Paul Christiansen

in Literature

How Nam Cao Almost Ruined My Favorite Canal Cafe

Spoilers for an 80-year-old story that every student in the nation is required to read: the dog dies, the old man dies, his son's misfortunes show no sign of abetting. Simply, misery abounds at the end of ‘Lão Hạc.’

Paul Christiansen

in In Plain Sight

On a Boat Ride Through Nhiêu Lộc Canal, a Fish's-Eye View of Saigon

Could your life in Saigon be made into a quirky indie film? 

in Music & Arts

Galuocad's Artworks Create a Universe of Very-Vietnamese Whimsy

Staying in one place for an extended period can lead to what's known as the "boiled frog effect."

in Loạt Soạt

A World of Riveting Medically Inspired Magic in Vanessa Le's YA Debut

Captured by Butchers, the “blackmarket bogey men who deal in rare goods,” Nhika Suonyasan is caged and auctioned off to the city’s elite. A figure in a fox mask attempting to purchase her is outbid by a rich family that carts her off to a mansion that boasts luxury beyond anything Nhika has ever seen. The family immediately commands her to heal a witness to the wealthy patriarch’s death.

in Music & Arts

Lemaire's Campaigns Blend Vietnam's Street Scenes, French Fashion

Stuck in traffic on a Honda Cub, but make it fashion.

in Film & TV

Indie Short Film 'Saigon Kiss' Is a Quintessential Saigon Queer Love Story

Is there a meet-cute more characteristically Saigon than a motorbike breakdown and subsequent friendly assist from a stranger?

in Culture

In Ê-đê Villages, Bến Nước Is the Heart Pumping Water Across the Community

Ever since the beginning of time, Ê-đê people have treated water as a respected resource of the community. Water, in their belief, is the life force bringing about bountiful harvests for the villages.

in Music & Arts

Nam Jam Festival Returns to Đà Nẵng With Week of Mural Arts

The Nam Jam Festival from March 4 to 10 invites more than 50 local and international street artists to create massive works of street art in Đà Nẵng. 

Back Arts & Culture

in Culture

International Pillow Fight Day @ 23/9 Park

From the organizer: Wake Up Saigon brings you our city's participation in this international day of fun for the 3rd straight year! Join us as we pummel each other with pillows joining over 120 cities...

in Culture

Expats and #SAIGONISHAPPY

Everyone should, at least once, climb to a high rooftop in Saigon. On most days, the subtle fog on the horizon recedes just far enough to let you glimpse a motley patchwork of aquamarines, drab and pa...

in Culture

[Video] Presenting: Grand Theft Auto Saigon

As if driving in Saigon weren’t close enough to a videogame, a group of enterprising gaming enthusiasts have created a seemingly Vietnamese mod of the popular title, Grand Theft Auto 3.

in Culture

[Video] In the Ruins of a Hue Temple

From 1802 – 1945, Hue was the imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty. Buildings from this period have become popular tourist attractions and many, such as the city’s famous citadel, have been painstak...

in Music & Arts

[Video] Saigon Is Happy

You've probably seen the video for the hit song Anh Không Đòi Quà where a women is stripped (literally) of the gifts given to her by her ex-boyfriend. While there have been dozens of remakes of this v...

in Culture

The Brains Behind Vietnam’s Meme Explosion

Vietnamese netizens have embraced internet memes which employ a mix of humour and satire to create a new lens with which to view everything from daily life to pop culture. In a recent interview, Vietm...

in Culture

Apocalaughs Now @ Cargo

From the organizer: You've seen the amateurs, now it's time to see the pros.

in Music & Arts

The Second Portion 'Red' Opens at the Observatory

Upon entering the gallery section, visitors find themselves in a dark space lit only by Le Brothers’ video installations on the wall and by the shiny red reflections coming from the two cage-like scul...

in Music & Arts

How to Approach People When Taking Photos in SE Asia

I’ve wanted to write something on this topic for ages. To be honest, this is probably the question that I hear most from my students: how should I approach people to take their photos?

in Music & Arts

Tropicaliente Returns to Saigon Outcast

From the organizer:  We invite all our latin "panas", local friends, lovers and curious of the latinamerican culture to our second TROPICALIENTE night!

in Music & Arts

[Slideshow] Propaganda Art of Vietnam

“All Art Is Propaganda” – George Orwell Propaganda art serves as a rallying call for the defense of both ideas and nations; a colorful and static reminder of the things we should strive to cherish a...

in Music & Arts

Photography/Digital Editing Courses with Quinn Ryan Mattingly

From the organizer: Do you have a great camera or editing software but not sure how to get the most from it? Saigon School of Imaging is here to help. With current courses in Lightroom, Photoshop and...

in Culture

3 Vietnamese Women Make Forbes 'Asia's Power Businesswomen' List

Forbes recently released their 2014 list of the most powerful Asian businesswomen which included 3 Vietnamese – the CEOs of Vinamilk and REE, along with the chairwoman of SeABank.

in Culture

[Video] Vietnamese Students Create Epic Fight Sequence

When kids have too much time on their hands, it often results in toilet papered houses and/or motorbike racing. But for some, free time allows for imaginations to run free, which was clearly the case ...

Brian Letwin

in Culture

Homecoming: Bandit9 Custom Bikes Lands in Saigon

Daryl Villanueva moved to Saigon in 2011 on a 1-year contract for an international advertising agency. A week into his stay, he bought his first motorbike, a Honda Super Cub. A week later, he painted ...

in Music & Arts

Vietnamese Art in Focus at Hong Kong Art Fair

Last Friday Craig Thomas Gallery presented ‘Hong Kong Bound: AAF Preview’, in which the works of 10 contemporary Vietnamese artists were displayed to the public before they take off for Hong Kong to b...

in Culture

Report: Number of Rich Saigonese set to Triple by 2023

According to global real estate company, Knight Frank, the number of ultra-rich Saigonese is set to triple over the next 10 years, reports Shanghai Daily.

in Culture

Green Drinks - Air Conditioning - the Case for Re-Engineering for a Greener World

From the organizer: Green Drinks is back in town. Join us to meet Xavier Pinchart to explore why classical air conditioning is a total nonsense when faced to energetic challenges.

in Culture

Interview With the Organizers of the 'Neighbors' Gay Party

Neighbors is a monthly event, a Facebook community, and a group of volunteers. It is where Saigon’s gay community gathers to connect and expand business networks, furthers careers, and stay current wi...

in Culture

Neighbors Gay Networking Party @ OMG!

From the organizer: Neighbors is a monthly gay event, Facebook community, and group of volunteers. It is where Saigon’s gay community gathers to connect and expand business networks, furthers caree...