In Tây Hồ, an Artisan Community Holds Fast to Their Lotus Tea Traditions
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- Published on 08 December 2023
- Written by Xuân Phương. Photos by Xuân Phương.
Every sip of lotus tea encapsulates all the essences of the natural landscapes of Tây Hồ.
The People Building a Virtual Vietnam in the Pixelated World of Minecraft
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- Published on 04 December 2023
- Written by Văn Tân. Images courtesy of Team Fuho.
Minecraft is now a modern classic world-building game allowing players to construct elaborate buildings using isometric cubes. Thanks to this endless stream of materials, one can theoretically build anything in the game world if they have enough patience and attention to details.
Hẻm Gems: Reading Cabin Sells Stationery, Serves Drinks, and Builds Friendships
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- Published on 02 December 2023
- Written by Lê Minh Tú. Photos by Cao Nhân.
If I had to describe Reading Cabin in one phrase, it would be “every cafe in Saigon all at once.”
Inside the Bình Thạnh Depot Where Retro Military Knick-Knacks Live
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- Published on 30 November 2023
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Photos by Cao Nhân.
“This furniture has been around for many decades, but you can use them normally without the fear of breaking them. Because they are industrial equipment made for the military or office buildings, they were manufactured to be hard as a rock,” explains Hoàng, a vintage military interior enthusiast. This durability is one of the many qualities that made Hoàng fall in love with the furniture, going so far as to set up a unique shop dedicated to them.
The Haunting Beauty in Một Mét Studio's Vintage Photography Experiments
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- Published on 28 November 2023
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Một Mét Studio.
“With the wet collodion process, when you get your portrait shot, it really cannot lie; it really reveals the story of your life on your face. You will see through your make-up, through the tattoos; there are no wrinkles, no scars that can be hidden. People really see themselves in a new light,” Hugo Armano, the assistant at Hội An’s Một Mét Studio, explained to Saigoneer.
At Bá Tân Bookstore, a Home for Vintage Books, Readers, and Goodness
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- Published on 27 November 2023
- Written by Như Quỳnh. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
I got to know Bá Tân Bookstore thanks to a friend’s suggestion.
Did You Know That There's a Mummy on Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm Boulevard?
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- Published on 26 November 2023
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Paul Christiansen.
Why is there a mummy on display in Saigon?
Meet the Hội An Family Making Cao Lầu Noodles From Scratch
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- Published on 21 November 2023
- Written by Xuân Phương. Photos by Xuân Phương.
Amid Hội An’s treat-filled culinary landscape, cao lầu emerges as something that’s both simple and one-of-a-kind.
A Flaky Pâté Chaud That's Been a Saigon Institution Since 1930
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- Published on 20 November 2023
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Cao Nhân.
It took me 37 years to have my first pâté chaud.
English-Language Edition of 'Chinatown' by Thuận Wins US Translation Award
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- Published on 15 November 2023
- Written by Saigoneer.
The 2023 National Translation Award for fiction was given by the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) to Nguyễn An Lý’s translation of Chinatown by Thuận.
'The Mountain in the Sea' Is a Meditation on Myths, Monsters, and the Mind
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- Published on 14 November 2023
- Written by Garrett MacLean. Top image by Monbu Mai.
“A myth,” said existentialist psychologist Rollo May, “is a way of making sense in a senseless world.” Humans need myths and legends to survive. And they need us to survive too; it’s how we’ve learned to escape ourselves so that we can live with ourselves.
Art Direction of Ngọt's Gieo Album Nominated for Best Package at 2024 Grammys
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- Published on 13 November 2023
- Written by Saigoneer.
Over the weekend, the Recording Academy unveiled the coveted list of nominees for the 2024 Grammys. Amongst the likes of Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and SZA, a Vietnamese name stood out, much to the delight of local netizens.
In Quện's Live Sets, Đà Lạt's Everyday Corners Turn Spontaneous Stages
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- Published on 09 November 2023
- Written by Nguyệt. Photos courtesy of Quện.
All attention was aimed towards the same direction, the one where an accident had just taken place. Near 24C, Hoàng Diệu Street in the city of Đà Lạt, two vehicles collided. The shock and chaos attracted the curious looks of pedestrians and drivers alike. Timely isolated percussion further enhance the puzzling scene that was captured from multiple angles. You can see the whole thing for yourself at 41:30 in “Quện Mix Nhã Nhạc Vol 5,” a recording of a live vinyl DJ set, at an old-school hair salon in Đà Lạt. This accidental cinematic moment of real-life spontaneity juxtaposed with a passion for good music captures well the spirit of Quện - Sound Collage
Sweating for a Good Cause at the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation Walk in Hanoi
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- Published on 07 November 2023
- Written by Elise Luong. Photos courtesy of Blue Dragon.
I learnt of the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation in my first year living in Hanoi, through friends that had worked for the fantastic organization, or that were regular donors supporting it. This year, I was super excited to see their “Blue Dragon Marathon Walk” annual fundraiser announced, with the main Hanoian event looping around Thống Nhất Park's lake. Embracing the opportunity to contribute, I put my hand up for a 10K walk and enticed friends and family from around the world to send donations to the wander-for-a-cause.
On 'Past Lives,' Duyên, and the Complexities of Vietnamese Diasporic Identities
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- Published on 06 November 2023
- Written by Yen Vu. Top graphic by Mai Khanh.
Past Lives left me bereft, much like how the reunion of main characters Hae-sung and Nora concluded at the end of the film — that is, without much conclusion at all.
Hẻm Gems: It's Impossible to Resist Bún Riêu Cô Yến's Crispy Fried Tofu
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- Published on 03 November 2023
- Written by Elyse Phạm. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
A few years ago, my family’s Christmas Eve tradition of making gỏi cuốn was swapped out for a special competition, one that would decisively end a longstanding rivalry: who, out of the aunts and uncles, could make the best bún riêu?
Bodies of Work Shred, Re-Shaped at 'White Noise' Exhibition
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- Published on 03 November 2023
- Written by Elise Luong. Photos courtesy of Nguyen Art Foundation.
A dystopian setting where the human body appears scattered, its parts eerily dismembered, its desires and beliefs examined by the hands of a machine is fictionalized in the “White Noise” exhibition, now on show at the Nguyen Art Foundation (NAF). Within the imagined route of an ant, the gore and glory of a distant past, once dominated by humans, slowly reveals itself.
The Charming 1990s Nostalgia in the Phim Mì Ăn Liền Cinematic Universe
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- Published on 01 November 2023
- Written by Khang Nguyễn.
If you lurk around online discussions of Vietnamese cinema, you probably have stumbled upon the term phim mì ăn liền, or “instant noodles films.” This popular Vietnamese expression describes local motion pictures with low-effort production value. But the term is not merely a common moniker. It dates back to the 1990s, when a specific type of commercial flick got audiences flocking to the cinema.
In Đà Nẵng, a Close-Knit Surfing Community Rides the Waves
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- Published on 27 October 2023
- Written by Oliver Newman. Photos by Oliver Newman.
Đà Nẵng does not feel like a surf town. The gaudy beachside nightclubs are a far cry from the bohemian vibes of Hawaii or San Diego, and the coastline is more synonymous with basket boats than surfboards. Look for it, however, and you’ll find a subculture of beach breaks, skate bowl surf shacks, board rental huts, and passionate surfers within a tight knit but welcoming community.
As Infrastructure Lags Behind, Saigon's Poorest Hardest Hit by Worsening Flooding
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- Published on 26 October 2023
- Written by Nhung Nguyễn. Top photo by Cương Trần.
In April this year, in the first downpour of southern Vietnam’s rainy season, the narrow rented room where Mã Thị Diệp and her children were staying in Hồ Chí Minh City was inundated by knee-high water.
