Vietnam Burns Through 4.17 Billion Packs of Cigarettes per Year
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- Published on 24 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
According to the Vietnam Tobacco Association, the country consumed 4.174 billion packs of cigarettes in 2012. With a population around 90 million, that’s good for an average of over 46 packs a year per person. Yikes…
Um Kafe: Adding a Bit of Jazz to Saigon
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- Published on 24 October 2013
Don’t you love it when, almost by accident, you discover cosy, out of the way music venues? Even more so if the music in question is jazz, a rarity in Saigon.
Jazz musician and painter Zan (Truong Giang) took over Um Kafe four months ago with the intent to preserve this originally decorated cafe, and to offer an intimate venue for jazz musicians to perform and experiment.
Special Delivery: Takeaway.com Acquires Vietnammm.com
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- Published on 24 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnammm, one of Vietnam’s most popular online delivery sites, has been acquired by Takeaway.com, a global leader in the industry. The move signals the Dutch company’s first move outside of Europe where they process over 1 million orders per month.
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam Beauty Clinic Owner Arrested for Allegedly Killing Customer
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- Published on 24 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnam beauty clinic owner arrested for allegedly killing customer [Thanh Nien]
Vietnam: a nation of online gamers dominated by Chinese and Korean games [DW]
Saigonese artists featured in book series [Tuoi Tre]
GLAM: Bringing Exciting New Art and Music to Q4
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- Published on 23 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Get in the holiday spirit this Friday with a little dress up, great entertainment, and exciting new art!
GoGo City presents GLAM, an event that celebrates art and self-expression in its many forms. The aim is to engage current and potential lovers of art through different mediums and to inspire creativity and exploration.
Fun with Old Saigon Maps (1790)
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- Published on 23 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Even before the French formally occupied Saigon in 1859, they were active players in Vietnamese politics as early as the 17th century. Their influence can be seen in this 1790 map in the form of the massive citadel commissioned by Nguyen Anh.
HCMC Street to be Named in Honor of Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap
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- Published on 23 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Like many other countries, Vietnam uses street names to honor fallen national heroes. As such, it should come as no surprise that both HCMC and Hanoi are planning to name streets after the recently deceased General Vo Nguyen Giap.
After Police Chase, 49 Endangered Pangolins Found in Ambulance
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- Published on 23 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
In yet another case of shady wildlife smuggling in Vietnam, after a brief chase, traffic police in the northern province of Phu Yen pulled over a suspicious ambulance and found 49 endangered pangolins.
Video: Local YouTuber Gives Away Free Ice Cream to Saigon Commuters
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- Published on 22 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Troy Nguyen runs a YouTube channel dedicated to Vietnam. While most of his videos focus on his travels and interesting aspects of Vietnamese culture, every now and then, he sets out to help the people of Saigon in small but meaningful ways. Last week, to celebrate 5,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, Troy took to the streets around Ben Thanh Central Bus Station to give away free ice cream to commuters languishing under the hot, tropical sun.
Vietnam Airlines Flight Lands in Da Nang Missing a Front Wheel
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- Published on 22 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Have you seen a giant wheel falling from the sky?
When a Vietnam Airlines flight landed in Da Nang yesterday afternoon, everything seemed to be normal. But after technicians carried out a routine examination, they found that the plane’s front wheel was missing. And nobody knows where it went.
The Best Pho in Vietnam?
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- Published on 22 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
With thousands of pho shops across Vietnam, determining the best in the country seems like an impossible task. In fact, for any Vietnamese food, we would hesitate to crown a restaurant 'best of' since the zenith of any given dish could lie deep a winding alley. But this didn’t stop food writer, Joe Ray, from trying to nail down the best pho in Saigon and Hanoi in a recent piece for the Wall Street Journal.
The Saigon Players Present: Rocky Horror Halloween Madness!
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- Published on 22 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
The Saigon Players are a non-profit community theater group who aim to uphold the arts while giving to charity. All the proceeds from their performances go towards a charity that the members personally choose.
This November, they are celebrating their 10th Anniversary and are presenting two shows: a Rocky Horror Picture Show Madness Screening and a cabaret-style presentation of comedy sketches called, “The Life Cycle of Saigon.”
Saigon Blog Spotlight: SoJournaling Vietnam
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- Published on 22 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Wanting to reconnect with his ancestral homeland, Kyle, a 23-year-old Viet Kieu from California, packed his bags and moved to Vietnam a few years ago. He has been traversing the country ever since and documents both his travels and experiences on his blog, SoJournaling Vietnam. Supplemented by his popular YouTube channel, he injects a bit of humor into the mundane via witty commentary and observational humor. Basically, the things we think, he says. And sometimes in a funny voice.
Morning News Roundup: Man Dies in Underground Hole While Committing Gambling Fraud
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- Published on 22 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnam airlines plan fleet boom as roads and rail fail [WTAQ]
Vietnam city police to probe utilities for paying excessive salaries [Thanh Nien]
Student keen on conserving ancient HCMC wharf [Tuoi Tre]
Yesterday's Flooding Breaks Record for HCMC. Today May be Even Worse.
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- Published on 21 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
If you were caught in waist-deep water yesterday, you weren’t the only one. The floodwaters reached 1.64 meters, breaking the previous record. But the worst might not yet be over.
Master Chef - Gastronomy Competition @ Mc Sorley's
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- Published on 21 October 2013
Food lovers and amateurs chefs with a passion for sharing their favourite food and recipes should not miss Mc Sorley's event “Master Chef.”
It is a gastronomy competition, where teams of 4 members maximum, cook a dish on the spot.
Errors Abound in Vietnamese Textbooks
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- Published on 21 October 2013
- Written by Peter Cornish.
Vietnamese parents are once again up in arms about their children’s education in what looks like yet another example of inconsistency and lack of attention to detail that so many have sadly come to expect.
What the Phở Happened Last Weekend? 10 Stories You May Have Missed
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- Published on 21 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Chinese woman caught with 2.2 kg of drugs at airport [Tuoi Tre]
Vietnam gives green light to genetically modified crops [Vietnam Net]
Vietnam's economy regaining growth momentum [SGGP]
Event Rewind: Saigon Artbook Party
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- Published on 19 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
Last Thursday's Saigon Artbook Party was a hit. From 6 – 11, La Brasserie de Saigon, on the corner of Hai Ba Trung and Dong Du was packed with both locals and foreigners who turned out to support this new, artistic concept.
Ben Thanh is One of the World's Best Food Markets: USA Today
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- Published on 18 October 2013
- Written by Saigoneer.
American newspaper, USA Today, just published their list of the "Best food markets around the world" in which Saigon's own Ben Thanh Market ranked 15th. Along with fake DVDs and tourist nik naks, the market has some pretty awesome (and hot) food stands at its center. We've eaten at a few of them and yeah, they're delicious.
