.<br />
Mai lam<br />
132-134 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3827 2733<br />
www.mailam.com.vn<br />
Boutique store housing an eclectic mix of<br />
vintage designer clothes and accessories<br />
made in Vietnam. Specializing in handsewn,<br />
multi-dimensional embroidery, the<br />
re-design of the traditional ao dai and an<br />
army vintage collection.<br />
Mango<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
96 Mac Thi Buoi, D1 Tel: 3824 6624<br />
A favourite with fashion-conscious<br />
women, this mid-range store stocks<br />
clothes from simple tees and jeans to<br />
evening wear.<br />
Marc Jacobs<br />
Rex Hotel, 155 Nguyen Hue , D1<br />
Tel: 6291 3580<br />
This spacious shop with high-ceilings carries<br />
up-market clothes, shoes and accessories<br />
from the internationally recognized<br />
designer brand.<br />
Minh Hanh<br />
24 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 and 114B Nguyen<br />
Hue Tel: 3824 5774<br />
www.mhminhhanh.com<br />
Hand- and machine-embroidered fashion<br />
made from natural fabrics and materials<br />
wed traditional Vietnamese elements with<br />
modern trends. Local celebrities frequent<br />
this shop.<br />
Muse Boutique<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
Boutique store carries well-known international<br />
brands like Miss Sixty, BCBG, Rock<br />
Republic, Tbags and Killah.<br />
Nang Boutique<br />
181 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, Room 209, D1<br />
iheartnang@gmail.com<br />
Houses an assortment of mix-and-match<br />
skirts, floral dresses, chiffon lace-trimmed<br />
gowns and accessories, such as hats,<br />
shoes, bags, scarves and jewellery.<br />
Ngan<br />
23 Ly Tu Trong, D1<br />
The Ngan collection includes high-quality<br />
evening gowns and swimwear made<br />
locally. Also stocks a new line of men’s<br />
casual wear.<br />
Nino Max<br />
189B Hai Ba Trung, D1<br />
A local popular brand of active-casualwear<br />
t-shirts, jeans and khakis. Local pricing.<br />
You can also find their other outlets in<br />
Zen Plaza and Diamond Plaza.<br />
Peacock<br />
35 Ton That Thiep Tel: 3829 7045<br />
Moulin Rouge-themed boutique housing<br />
an interesting selection of women’s<br />
clothes designed and produced in Vietnam,<br />
including dresses, shirts and t-shirts,<br />
as well as jewellery.<br />
Shae<br />
101-103 Nguyen Trai, D1<br />
www.shaeny.com<br />
New York brand housing streetwear<br />
such as cardigans, dresses, shorts and<br />
accessories.<br />
Signature Boutique<br />
154 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
Houses some of the world’s most<br />
recognized luxury fashion brands: Roberto<br />
Cavalli, Versace, D&G and Missoni.<br />
Song<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
76D Le Thanh Ton<br />
Offers women’s fashion designs by Valerie<br />
Gregori McKenzie, including evening<br />
dress, tops and hats.<br />
Valenciani<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
Tel: 3821 2788<br />
66-68 Nguyen Trai, D1 Tel: 7302 4688<br />
valenciani.sg@gmail.com<br />
www.valenciani.com<br />
Homegrown luxury boutique carries silk<br />
dresses, velvet corsets, chiffon shawls<br />
and a range of accessories, all designed<br />
in-house.<br />
CHILDREN<br />
Be Happier<br />
181 Nguyen Van Troi, Phu Nhuan Dist<br />
A small outlet providing children’s clothes<br />
from 1 to 6 years old, using only cotton.<br />
Mid to high-range prices for quality<br />
apparel.<br />
Children Planet<br />
90 Vo Thi Sau, D1<br />
Mid to high-range prices for quality apparel,<br />
imported material from Singapore.<br />
Offering from the age of 5 to 14 years old<br />
boys and girls.<br />
Dabs Kids fashion<br />
222 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3<br />
A good selection of both casual and<br />
formal clothing for kids aged five to ten.<br />
Party dresses, simple T-shirts, trousers<br />
and more are all good quality and very<br />
reasonably priced. Backpacks and other<br />
accessories are also on sale.<br />
DlS Paris<br />
17/5 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
Diamond Plaza, 34 Le Duan, D1<br />
Parkson Plaza, 39-45 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
A superb range of unique and beautiful<br />
clothing for young children (from newborns<br />
to pre-school age) at high to midrange<br />
prices. The quality compensates<br />
for the price. Bedding, baby equipment<br />
and furniture and organic and natural<br />
supplies also kept in stock.<br />
Kiko<br />
262 Hai Ba Trung, D1<br />
Wide range of Japanese imported elastic<br />
cotton for children, newborns to 14<br />
years old. Kiko also has an outlet on the<br />
second floor of Parkson Plaza.<br />
la Maison<br />
226 Nguyen Van Huong, D2<br />
On the second floor of this upscale<br />
furniture store is a lovely range of pretty<br />
dresses and other cotton apparel for<br />
kids, from babies to pre-school age.<br />
Prices are reasonable.<br />
little anh – em<br />
41 Thao Dien, D2<br />
A French brand made in Vietnam offering<br />
a wide selection of colourful, simply<br />
packaged and thoughtfully collated<br />
“sets” of garments for girls and boys<br />
from newborn to 10 years old. Lifestyle<br />
pieces also available include sleeping<br />
bags, bedroom accessories and bags.<br />
Ninh Khuong<br />
44 Le Loi, D1 Tel: 3824 7456<br />
83 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1 Tel: 3827 9079<br />
220 De Tham, D1 Tel: 3920 3224<br />
222 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, D3<br />
Tel: 3930 9183<br />
www.ninhkhuong.vn<br />
Well-known hand-embroidered children’s<br />
clothing brand using 100% cotton. Newborn<br />
to 10 years old (girl) and fourteen<br />
years old (boy). Also stocking home<br />
linens. Prices are reasonable.<br />
Peekaboo<br />
173 Ly Tu Trong, D1 Tel: 3612 8329<br />
263 <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong>, D1<br />
Locally designed apparel for girls, ages 1<br />
to 10. Materials include cotton, wool and<br />
satin. High to mid-range prices.<br />
Saigon Centre<br />
1st floor, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
An array of clothing and other assorted<br />
bits and bobs for children with some<br />
notable offerings such as Kangaroo,<br />
a small store stocking cotton clothing<br />
such as dresses, shirts and party attire,<br />
as well as clothing for expectant<br />
mothers.<br />
SHOES<br />
aldo<br />
157 Dong <strong>Khoi</strong>, D1<br />
Offering a wide selection of affordable<br />
footwear from mid- to high-range prices.<br />
Carries office-appropriate and partyready<br />
heels and flats, as well as a range<br />
of accessories and bags.<br />
Catwalk<br />
80 Pham Hong Thai<br />
Tel: 3829 6819<br />
www.catwalkshoes.com<br />
Carries a unique range of Spanish shoes<br />
and bags.<br />
Charles & Keith<br />
10 Mac Thi Buoy, 18-20 Nguyen Trai<br />
Tel: 3925 1132<br />
www.charleskeith.com<br />
Singapore brand housing youthful and<br />
trendy shoes of a contemporary, high<br />
fashion design.<br />
Dr. Marten’s<br />
173 Hai Ba Trung, D3 Tel: 3822 4710<br />
Air Wair sandals and shoes here feature<br />
the classic yellow stitching and chunky<br />
rubber soles. Also stocked with clothes<br />
and accessories by Replay and Kappa<br />
tracksuit tops.<br />
footwear Street<br />
Ho Xuan Huong Street, D3 between<br />
Cach Mang Thang Tam and Ba Huyen<br />
Thanh Quan<br />
Le Thi Hong Gam in D1 between Pho<br />
Duc Chinh and Calmette<br />
Selection ranges from leather loafers<br />
to plastic thongs and everything in<br />
between.<br />
Nine West<br />
Saigon Centre, 65 Le Loi, D1<br />
Stocks an extensive range of designer<br />
footwear for women. Handpicked by<br />
a global community of independent<br />
trendsetters and stylists.<br />
Sergio Rossi<br />
146AB Pasteur, D1<br />
Rex Hotel, 141 Nguyen Hue, D1<br />
World-renowned Italian brand stocks a<br />
diverse European-style collection of upmarket<br />
shoes and bags made of quality<br />
materials, from crocodile and python<br />
skin laterals to garnishings of Swarovski<br />
crystals and colourful beads.<br />
Star Polo<br />
97B Nguyen Trai, D1<br />
Mix of imported shoes and locally made<br />
footwear crafted from Australian leather<br />
for men and women as well as imported<br />
ones. Sizes from 38 to 42 for men, and<br />
from 34 to 40 for women.<br />
TAILORS<br />
Dzung<br />
221 Le Thanh Ton, D1<br />
One of the most reliable and respected<br />
men’s tailors in town with prices and<br />
production time to reflect the quality of the<br />
workmanship. Shirts start from US $30.<br />
fabric Street<br />
Hai Ba Trung, D1 across the street from<br />
Tan Dinh Market.<br />
Spools upon spools of fabric manufatured<br />
locally and abroad, with more than<br />
ample variety of textures, colours and<br />
materials to choose from.<br />
fair fahion<br />
69/20 Duong D2, Binh Thanh<br />
Tel: 3899 4198<br />
•Moving Services<br />
•Orientation<br />
•Pet Relocation<br />
•Work Permits<br />
<strong>HCMC</strong>: +84 8 3933 0065<br />
HANOI: +84 4 3941 0805<br />
sales@santaferelo.com.vn<br />
www.santaferelo.com<br />
94 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 95<br />
Quality<br />
Assured<br />
www.fairfashionvn.org<br />
A non-profit retail store offering ready-towear<br />
and custom-made fashion. Dresses<br />
and formal gowns for women, suits and<br />
shirts for men, made by highly skilled<br />
former sex trade workers trained to haute<br />
couture sewing levels.<br />
Thuy Nga Design<br />
7 Lam Son Square, D1<br />
Conveniently located at the Opera House,<br />
this local boutique is a one-stop shop<br />
for both men and women. The range<br />
includes clothes, men’s and women’s<br />
accessories and costume jewellery.<br />
Uyen<br />
13 Nguyen Thiep, D1<br />
An excellent option with English-speaking<br />
staff and a good selection of fabrics<br />
(although the price takes a dip if you bring<br />
your own) and some off-the-rack staples<br />
to copy. Reasonable prices.<br />
Environmental<br />
Assured
Ho Chi Minh<br />
City Map<br />
3 Thang 2 C1<br />
Alexandre de Rhodes B4<br />
Ba Huyen Thanh Quan B1, B2, C2, C3<br />
Ban Co C1<br />
Ben Chuong Duong D4<br />
Ben Van Don D4, D5<br />
Bui Thi Xuan C3<br />
Bui Vien D3<br />
Cach Mang Thang Tam B1, C2, C3<br />
Calmette D4<br />
Cao Ba Nha D3<br />
Cao Thang C1, C2, D2<br />
Chu Manh Trinh B4, B5<br />
Co Bac D3<br />
Co Giang D3<br />
De Tham D3<br />
Dien Bien Phu A4, B3, B2, C1, C2<br />
Dinh Cong Trang A3<br />
Dinh Tien Hoang A3, A4, B4<br />
Do Quang Dau D3<br />
Do Thanh C1<br />
Doan Nhu Hai D5<br />
Doan Van Bo D4, D5<br />
Dong Du C5<br />
Dong <strong>Khoi</strong> B4, C4, C5<br />
Hai Cua A5<br />
Huynh Tinh Cua A2<br />
Huynh Van Banh A1<br />
Khanh Hoi D4<br />
<strong>Ky</strong> Con A3, B3, B4, C5<br />
Hai Trieu C5<br />
Ham Nghi C4, C5<br />
Han Thuyen B4<br />
Ho Hao Hon D3<br />
Ho Huan Nghiep C5<br />
Ho Tung Mau C4, C5<br />
Ho Xuan Huong B3, C2<br />
Hoa Hung B1<br />
Hoang Dieu D4, D5<br />
Hung Vuong D1<br />
Huyen Tran Cong Chua C3<br />
Huynh Man Dat A5<br />
Huynh Thuc Khang C4<br />
<strong>Ky</strong> Dong B1, B2<br />
Le Cong Kieu C4<br />
Le Duan B4, B5<br />
Le Hong Phong D1<br />
Le Lai C3, C4, D3<br />
Le Loi C4<br />
Le Quoc Hung D4, D5<br />
Le Quy Don B3<br />
Le Thanh Ton B4, B5, C3, C4<br />
Le Thi Hong Gam C4, D3, D4<br />
Le Thi Rieng C3<br />
Le Van Phuc A3<br />
Le Van Sy B1, B2<br />
Luong Huu Khanh C2, D2<br />
Luu Van Lang C4<br />
Ly Chinh Thang A2, B2<br />
Ly Thai To D1<br />
Ly Tu Trong B4, B5, C4, C5<br />
Mac Dinh Chi A3, B4<br />
Mac Thi Buoi C5<br />
Mai Thi Luu A4<br />
Mai Van Ngoc A1<br />
Me Linh A5<br />
<strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong> A2, B2, B3, C4, D4<br />
Ngo Duc Ke C5<br />
Ngo Thoi Nhiem B2, C2<br />
Ngo Van <strong>Nam</strong> B5<br />
Nguyen Binh Khiem A4, A5, B5<br />
Nguyen Cong Tru D4<br />
Nguyen Cu Trinh D2, D3<br />
Nguyen Dinh Chieu A4, B3, B4, C1, C2, C3<br />
Nguyen Dinh Chinh A1<br />
Nguyen Du B4, C3, C4<br />
Nguyen Hai Tu A4<br />
Nguyen Hue C4, C5<br />
Nguyen Huu Canh A2<br />
Nguyen Huu Canh B5<br />
Nguyen Huu Cau A3<br />
Nguyen Khac Nhu D3<br />
Nguyen Khoai E3<br />
Nguyen Ngoc Phuong A5<br />
Nguyen Phi Khanh A3<br />
Nguyen Sieu B5, C5<br />
Nguyen Son Ha C2<br />
Nguyen Tat Thanh D5<br />
Nguyen Thai Binh C4, D4<br />
Nguyen Thai Hoc C3, D3, D4<br />
Nguyen Thi Dieu C2, C3<br />
Nguyen Thien Thuat C1, D1, D2<br />
Nguyen Thong B1, B2, C2<br />
Nguyen Thuong Hien C2<br />
Nguyen Trai C3, D2<br />
Nguyen Trung Ngan B5<br />
Nguyen Trung Truc C4<br />
Nguyen Truong To D4, D5<br />
Nguyen Van Cu D2<br />
Nguyen Van Hai A3<br />
Nguyen Van Lac A5<br />
Nguyen Van Thu A4, B3, B4<br />
Nguyen Van Troi A1<br />
Pasteur B2, B3, B4, C4<br />
Pham Hong Thai C2, C3<br />
Pham Ngoc Thach B3<br />
Pham Ngu Lao C3, C4, D3<br />
Pham Viet Chanh A5<br />
Pham Viet Chanh D2<br />
Phan Dinh Phung A2<br />
Phan Ke Binh A4<br />
Phan Van Han A4, A5<br />
Pho Duc Chinh C4, D4<br />
Phung Khac Khoan B3, B4<br />
Suong Nguyet Anh C2, C3<br />
Tan Vinh D4<br />
Thach Thi Thanh A3<br />
Thai Van Lung B5<br />
Thi Sach B5<br />
Thu Khoa Huan C4<br />
Ton Duc Thang B5, C4, C5, D4<br />
Ton That Dam C4<br />
Ton That Thiep C4<br />
Ton That Tung C2, C3<br />
Tran Binh Trong D1<br />
Tran Canh Chan D2<br />
Tran Cao Van B4<br />
Tran Dinh Xu D2, D3<br />
Tran Hung Dao C4, D2, D3<br />
Tran Khac Chan A3<br />
Tran Khanh Du A2, A3<br />
Tran Minh Quyen C1<br />
Tran Minh Quyen B1<br />
Tran Nhan Ton D1<br />
Tran Nhat Duat A3<br />
Tran Phu D1<br />
Tran Quang Dieu A1, A2<br />
Tran Quang Khai A3, A2<br />
Tran Quoc Thao B2, B3<br />
Tran Quoc Toan A2, A3, B2<br />
Tran Van Dang B1, B2<br />
Truong Chinh B3<br />
Truong Dinh B2, C3<br />
Tu Xuong B2, B3, C2<br />
Vinh Khanh D4, D5<br />
Vo Thi Sau A3, B2, B3<br />
Vo Van Tan B3, C2, C3<br />
Vuon Chuoi C2<br />
Xo Viet Nghe Tinh A4, A5<br />
Yersin D4<br />
Mai Van<br />
AA<br />
B<br />
Airport Airport<br />
3km 3km<br />
Tran<br />
Tran Van<br />
Van<br />
Dang<br />
Dang<br />
Tan Binh Tan Binh<br />
0.5km 0.5km<br />
C<br />
District District 11 11<br />
2km 2km<br />
Tran Minh Quyen<br />
Tran Minh Quyen<br />
Le Hong Phong<br />
D<br />
Cho Cho Lon Lon<br />
Market Market<br />
EE<br />
Ngoc<br />
Ngoc<br />
Chinh<br />
Chinh Dinh<br />
Dinh<br />
Ng gg<br />
Ng gg<br />
Huynh Huynh Van Banh<br />
Van Banh<br />
11 22 33 44 55<br />
PHU U U NHUAN<br />
NHUAN<br />
NHUAN<br />
Mai Van<br />
Saigon<br />
Saigon Train Station<br />
Train Station<br />
Tran Minh Quyen<br />
Tran Minh Quyen<br />
Hoa Hung<br />
Hoa Hung<br />
Lan Anh<br />
Lan<br />
Sports<br />
Anh<br />
&<br />
Sports<br />
Leisure<br />
&<br />
Club<br />
Leisure Club<br />
Dien Bien Phu<br />
Dien Bien Phu<br />
Tran Nhan TonHuynh Man Dat<br />
Tran Quang Dieu<br />
Ly Thai<br />
Ly Thai<br />
To<br />
To<br />
Hung Vuong<br />
Hung Vuong<br />
Nguyen Van Troi<br />
Nguyen Van Troi<br />
Tran Quang Dieu<br />
Nguyen Th ong<br />
Cach Mang Thang Tam<br />
Cach Mang Thang Tam<br />
3 Thang 2<br />
3 Thang 2<br />
Ban Co<br />
Ban Co<br />
Nguyen Thien Thuat<br />
Nguyen Thien Thuat<br />
Tran Binh Trong<br />
Ng Dinh Chinh<br />
Ng Dinh Chinh<br />
Le Van Sy<br />
Le Van Sy<br />
Quyen<br />
Quyen<br />
Tran<br />
Tran<br />
Minh<br />
Minh<br />
DISTRICT 10 10<br />
Tran Nhan TonHuynh Man Dat<br />
Le Hong Phong<br />
Tran Phu<br />
Tran Phu<br />
Do Thanh<br />
Cao Thang<br />
Cao Thang<br />
DISTRICT D DISTRICT D TRI TRTRI TIC RCT IC CT 5 5<br />
Tran Quang Dieu<br />
Tran Binh Trong<br />
Tran Quang Dieu<br />
An Duong Vuong<br />
An Duong Vuong<br />
Tran<br />
Tran<br />
Hung<br />
Hung<br />
Dao<br />
Dao<br />
Huyn h Van Banh<br />
Dang<br />
Dang<br />
Van Van<br />
Tran<br />
Tran<br />
Nguyen Th ong<br />
Do Thanh<br />
Tran Binh Trong<br />
Huyn h Van Banh<br />
<strong>Ky</strong> Dong<br />
Ng. Thuong<br />
V. Chuoi<br />
University<br />
of Natural University<br />
Sciences of Natural<br />
Sciences<br />
Teacher<br />
Training Teacher<br />
University Training<br />
University<br />
Nguyen Trai<br />
Nguyen Trai<br />
Tran Binh Trong<br />
<strong>Ky</strong> Dong<br />
Ly Chinh T hang<br />
Ng. Thuong<br />
V. Chuoi<br />
Hien<br />
Vuon<br />
Chuoi<br />
Vuon<br />
Market<br />
Chuoi<br />
Market<br />
Nguyen Van Cu<br />
Phan Dinh Phung<br />
Phan Dinh Phung<br />
Truong Dinh<br />
Truong Dinh<br />
Hai Ba Trung<br />
Hai Ba Trung<br />
Thai Binh<br />
Thai Binh<br />
Market<br />
Market<br />
War War<br />
Remnants Remnants<br />
Museum Museum<br />
Cultural Cultural Park Park<br />
Cach Mang Thang Tam<br />
Cach Mang Thang Tam<br />
Le Van Tam<br />
Le Park Van Tam<br />
Park<br />
Vo Thi Sau Vo Thi Sau<br />
Vo Thi Sau Vo Thi Sau<br />
Dien Bien Phu<br />
Dien Bien Phu<br />
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai<br />
Nguyen Thi Minh Khai<br />
Gia Dinh Gia Dinh<br />
Hospital Hospital<br />
1.5km 1.5km<br />
<strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong> <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
<strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong> <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Ky</strong> <strong>Khoi</strong> <strong>Nghia</strong><br />
Tu Xuong<br />
Tu Xuong<br />
Nguyen Thong<br />
Nguyen Thong<br />
Nguyen Son Ha<br />
Nguyen Son Ha<br />
Pham Viet Chanh<br />
Pham Viet Chanh<br />
Nguyen Bieu<br />
Ly Chinh T hang<br />
Hien<br />
Tran Quoc Toan Tran Quoc Toan<br />
Canh<br />
Huu<br />
Tran Khanh Tran Khanh Du Du<br />
Huynh Tinh Cua<br />
Huynh Tinh Cua<br />
Ba Huyen Thanh Quan<br />
Ba Huyen Thanh Quan<br />
Nguyen Dinh Chieu<br />
Nguyen Dinh Chieu<br />
Ngo Thoi Nhiem<br />
Ngo Thoi Nhiem<br />
Luong Huu Khanh<br />
Luong Huu Khanh<br />
Nguyen Trai<br />
Ngu yen<br />
Tran<br />
Tran<br />
N. V. Hai<br />
N. V. Hai<br />
Chua Phat An<br />
Chua Phat An<br />
Tran Quoc Thao<br />
Tran Quoc Thao<br />
Nguyen Thi Dieu<br />
Nguyen Thi Dieu<br />
Suong Nguyet Anh<br />
Suong Nguyet Anh<br />
Ton That Tung<br />
Ton That Tung<br />
Cong Quynh<br />
Cong Quynh<br />
Tran Dinh Xu<br />
Tran Dinh Xu<br />
Cao Ba Nha<br />
Nguyen Trai<br />
Nguyen Trai<br />
Do Q. Dau<br />
Le Lai<br />
Le Lai<br />
Bui Vien<br />
Bui Vien<br />
Nguyen Thai Hoc<br />
De Tham<br />
Pham Ngu Lao<br />
Pham Ngu Lao<br />
Ng Kh Nhu<br />
Ng Kh Nhu<br />
Co Bac<br />
Co Bac<br />
Dinh Tien Hoang<br />
Re-unication Re-unication<br />
Palace Palace<br />
Pham Pham Hong Hong Thai Thai<br />
Tran Hung Dao Tran Hung Dao<br />
Tran Hung Dao Tran Hung Dao<br />
Canh Chan<br />
Canh Chan<br />
Ng. Huu Cau<br />
Rieng Rieng<br />
Le Thi<br />
Le Thi<br />
Thach Thi Thanh<br />
Thach Thi Thanh<br />
D. C. Trang<br />
D. C. Trang<br />
Truong Chinh<br />
Truong Chinh<br />
Vo Van Tan Vo Van Tan<br />
Cao Thang<br />
Cao Thang<br />
Tran Nhat Duat<br />
Nguyen Gia Thieu<br />
Ho Xuan Huong<br />
Ho Xuan Huong<br />
Bui Thi Xuan<br />
Bui Thi Xuan<br />
Nguyen Cu Trinh<br />
Nguyen Cu Trinh<br />
DISTRICT ST ST 1 1<br />
Nguyen Van Cu<br />
Nguyen Bieu<br />
Tran Quoc Toan Tran Quoc Toan<br />
Canh<br />
Huu<br />
Tran Khac Chan<br />
DISTRICT DIST DISTRICT DSTR SIST<br />
STR SRICT<br />
ICT RICT ICT3<br />
3<br />
Nguyen Trai<br />
Ngu yen<br />
Tran Nhat Duat<br />
Le Quy Don<br />
Le Quy Don<br />
Nguyen Gia Thieu<br />
Cao Ba Nha<br />
Tran Khac Chan<br />
Ng. Huu Cau<br />
Do Q. Dau<br />
Ho H. Hon<br />
Ho H. Hon<br />
Chuong Duong<br />
Chuong Duong<br />
Ben<br />
Ben<br />
Tran Quang Tran Quang Khai Khai<br />
L. V. Phuc<br />
L. V. Phuc<br />
Ng. Phi Ng. Khanh Phi Khanh<br />
Pham Ngoc Thach<br />
Pham Ngoc Thach<br />
Pasteur<br />
Pasteur<br />
Truong Dinh<br />
Truong Dinh<br />
Vo Van Tan Vo Van Tan<br />
Huyen Tran Cong Chua<br />
Huyen Tran Cong Chua<br />
Co Giang<br />
Co Giang<br />
Nguyen Khoai<br />
Nguyen Thai Hoc<br />
De Tham<br />
Nguyen Khoai<br />
De Tham<br />
Dinh Tien Hoang<br />
Tu<br />
Tu<br />
Ng Hai Ng Hai<br />
Phung Khac Khoan<br />
Phung Khac Khoan<br />
Nguyen Van Thu<br />
Nguyen Van Thu<br />
Huan<br />
Huan<br />
Thu Kh<br />
Thu Kh<br />
Ly Tu Trong<br />
Ly Tu Trong<br />
De Tham<br />
Hoang Dieu<br />
Hoang Dieu<br />
Mac Dinh Chi<br />
Mac Dinh Chi<br />
Nguyen Dinh Chieu<br />
Nguyen Dinh Chieu<br />
Alexandre De Rhodes<br />
Alexandre De Rhodes<br />
Ben<br />
Thanh Ben<br />
Market Thanh<br />
Market<br />
Bus<br />
Station Bus<br />
Station<br />
Nguyen Binh Khiem<br />
Nguyen Binh Khiem<br />
Central<br />
Central Post Ofce<br />
Post Ofce<br />
Le Loi<br />
Le Loi<br />
Hoa Lu<br />
Hoa Stadium Lu<br />
Stadium<br />
Nguyen NNNggg Thi Minh Khai<br />
Nguyen NNNggg Thi Minh Khai<br />
Hai Ba Trung<br />
Hai Ba Trung<br />
Town Hall<br />
Town Hall<br />
Saigon Saigon South South<br />
4km 4km<br />
Dien Bien Phu<br />
Dien Bien Phu<br />
Dinh Tien Hoang<br />
Dinh Tien Hoang<br />
HTV<br />
HTV television<br />
television<br />
Le Duan Le Duan<br />
Le Duan Le Duan<br />
Pasteur<br />
Pasteur<br />
Nguyen Trung Truc<br />
Nguyen Trung Truc<br />
Nguyen Du<br />
Nguyen Du<br />
Nguyen An Ninh<br />
Nguyen An Ninh<br />
Le Thi Hong Gam<br />
Le Thi Hong Gam<br />
Phan Ke Binh<br />
Phan Ke Binh<br />
Tran Cao Van<br />
Tran Cao Van<br />
Han Thuyen<br />
Han Thuyen<br />
<strong>Ky</strong> Con<br />
<strong>Ky</strong> Con<br />
Mai Thi Luu<br />
Mai Thi Luu<br />
Dong <strong>Khoi</strong><br />
Dong <strong>Khoi</strong><br />
Pho Duc Chinh<br />
Pho Duc Chinh<br />
Nguyen Thai Binh<br />
Nguyen Thai Binh<br />
Yersin<br />
L. V. Lang<br />
L. V. Lang<br />
Khanh Hoi<br />
Hoang Hoang Sa Sa<br />
Ham Ham Nghi Nghi<br />
Xo Viet Nghe Tinh<br />
Xo Viet Nghe Tinh<br />
Le Loi<br />
Le Loi<br />
Ton Duc Thang<br />
Ton Duc Thang<br />
Chu Manh Trinh<br />
Chu Manh Trinh<br />
Nguyen Hue<br />
Nguyen Hue<br />
Ton ThTon Th at Thiep<br />
at Thiep<br />
T. T. Dam<br />
Pham PPPPhhhaaammmmmmmmmmm Pham PPPPhhhaaammmmmmmmmmm VVV Van nnn Han VVV Van nnn nnn Han nnn<br />
Thi Sach<br />
Thi Sach<br />
Mac<br />
Mac<br />
Ngo<br />
Ngo<br />
Ton Duc Thang<br />
Ton Duc Thang<br />
Le Quoc Hung<br />
Le Quoc Hung<br />
Zoo & Botanical<br />
Zoo & Gardens Botanical<br />
Gardens<br />
Nguyen Binh Khiem<br />
Nguyen Binh Khiem<br />
Thai Van Lung<br />
Thai Van Lung<br />
Ng Sieu<br />
Ng Sieu<br />
Cao Ba Quat<br />
Cao Ba Quat<br />
Dong Du<br />
Dong Du<br />
Thi Buoi<br />
Thi Buoi<br />
Duc Ke<br />
Duc Ke<br />
Hai Trieu<br />
Hai Trieu<br />
Ton Duc<br />
Thang Museum<br />
Ton Duc<br />
Thang Museum<br />
Nghiep<br />
Nghiep<br />
H.H.<br />
H.H.<br />
Van<br />
Van<br />
Ngo<br />
Ngo <strong>Nam</strong> <strong>Nam</strong><br />
Nguyen Huu Canh<br />
Nguyen Huu Canh<br />
Thu Thiem Thu Thiem<br />
Ferry Ferry Port Port<br />
(for District (for District 2) 2)<br />
HCM HCM City City<br />
Boat Boat Quay Quay<br />
(for Vung (for Vung Tau) Tau)<br />
Nguyen Tat Thanh<br />
Nhu Hai<br />
Nhu Hai<br />
DonDoan<br />
DonDoan<br />
Ben Van<br />
Ben Van<br />
Calmette<br />
Ng. Cong Tru<br />
Ng. Cong Tru<br />
Ben Chuong<br />
Ben Chuong<br />
Duong<br />
Duong<br />
Tan Vinh<br />
Nguyen Du<br />
Ly Tu Trong<br />
Ly Tu Trong<br />
Le Thanh Ton Le Thanh Ton<br />
Pasteur<br />
Le Cong Le Cong Kieu Kieu<br />
Don<br />
Don<br />
Ben Van<br />
Ben Van<br />
Truong Truong Sa<br />
Sa<br />
DISTRICT D DISTRICT D RICT CT CT1<br />
1 1<br />
Yersin<br />
Khanh Hoi<br />
Calmette<br />
Tan Vinh<br />
Nguyen Du<br />
Ho Tung Mau<br />
Huynh Thuc<br />
Huynh Thuc<br />
Khang<br />
Khang<br />
Vinh Khanh<br />
BINH B BINH BNH NH THANH TH THANH TH<br />
Hoang Dieu<br />
Hoang Dieu<br />
Ng. Cong Tru<br />
Ng. Cong Tru<br />
Ng Truong To<br />
Nguyen<br />
Trung Ngan<br />
Nguyen<br />
Trung Ngan<br />
Le Thanh Ton Le Thanh Ton<br />
Pasteur<br />
Vinh Khanh<br />
Doan Van Bo<br />
Doan Van Bo<br />
Ton Dan<br />
Nguyen Ngoc Phuong<br />
Vinh Hoi Vinh Hoi Vinh Hoi Vinh Hoi<br />
T. T. Dam<br />
Ho Tung Mau<br />
Ng Truong To<br />
Phan Van Dat<br />
Phan Van Dat<br />
DISTRICT DI DISTRICT DI TR TR 4 4<br />
Nguyen Tat Thanh<br />
Ton Dan<br />
Nguyen Ngoc Phuong<br />
Huynh Man Dat<br />
asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 97<br />
Huynh Tinh Cua<br />
Huynh Tinh Cua<br />
Me Linh<br />
Saigon Saigon Bridge Bridge<br />
& Highway & Highway 1 1<br />
3km 3km<br />
Cat Lai Cat Ferry Lai Ferry<br />
9km 9km<br />
Vung Vung Tau Tau<br />
District District 7 7<br />
& Nha & Be Nha Be<br />
Xom Chieu<br />
Nguyen Van Lac<br />
Huynh Man Dat<br />
Xom Chieu<br />
Nguyen Van Lac<br />
Me Linh
Photos by <strong>Nam</strong> Quan<br />
& Fred Wissink<br />
mexican lindo opening<br />
escada spring-summer 2010 launch at la cantine<br />
biuret at the hi-fi<br />
cage
oxoffice<br />
This month, Vietnam gets a<br />
double dose of 3D adventure, as<br />
well as an offering of action and<br />
comedy.<br />
In a remake of classic monster<br />
flick The Wolfman, traveling<br />
actor Lawrence Talbot (Benicio<br />
del Toro) returns to his home<br />
after his brother’s mauled body<br />
is found. While investigating the<br />
murder, Lawrence stumbles into<br />
a werewolf attack and is bitten in<br />
the fray. After transforming into a<br />
werewolf himself, he must get to<br />
the bottom of his brother’s death<br />
while battling his inner beast.<br />
In Cop Out, Bruce Willis and<br />
Tracy Morgan star as Jimmy and<br />
Paul, long-time partners who get<br />
suspended from the police force<br />
after a failed drug sting. Their<br />
bad luck continues when a thief<br />
(Sean William Scott) steals Paul’s<br />
favourite gun and the vintage<br />
baseball card Jimmy wants to sell<br />
to pay for his daughter’s wedding.<br />
opening dates<br />
CINEMAS<br />
C: Cinebox<br />
www.cinebox212.com.vn<br />
G: Galaxy<br />
www.galaxycine.vn<br />
L: Lottecinema<br />
www.lottecinemavn.com<br />
M: Megastar<br />
www.megastarmedia.net<br />
T: Thang Long<br />
www.giaitrithanglong.com/cinema<br />
In pursuit of their possessions,<br />
Jimmy and Paul face a series of<br />
comical obstacles.<br />
Originally set for February<br />
release, Martin Scorsese’s Shutter<br />
Island follows U.S. Marshals<br />
Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) and<br />
Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), who<br />
are dispatched to Shutter Island,<br />
where a patient of the island’s<br />
hospital for the criminally insane<br />
has escaped. When a clue sparks<br />
tension between the investigators<br />
and the hospital staff, a conspiracy<br />
begins to unravel and Teddy<br />
starts to lose his grip on his sanity.<br />
Also pushed back, Did You<br />
Hear About the Morgans? features<br />
a wealthy New York couple<br />
in a deteriorating marriage. Paul<br />
(Hugh Grant) and Meryl (Sarah<br />
Jessica Parker) are sent to a small<br />
town in Wyoming for protection<br />
after they witness a murder. Starting<br />
a new life in an utterly different<br />
world, they are forced to sort out<br />
The Wolfman<br />
March 25<br />
COP OUT<br />
April 2<br />
SHUTTER ISLAND<br />
April 2<br />
DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE<br />
MORGANS?<br />
April 2<br />
their rocky marriage.<br />
Vietnam gets another dose of<br />
3D with Clash of the Titans. This<br />
remake of the 1981 cult classic<br />
stars Sam Worthington as the<br />
hero of Greek myth, Perseus,<br />
who leads humanity’s campaign<br />
against Hades (Ralph Fiennes)<br />
after the god of hell strikes down<br />
his family. Throughout his voyage,<br />
Perseus employs his power as<br />
a demi-god to face off against a<br />
series of gruesome beasts.<br />
Also in the fantasy genre is<br />
Daybreakers, a vampire story set<br />
in the not-too-distant future. With<br />
humanity on the brink of extinction,<br />
vampires must find a blood<br />
substitute or face transformation<br />
into bat-like beasts. When<br />
hematologist Edward Dalton<br />
(Ethan Hawke) comes across a<br />
group of humans trying to rebuild<br />
their race, they reveal something<br />
amazing: Elvis (Willem Dafoe), a<br />
man cured of his vampirism.<br />
THE CLASH OF THE TITANS<br />
April 9<br />
DAYBREAKERS<br />
April 16<br />
DE MAI TINH<br />
April 23<br />
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON<br />
April 24<br />
On the local front, Dustin<br />
Nguyen and Kathy Uyen co-star<br />
in new romantic comedy De Mai<br />
Tinh (Deal With It Tomorrow) directed<br />
by Charlie Nguyen. Dustin<br />
Nguyen plays Dung, a 5-star hotel<br />
employee who quits his job and<br />
devotes himself to winning over<br />
lounge singer Mai (Uyen).<br />
There’s more 3D adventure<br />
with How to Train Your Dragon,<br />
a film adaptation of the children’s<br />
book that follows Hiccup (Jay<br />
Baruchel), the black sheep of<br />
a Viking community famed for<br />
slaying dragons. When Hiccup<br />
comes of age, he hopes to earn<br />
the respect of the community and<br />
his father (Gerard Butler) by proving<br />
his skill in fighting dragons.<br />
But that proves unlikely when he<br />
befriends his first capture, who he<br />
names Toothless. Inspired by his<br />
friendship with Toothless, Hiccup<br />
seeks to end violence against<br />
dragons.<br />
The information on this page was<br />
correct at the time of printing. Check<br />
cinema websites for screening.<br />
Occupied City<br />
David Pease<br />
Knopf<br />
In January 1948, a man claiming to be a doctor entered the<br />
Teikoku Bank in occupied Tokyo. He told employees he had been<br />
sent to immunize the bank’s workers against dysentery, and<br />
proceeded to administer a “vaccine.” He actually poisoned 16<br />
people, killing 12, in one of the most notorious criminal cases in<br />
Japanese history. Pease’s novel, the second in a planned trilogy<br />
about Tokyo, takes this real-life event as its basis, weaving a<br />
highly stylized, Rashomon-like tale of differing voices and perspectives<br />
including newspaper articles and police reports. One<br />
observer, a U.S. army doctor named Murray Thompson, believes<br />
the poisoning is evidence of Japanese bioweapons experimentation,<br />
a theory which was attached to the incident at the time but<br />
never proven.<br />
Still Life: Adventures<br />
in Taxidermy<br />
Melissa Milgrom<br />
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt<br />
Far from its heyday during the Victorian-era natural sciences<br />
boom, taxidermy has long come to seem dated, kitschy, creepy<br />
and outright morbid. (Stuffing animals was the favorite hobby<br />
of Norman Bates in Psycho, after all.) But for journalist Melissa<br />
Milgrom, it was a subject she had grown interested in since a<br />
chance encounter with the last chief taxidermist at the American<br />
Museum of Natural History. Still Life traces the colourful history<br />
of taxidermy from the days when British naturalists composed<br />
painstaking dioramas of port-drinking squirrels to a hands-on<br />
account of contemporary practice. Milgrom attempts to stuff a<br />
squirrel herself and takes a trip to the ultra-competitive World<br />
Taxidermy Championships. Along the way, a more nuanced and<br />
human picture emerges of a practice that is equal parts science<br />
and art.<br />
bookshelf<br />
The Ask: A Novel<br />
Sam Lipsyte<br />
Farrar, Straus and Giroux<br />
In a pair of novels and a short story collection, Sam Lipsyte has<br />
tapped mind-numbing boredom, crushing failure and the banality<br />
of consumer culture as material for his darkly comic vision. His<br />
latest hero, Milo Burke, follows in the same vein. He’s a washedup<br />
painter living in Astoria, Queens with a wife who doesn’t<br />
want to be touched by him and their young son. Milo works as<br />
a fundraiser for a mediocre university, which he is—you guessed<br />
it—also failing at. He is fired, but then given a shot at salvation,<br />
of sorts: a rich and aristocratic old college acquaintance, Purdy<br />
Stewart, may be willing to make a large endowment, and wants<br />
Milo to act as the intermediary with the university. This arrangement,<br />
however, is not what it seems (of course).<br />
The Big Short:<br />
Inside the<br />
Doomsday Machine<br />
Michael Lewis<br />
W. W. Norton & Company<br />
In looking to make sense of what exactly drove Wall Street<br />
and the U.S. economy over the cliff, there’s no better guide<br />
than Michael Lewis. The author of Liar’s Poker and Moneyball<br />
takes readers on a ride through the toxic wasteland of complex<br />
financial instruments, where Wall Street firms were able “to hide<br />
the risk by complicating it.” Lewis focuses on a few individuals<br />
who were smart enough to see the looming real-estate mortgage<br />
disaster and make a fortune by betting on its collapse in the<br />
bonds market. These include a doctor with Asperger’s syndrome<br />
and a pair of friends who started a “garage band hedge fund” in<br />
a backyard shed. It’s a character-driven, storytelling account of<br />
one of the world’s great financial messes.<br />
100 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 101
soundfix<br />
album review<br />
FabricLive 50<br />
DBridge & Instra:<br />
Mental Present<br />
Autonomic<br />
Inspired by their series of<br />
celebrated Autonomic podcasts<br />
in 2009, DBridge &<br />
Instra:Mental continue the fine<br />
lineage of FabricLive mixes with<br />
their experimental and minimal<br />
brand of down-tempo electronic<br />
dance music. Encompassing a<br />
multitude of subgenres (drum n’<br />
bass, electro, dubstep, techno<br />
& ambient) and styles from<br />
the 1980s through to present<br />
day, the deftest of mixing skills<br />
and cutting edge production<br />
techniques take the listener to<br />
mysterious and dark realms<br />
where a panorama of broken<br />
synths and brooding bass-driven<br />
collages reveal themselves over<br />
31 tracks. This is a post-club<br />
chill-out album to come down<br />
to at home in the heady twilight<br />
between fleeting dusk and the<br />
emerging dawn. Memorable<br />
moments include Riya’s “Seems<br />
Like,” a robotic yet soulful glide<br />
with post-garage urban vocals;<br />
the lulling ambience and jazzy<br />
inflections of Stray’s “Pushed”;<br />
and one of the standout tunes of<br />
2009 in Instra:Mental’s “Watching<br />
You.” The only thing missing<br />
is DBridge’s superb “Wonder<br />
Where.”<br />
Pavement<br />
Quarantine The<br />
Past<br />
This career-spanning retrospective<br />
compilation of concert<br />
staples, fan favourites and oddballs<br />
is the perfect introduction<br />
to anyone looking to belatedly<br />
discover the lo-fi indie-rock of<br />
early 90s underground band<br />
Pavement. With their fractured<br />
narratives, occasional blasts of<br />
feedback and off-kilter melodies,<br />
Pavement was highly influential<br />
to numerous American and<br />
British underground bands yet<br />
too strange for the mainstream.<br />
Their loud-quiet-loud-quiet<br />
dynamic is reminiscent of the<br />
Pixies and Sonic Youth, and<br />
tracks such as “Gold Soundz,”<br />
“Stereo,” “Here” and “The Mouth<br />
In The Desert” provided the<br />
sonic blueprint for revered mid-<br />
90s bands such as Weezer and<br />
Modest Mouse. Like all compilations,<br />
Quarantine The Past is<br />
sure to evoke many arguments<br />
regarding track selection among<br />
fans, but pretty much everything<br />
on here is excellent and serves<br />
as a decent primer for their<br />
upcoming world tour.<br />
Gorillaz<br />
Plastic Beach<br />
The world’s biggest cartoon<br />
band (in reality headed up by<br />
Blur’s Damon Albarn and illustrator<br />
Jamie Hewlett) is back with<br />
an important message. Along<br />
with a roster of collaborators<br />
that reads like the guest list to<br />
the weirdest after-party ever<br />
(Lou Reed, Snoop Dog, Bobby<br />
Womack and Mark E. Smith<br />
to name but a few), Gorillaz<br />
provide a dejected social commentary<br />
on the current state<br />
of the world’s environment.<br />
Others along for the ride include<br />
Sinfonia ViVA, The Lebanese<br />
National Orchestra for Oriental<br />
and Arabic Music and Hypnotic<br />
Brass Ensemble. The end result<br />
is one of the smartest, most<br />
intriguing and forward-thinking<br />
pop records recorded. Funk,<br />
hip-hop, alt. rock, electro-pop<br />
and world music are successfully<br />
melded together as each<br />
vocalist stamps their own idiosyncratic<br />
style on this progressive<br />
concept album. There’s no<br />
big single, no “Clint Eastwood”<br />
or “Feel Good Inc.”, but that’s<br />
exactly the point. Plastic Beach<br />
is a body of work designed to be<br />
digested as a whole.<br />
by John Thornton<br />
Goldfrapp<br />
Head First<br />
This fifth LP sees Goldfrapp<br />
departing from the folk-inspired<br />
sound of 2008’s Seventh Tree<br />
and diving head first into pure,<br />
unadulterated 1980s Italodisco.<br />
Stomping glitter beats;<br />
fizzing synths and glossy pop<br />
that shines brighter than Marty<br />
McFly’s DeLorean is the order<br />
of the day. Initially, the radical<br />
change of direction is quite hard<br />
to take as it’s quickly established<br />
that Head First is Goldfrapp’s<br />
most overtly commercial album<br />
to date. It’s so authentically<br />
1980s-tastic it could be a <strong>Ky</strong>lie<br />
Minogue album—something<br />
sure to polarize Goldfrapp fans<br />
the world over. The opening<br />
quartet of “Rocket,” “Believer,”<br />
“Alive” and “Dreaming” will have<br />
ELO, Abba and New Order fans<br />
furiously searching for their old,<br />
ripped Van Halen t-shirt, dusting<br />
off that Jane Fonda aerobics<br />
VHS and punching the sky in<br />
sweaty abandon. Others may<br />
see Head First as that secretive<br />
guilty pleasure you know<br />
you shouldn’t like but listen to<br />
repeatedly on your headphones.<br />
Either way, to paraphrase 1980s<br />
pop bible Smash Hits: Goldfrapp<br />
are BACK! BACK! BACK!<br />
xoneFM<br />
top ten<br />
Official XONe fM Vietnam Top 10<br />
this<br />
week<br />
title artist<br />
102 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 103<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
9<br />
10<br />
Automatic<br />
Telephone (feat.<br />
Beyonce)<br />
Sorry Sorry Answer<br />
Lang Tham<br />
Mua Roi Lang Tham<br />
Let Me Hear Your<br />
Voice<br />
What Do You Want<br />
From Me<br />
Mau Xanh Tinh Yeu<br />
Lot Xac<br />
Ring Ding Dong<br />
Tokio Hotel<br />
Lady GaGa<br />
Super Junior<br />
Noo Phuoc Thinh<br />
M4U<br />
Big Bang<br />
Adam Lambert<br />
australia Top 10<br />
this<br />
week<br />
title artist<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
9<br />
10<br />
Angus & Julia<br />
The Fame Monster<br />
Plastic Beach<br />
Sigh No More<br />
Jason Derulo<br />
Recollection<br />
I Dreamed A Dream<br />
Valleys Of Neptune<br />
One Love<br />
Crazy Love<br />
US Top 10<br />
this<br />
week<br />
title artist<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
9<br />
10<br />
Rude Boy<br />
Nothin' On You (feat.<br />
Bruno Mars)<br />
Telephone (feat.<br />
Beyonce)<br />
Need You Now<br />
Break Your Heart (feat.<br />
Ludacris)<br />
Imma Be<br />
Hey, Soul Sister<br />
BedRock (feat.Lloyd)<br />
TiK ToK<br />
Baby (feat. Ludacris)<br />
US top 10 courtesy of www.billboard.com<br />
Mai <strong>Khoi</strong><br />
Nguyen Hai Phong<br />
Shinee<br />
Angus & Julia Stone<br />
Lady Gaga<br />
Gorillaz<br />
Mumford & Sons<br />
Jason Derulo<br />
k.d. lang<br />
Susan Boyle<br />
Jemi Hendrix<br />
David Guetta<br />
Micheal Bolton<br />
Rihanna<br />
B.o.B<br />
Lady Gaga<br />
Lady Antebellum<br />
Taio Cruz<br />
The Black Eyed Peas<br />
Train<br />
Young Money<br />
Ke$ha<br />
Jusin Bieber<br />
endorsed<br />
iTunes LPs<br />
By John Thornton<br />
Since the advent of the mp3,<br />
music purists have complained<br />
that the digital music<br />
format is inferior to its physical<br />
counterpart. In many respects,<br />
this claim is not unfounded.<br />
Compressed sound quality,<br />
lack of artwork and sleeve<br />
innards and the inability to<br />
physically touch the product<br />
are major disadvantages.<br />
The feeling that comes with<br />
purchasing, holding, opening<br />
and playing a brand new<br />
record, be it on vinyl or CD,<br />
is one that totally outweighs<br />
the numbness that associated<br />
with pressing “Buy” in the<br />
iTunes online store.<br />
Take Be Here Now by<br />
Oasis, released in 1997 to<br />
such colossal anticipation<br />
that thousands of fans literally<br />
queued outside HMVs<br />
across the UK for hours just to<br />
purchase a copy. At that time<br />
Be Here Now became the<br />
fastest-selling album in British<br />
history. We’ve yet to witness<br />
a similar level of dedication<br />
or hysteria with a digital-only<br />
release.<br />
Remember how it felt<br />
to admire and analyze the<br />
artwork and sleeve notes,<br />
discovering little facts, insights<br />
and designs that completely<br />
enhanced your overall experience?<br />
Remember the warm<br />
crackle of freshly played vinyl<br />
or the clinical, crystal clear<br />
dynamics of a CD?<br />
Radiohead’s Special Collectors<br />
Edition release of<br />
2001’s Amnesiac is regularly<br />
touted as the perfect example<br />
of the advantages of buying<br />
into the physical format. The<br />
beautifully hand-crafted red<br />
hardback library book not only<br />
contained the CD inside the<br />
book cover but also authenticlooking<br />
library slips and date<br />
stamps. This wonderfully<br />
creative spin on the physical<br />
album format won Thom<br />
Yorke and his collaborator a<br />
Grammy award for Best Recording<br />
Package in 2002.<br />
Realizing that such fundamental<br />
disadvantages needed<br />
to be rectified in order to<br />
recapture a critical market,<br />
Apple struck back with their<br />
own highly creative and<br />
impressive spin on the digital<br />
music format: the iTunes LP.<br />
This particular format has<br />
been designed to reincorporate<br />
the visual aspect of the<br />
record album, with a host of<br />
special features, including<br />
expanded cover art, lyrics,<br />
videos, animation and even<br />
interactive games.<br />
The iTunes LP versions<br />
of albums by Muse, Massive<br />
Attack and Gorillaz have<br />
reenergized the previously dull<br />
format by giving fans more<br />
bang for their buck. Instead of<br />
purchasing several individual<br />
tracks from an album, now<br />
you’ll want to buy the whole<br />
package and experience all<br />
those features you’ve been<br />
missing since swapping your<br />
CD player for an iPod.<br />
You still might not be able<br />
to touch an iTunes LP but it’s<br />
as close as we’re going to get<br />
to the good old days.
do luddites have a facebook group?<br />
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Jason Page On a break from social-networking,<br />
Jason Page learns to enjoy the simpler things in life.<br />
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Write something...<br />
RECENT ACTIVITY<br />
You like this.<br />
A few months ago, when<br />
Facebook experienced its first<br />
“hiccups” in Vietnam, I quickly<br />
learned to live without the<br />
social-networking service. I’ve<br />
been made aware of the many<br />
solutions available to me, but<br />
for one reason or another, I<br />
can’t seem to muster the motivation<br />
to put any of them to<br />
use. I’ve always been slow to<br />
jump aboard the tech train—I<br />
didn’t own a cell phone until<br />
2004—and it would seem I’m<br />
just as slow to get back on<br />
board once I’ve fallen off.<br />
But more recently, my selfimposed<br />
exile from Facebook<br />
has become something of a social<br />
experiment. I’m experiencing<br />
echoes of my days without<br />
a mobile phone (How am I<br />
supposed to reach you, man?). My<br />
precipitous drop in Wall activity<br />
has sometimes led to concern<br />
(u ok? where u been?) and other<br />
times paranoia (haven’t heard<br />
from you. we all right?). In fact,<br />
quitting Facebook has done<br />
wonders for my self-esteem. I<br />
have never felt so important.<br />
I then did something even<br />
more drastic than staying off<br />
the Facebook grid. I started to<br />
ask friends to email me. I’m not<br />
talking about my work email.<br />
I’m talking about my personal<br />
email, that graveyard of<br />
subscription news blasts about<br />
a city I no longer live in. But<br />
what was worse was asking<br />
friends for their personal email<br />
addresses. I came to expect the<br />
dumbfounded wonder, as if<br />
I had just requested that they<br />
recite the Book of Kells in pig<br />
Latin. Well that’s, uh, that’s the<br />
darndest thing. It’s slipped my<br />
mind. There’s an ampersand in<br />
there somewhere.<br />
It would seem that in an era<br />
of hyper-connectivity, people<br />
are beginning to phase the old<br />
modes of communication out<br />
of their lives. I however, am just<br />
rediscovering them. And you<br />
know what? I want more.<br />
When I had cable and<br />
Internet installed in my apartment,<br />
the technician insisted<br />
on putting a landline telephone<br />
in, despite my insistence that I<br />
didn’t need one. I haven’t had a<br />
landline telephone in close to a<br />
decade, but I think I’m going to<br />
start using mine.<br />
A friend who is roughly 15<br />
years my senior once told me<br />
that he used to talk to friends<br />
for hours on his landline<br />
phone, but he just couldn’t do<br />
the same on a cell phone. And<br />
he’s right. I picked up the receiver<br />
the other day, and it felt<br />
strangely alien. There’s a heft<br />
to a receiver that a cell phone<br />
just can’t stand up to. It’s like<br />
placing a stylus on a record versus<br />
thumbing through an iPod<br />
playlist.<br />
How far can I take it? I don’t<br />
know. There has to be a line<br />
that shouldn’t be crossed. I’m<br />
guessing it falls somewhere<br />
between using an abacus and<br />
clipping a beeper to my belt.<br />
I don’t want to be seen to be<br />
striving for irony, here.<br />
In reality, I know I’ll<br />
eventually go back to socialnetworking.<br />
That's the genius<br />
of Facebook. It knows where<br />
to find you. Among all the<br />
junk email and subscriptions,<br />
messages keep reaching me<br />
from Facebook, tempting me<br />
back. No, I didn’t know it was<br />
Julie’s birthday in three days. Yes,<br />
I would like to poke Aurora back.<br />
At the end of the day, I would<br />
rather flip up my laptop screen<br />
and see a string of messages<br />
and photos from friends than<br />
open my inbox to adverts<br />
from a store I never shop at<br />
and Jetstar updates written in<br />
Vietnamese. That’s just no way<br />
to live.<br />
this month in history<br />
Oscar Wilde Arrested, Arafat Plane Crash, Molly Brown Entertains and more<br />
April 1, 1984<br />
Marvin Gaye Shooting<br />
R&B singer Marvin Gaye is shot<br />
and killed by his father during a<br />
family dispute. Authorities drop<br />
first-degree murder charges<br />
against Marvin Sr. after they<br />
discover that Gaye beat his<br />
father just prior to the shooting.<br />
Marvin Sr. pleads no contest to<br />
voluntary manslaughter and is<br />
sentenced to five years probation.<br />
Gaye was known for the<br />
popular hits, “How Sweet It Is<br />
To Be Loved By You,” “I Heard<br />
It Through the Grapevine,” and<br />
“Mercy Mercy Me.” He dies one<br />
day before his 45th birthday.<br />
April 2, 1902<br />
First U.S. Movie Theatre Opens<br />
The Electric Theater, the first<br />
dedicated U.S. movie theatre,<br />
opens in a circus tent in Los<br />
Angeles, California. A ticket<br />
costs just 10 cents for a onehour<br />
show. Movies became<br />
increasingly popular after a 1901<br />
vaudeville strike forced owners<br />
to find alternate sources of entertainment<br />
for their venues. The<br />
strike also laid the groundwork<br />
for the arrival of nickelodeons,<br />
tiny storefront theatres that<br />
played silent films accompanied<br />
by a live pianist for 5 cents.<br />
April 6, 1895<br />
Oscar Wilde Arrest<br />
Author Oscar Wilde is arrested<br />
after losing a libel case against<br />
the Marquess of Queensberry.<br />
The royal publicly accused Wilde<br />
of being homosexual after he<br />
discovered that his son was Wilde’s<br />
lover. Wilde, also a husband<br />
and father, is sentenced to two<br />
years of hard labour. He dies in<br />
1900 of meningitis and although<br />
unproven, some believe the<br />
cause is syphilis. The Oxford<br />
educated writer is best known<br />
for the play, The Importance<br />
of Being Ernest (1895) and the<br />
novel, The Picture of Dorian<br />
Gray (1890).<br />
April 8, 1992<br />
Arafat Plane Crash<br />
Palestine Liberation Organization<br />
(PLO) chairman Yasser<br />
Arafat’s plane crashes during a<br />
sandstorm in the Libyan Desert.<br />
Three crew members perish, but<br />
Arafat and the other passengers<br />
survive, sustaining only minor<br />
injuries. The 62-year-old Arafat<br />
was returning from a meeting<br />
at a Palestinian guerrilla desert<br />
camp in Libya, following visits to<br />
the Sudan and Yemen. Throughout<br />
his life, the controversial<br />
leader served as President of the<br />
Palestinian National Authority<br />
(PNA), founder and leader of<br />
the Fatah political party and a<br />
Nobel Prize laureate. Speculation<br />
surrounds his 2004 death,<br />
but medical records show that<br />
Arafat died from a stroke caused<br />
by a bleeding disorder.<br />
April 12, 1633<br />
Galileo Trial<br />
The Catholic Church’s Inquisition<br />
puts physicist and astronomer<br />
Galileo Galilei on trial for his conviction<br />
that the Earth orbits the<br />
sun. The church considers the<br />
reverse to be true and deems<br />
Galileo’s claims heresy, even<br />
though science had disproved<br />
their belief centuries earlier.<br />
Galileo is sentenced to a threeyear<br />
prison term and ordered<br />
to recite the seven Penitential<br />
Psalms once per week, but is<br />
instead put under house arrest<br />
when he agrees to renounce<br />
his beliefs. More than 300 years<br />
later, the church admits that<br />
Galileo was indeed correct and<br />
clears his name.<br />
April 15, 1912<br />
Molly Brown Entertains Titanic<br />
Survivors<br />
Titanic passenger Margaret<br />
Brown escapes certain death<br />
and jumps into a lifeboat after<br />
the doomed luxury liner hits an<br />
iceberg 400 miles south of Newfoundland,<br />
Canada. The socialite<br />
helps in the rescue efforts and<br />
entertains shell-shocked survivors<br />
with vivid accounts of life<br />
during Colorado’s gold rush. The<br />
media applauds Brown’s heroic<br />
actions and nicknames her<br />
“the unsinkable Mrs. Brown.”<br />
Brown’s money eventually<br />
dwindles and she lives a modest<br />
life until her death in 1932.<br />
Almost 50 years later, her fame<br />
is revived when the musical, The<br />
Unsinkable Molly Brown debuts<br />
on Broadway in 1960, starring<br />
Tammy Grimes.<br />
104 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> asialife <strong>HCMC</strong> 105
pub quiz<br />
general knowledge<br />
1) What is traded on the forex<br />
market?<br />
2) The “maiden” or “virgin”<br />
denotes which astrological<br />
sign?<br />
3) What is the first element<br />
listed on the Periodic Table of<br />
Elements?<br />
4) What type of seafarer would<br />
fly a jolly roger?<br />
5) Juniper berries give what spirit<br />
its predominant flavour?<br />
world history<br />
6) The Battle of the Somme (WWI)<br />
took place in what nation?<br />
7) What exiled Soviet leader was<br />
assassinated in Mexico in<br />
1940?<br />
8) What two European nations<br />
fought with Israel against<br />
Egypt during the Suez Crisis?<br />
9) With what other South African<br />
did Nelson Mandela share the<br />
1993 Nobel Peace Prize?<br />
10) Corazon Aquino became the<br />
first elected female president<br />
of what Asian nation in 1986?<br />
sports<br />
11) How many teams compete<br />
in the final FIFA World Cup<br />
tournament?<br />
12) What American diver<br />
revealed in 1995 that he’d<br />
competed in the 1988<br />
Olympics without disclosing he<br />
was HIV-positive?<br />
13) What two boxing greats<br />
faced off in the 1975 Thrilla in<br />
Manila?<br />
14) How many players per side<br />
compete in rugby union games?<br />
15) The AMA Motocross<br />
Championship is held in what<br />
country?<br />
106 asialife <strong>HCMC</strong><br />
Arts & Entertainment<br />
16) The Globe Theatre<br />
was associated with what<br />
playwright?<br />
17) Oceania, Eurasia and<br />
Eastasia are the last three<br />
remaining states in<br />
what 1949 novel?<br />
18) Roy Lichtenstein and<br />
Tom Wesselmann are<br />
associated with what 1960s<br />
art movement?<br />
19) Giacomo Puccini’s La<br />
boheme was the template for<br />
what 90s rock opera?<br />
20) What British actor<br />
portrayed Dr. Fritz<br />
Fassbender, Dr. Fu Manchu<br />
and Dr. Strangelove?<br />
geography<br />
21) Silicon Valley is located in<br />
what U.S. state?<br />
22) Sophia is the capital of<br />
what Eastern European nation?<br />
23) The Bay of Bengal forms<br />
part of what ocean?<br />
24) What is the southernmost<br />
country in Central America?<br />
25) Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia and<br />
what other nation form the<br />
Horn of Africa?<br />
Culinary Arts<br />
26) What is added to a hot pan<br />
to flambé its contents?<br />
27) What are the two main<br />
ingredients in meringue?<br />
28) What is the title of a head<br />
chef’s second in command?<br />
29) The cylindrical clay oven<br />
used in Central Asian and<br />
Middle Eastern cooking is<br />
called what?<br />
30) What dessert derives its<br />
name from the French for “to<br />
inflate” or “puff up”?<br />
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1) currency 2) Virgo 3) hydrogen 4) pirate 5) gin 6) France 7) Leon Trotsky<br />
8) Britain and France 9) F.W. de Klerk 10) the Philippines 11) 32 12) Greg<br />
Louganis 13) Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali 14) fifteen 15) United States 16)<br />
William Shakespeare 17) Nineteen Eighty-Four 18) Pop Art 19) Rent 20) Peter<br />
Sellers 21) California 22) Bulgaria 23) Indian Ocean 24) Panama 25) Somalia<br />
26) alcohol 27) egg whites and sugar 28) sous-chef 29) tandoor 30) soufflé<br />
Pub Quiz Answers