Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Asialife HCMC

medicine, acupuncture and
an Asian-style chiropractic
technique. Owner Dr Kim
Sung Soo studied in China
and Korea before opening in
Vietnam four years ago. His
patients generally hail from
various Western countries and
his native Korea.
NK Educational Toys
206 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia
This treasure trove was
spawned when owner Hoa
began looking for educational
toys for her son, now 3 years
old. While cheap plastic
Chinese toys were available
everywhere, there was nothing
that promoted learning. Hoa
now imports products from the
States, Belgium and the Netherlands
through NK Educational
Toys. The store is stocked
with popular brands like Smart
Game and VTech, and there’s
something for all budgets. A
portable Chinese checkers set
costs just 80,000 VND while
an Eco Power Station is higher
end at about 900,000 VND.
Tapiocup
151A Nam Ky Khoi Nghia
Yet another bubble tea joint,
Tapiocup serves up sweet
drinkable treats. Pearl milk
tea (the most popular style)
sells for 20,000 VND, while a
yoghurt shake will set customers
back an extra 5,000 dong
note. The menu has all the old
favourites—strawberry, orange
and mango—but also has some
more interesting flavours like
honeydew and mint.
Nam Son
188 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia
Meals are prepared super
quick at this bit tek restaurant,
a Vietnamese fast food
equivalent. Classic beef steak
with egg cooked sunny side
up (bo bit tek trung) is served
on a sizzling hot cast iron plate
for 40,000 VND. This meal has
inspired a special Vietnamese
saying: “avoiding the beef”—a
handy tip as the piping hot meat
spits boiling oil. Nam Son’s
speciality is the mash-up meal
thap cam. Just add a tasty herbed
pork meatball and a side of pate
for an extra five grand. All meals
come with do chua, a pickled
Vietnamese-style cucumber
salad.
The 35,000 Dong Shop
195 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia
Everything in this Japanese
chain (there is a smaller version
in Phu My Hung, too) costs
35,000 VND, whether it’s an
extendable bamboo backscratcher
or a portable ashtray.
It has endless gag gift options
and absolutely everything from
hair and beauty accessories to
gardening tools and an entire
aisle named “aroma.” Window
shopping is near impossible in
this bargain barn.
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda
339 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia
Just before the bridge to Phu
Nhuan en route to the airport is
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, a massive
Buddhist temple known for
pioneering the pairing of modern
concrete construction with
traditional Buddhist architecture
in Vietnam. Inside the main
hall, monks cloaked in saffroncoloured
robes lead worshippers
in a hypnotic chant that gradually
reaches a crescendo. A walk
around the grounds is a must.
Large frangipani trees provide
shade, and turtles and fish swim
in a man-made pond. Out back
is the pagoda’s crematorium.
Here, Buddhists’ ashes are kept
in ornate, porcelain jars with
the deceased’s picture imposed
on the front. The four-storey
structure houses about 22,660
people’s remains, which are
protected by Dia Tang Bo Tac, a
female deity who helps the dead
realize the value of life.
radar
The End of MoochiNG
Everyone has that friend who “conveniently” forgets his
or her wallet when you’re out to dinner. You know, the one
who jumps out of the cab, leaving you to pay the fare.
However, with PayPal 2.0 for iPhone, moochers have no
more excuses. The app is integrated with Bump Technologies
to let two users transfer money to one another
simply by tapping their iPhones together. For outstanding
debts, you can also send bills to people who owe you
cash. There’s even a split check feature that calculates
who owes a larger portion of the bill and how the tax and
tip should split. The app has 16 different currencies, making
it easy for cheapskates around the world to pay up.
Download PayPal 2.0 at www.paypal.com or through the
iTunes App Store.
The FUN in DysFUNctional
www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com
Childhood friends Mike Bender and Doug Chernack started
their blog after discussing the universality of awkwardness
in families, which is often captured best in photos.
For most people though, awkward means being dressed
up in matching sweaters and khakis and getting dragged
to the local department store for the annual family photo.
The photos collected on www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com
are a whole different story. All-too-intimate pregnancy
shots, the bizarre inclusion of exotic pets and that creepy
uncle’s peculiar pose at the family reunion are sure to
have you keeling over in laughter. The creators hope their
site provides catharsis for people who submit their photos
by allowing them to poke fun at the madness that is family.
Their mission will become all the easier this May when
the website is reprinted in book format.
16 asialife HCMC asialife HCMC 17
Allison Grant
Logan Brown
Facebook Confidential
Ever wish there was a “Dislike” button on Facebook?
Two websites provide a means for users to do one better
and mock their Facebook friends’ missteps in a very
public forum. Lamebook.com and Failbooking.com allow
users to contribute videos, wall posts, messages and
photos that illustrate poor choices and online indiscretions.
The posts include status messages that offer TMI,
photos that people should keep to themselves, public
lovers spats and much more. The good news about
Lamebook.com is that you can remove any content
if you notice you’ve become a victim. But beware;
Failbooking.com makes no such concessions. If you’re
foolish enough to air your dirty laundry on Facebook,
you might just get called out for it.
Allison Grant