How to Know You're in Mỹ Tho? The Sugarcane Juice Has Roasted Peanuts.
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- Published on 31 December 2024
- Written by Phương Nghi. Photos by Ben Nguyễn.
In Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time, when the protagonist tastes a piece of tea-dipped madeleine, the flavor combination immediately transports him back to the childhood memories he’s buried deep inside. This involuntary experience is often called the “Proust Effect,” referring to shards of memory that reappear randomly thanks to olfactory and gustatory triggers; something that other senses can’t achieve.
The Vintage Charm of 1995 Vietnam on Kodachrome Film Slides
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- Published on 31 December 2024
- Written by Geoffrey Hiller. Photos by Geoffrey Hiller.
While editing a retrospective of my recent work from Vietnam in the summer of 2019, I discovered 50 yellow boxes of Kodachrome slides in my basement that were shot in 1995. The images were from my first trip to Vietnam.
Sấu, Mơ, and Lotus Tea: The Delight of Freezedom Hanoi's Creative Gelato Flavors
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- Published on 29 December 2024
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Khôi Phạm.
Apart from a rather ambitious list of Hanoi-specific dishes to sample, my itinerary for the capital includes three personal wishes: ride the Hanoi Metro, visit Sonder Coffee Bar, and try out Freezedom’s ice cream.
The Phenomenal Phonk of Budding Rapper Ci Pi's Fever Dream
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- Published on 27 December 2024
- Written by An Phạm. Top graphic by Ngọc Tạ.
Everybody in my university program seems to know Bùi Ngọc Cẩm Phương, though in the music world, she's more popularly known as Ci Pi, a stage name that combines her name’s 2 initials. Be it because of her music or her noticeable Japanese fashion styles, even on campus, Ci Pi’s presence is “vivid” and easy to spot. However, it wasn’t until I knew her personally through a group project that I caught a glimpse of her true self. Despite the edgy appearance with quirky hairstyles and aesthetics, Ci Pi is quiet and calm, and always seems to be immersed in her own world.
History in a Tin: The Colonial Past of Vietnam Through Popular Canned Food
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- Published on 27 December 2024
- Written by Thi Nguyễn. Illustrations by Hannah Hoàng.
Whether it is fish placed neatly inside rectangular tins or uniform meat slabs stored in cylindrical cans with colorful packages, eating canned food is a strange experience. Unlike sitting in street food stalls or eating at home — where one can witness the food being made — the homogenizing, sanitized, mass-produced packages one mindlessly grabs from a supermarket counter obscure the labor that goes into the meal, as well as its origins.
A Merry Memory of a Mid-2000s Middle-Class Christmas in Saigon
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- Published on 26 December 2024
- Written by Uyên Đỗ.
As my palm felt the glossy wrapping paper for my Secret Santa gift, I was transported to my early childhood Christmases — filled with warmth, wonder, and the bubbling discomfort of class insecurities.
Watching Snowfall in 'Home Alone' Is My Saigon Christmas Tradition
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- Published on 24 December 2024
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Graphic by Dương Trương.
Christmas is so globally celebrated that even in Saigon, as the coldest time of the year approaches, you can hear Christmas hymms echoing from homes in the alley, and spot houses adorned with Christmas trees, Santas, snowmen, regardless of their cultural relevance to Vietnamese culture. For me, one of the activities that truly embodies this global spirit of Christmas is watching Home Alone (1990).
5 Classic Christmas Songs in Vietnamese for Those Craving Nô-en Wistfulness
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- Published on 23 December 2024
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Graphic by Ngọc Tạ.
Christmas celebration in Vietnam is something else altogether.
Composer Hoàng Việt and a Radical Romance Across the North-South Border
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- Published on 22 December 2024
- Written by Vũ Hoàng Long. Top image by Mai Khanh.
In a country fractured by ideology, Hoàng Việt's love for his wife Ngọc Hạnh persisted like a secret melody carried across closed borders by weak radio signals, and letters that had to circle the globe before finding their way home.
The Childhood of Côn Đảo's Baby Turtles Caught on Film
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- Published on 20 December 2024
- Written by Hoàn Phan. Photos by Hoàn Phan.
In July, I visited Côn Đảo National Park as part of a group of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) sea turtle volunteers to see first-hand conservation efforts aimed at the local sea turtle population.
The Cultural Depths in Contemporary Hip-Hop Dance ‘129BPM: Động Phách Tách Kén’
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- Published on 18 December 2024
- Written by An Trần. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
Have you ever witnessed a live performance so powerful that it still lives in your mind weeks later? “129BPM: Động Phách Tách Kén” is not your usual hip-hop breakdance battle, but a contemporary dance performance combining live music with Vietnamese folk elements. It is a journey that requires your full presence and attention to appreciate its fleeting and transformative moments.
Hẻm Gems: CAM Coffee Serves up a Chill Ambiance With a Side of Bánh Cam
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- Published on 16 December 2024
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Photos by Ben Nguyễn.
Bánh cam, or sesame doughnuts, has been my beloved snack since childhood.
‘Công tử Bạc Liêu’ Asks: ‘What Would You Do if You Won the Lottery?’
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- Published on 15 December 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen.
They say you don’t buy a lottery ticket because you think you’ll win; you buy one so that you can fantasize about winning.
Ward off Your Monday Blues by Joining Me on Beginners' Skateboard Night
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- Published on 12 December 2024
- Written by Phương Nghi. Photos by Ben Nguyễn.
Usually in life, niche topics are commonly associated with unpleasant stigmas and misunderstandings — skateboarding in Vietnam is no exception. Once, I admittedly was influenced by such one-sided assumptions.
New 'Số Đỏ' Movie Announced, Directed by Phan Gia Nhật Linh, Starring MONO
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- Published on 12 December 2024
- Written by Saigoneer.
Another classic of Vietnamese literature is heading to the big screen in the near future.
Pure Passion Turns Dark: The Unexpected Dangers of the Wild Turtle Trade
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- Published on 12 December 2024
- Written by Tommy. Illustration by Hannah Hoàng.
Seeking a companion during quarantine, Khánh*, a 25-year-old Hanoian, bought a baby turtle through a Facebook group.
The Forgotten History Behind Saigon's CEE Colonial Substations
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- Published on 11 December 2024
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Photos by Cao Nhân.
Woven into the fabric of modern-day streets, the aging electrical substations of Saigon stand as quiet witnesses to a historical era shaped by the complex legacy of French colonialism.
Revisiting the Delicious Satirical Society of 'Số Đỏ' by Vũ Trọng Phụng
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- Published on 10 December 2024
- Written by Thi Nguyễn.
Published in 1938, Dumb Luck, or Số Đỏ, remains one of Vietnam's most popular and controversial novels. Vũ Trọng Phụng was fined by the French colonial administration in Hanoi in 1932 for his stark portrayals of sexuality. Dumb Luck, along with most of his works, were banned in 1954 until the late 1980s. Today, Vietnamese who attended public high school are no stranger to Vũ Trọng Phụng as an excerpt from the book, titled “The Happiness of a Family in Mourning,” is included in the official literature curriculum.
From Abroad to My Favorite Bún Riêu: A Brief History of Trứng Vịt Lộn
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- Published on 09 December 2024
- Written by Thái An. Graphic by Ngọc Tạ.
I pride myself on being a child of Hanoi, but only after nearly 20 years, did I realize that trứng vịt lộn is not exactly an authentic topping in Hanoi-style bún riêu.
Severine Phương Trần's Debut Exhibition in Saigon Celebrates a World of Colors
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- Published on 08 December 2024
- Written by An Trần. Photos courtesy of 22 Gallery.
Step into Severine Phương Trần’s first-ever exhibition in Saigon, where you can explore the artist’s inner world of vibrant colors and different emotions. To fully enjoy this exhibition, it is best to let your inner child and imagination roam free and allow the flow of colors and different sceneries to guide you through a journey of creativity, self-discovery, and personal artistic transformation.