Aprxel Builds Her Ethereal R&B Dreamscape With 2000s Nostalgia
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- Published on 04 September 2024
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Top graphic by Mai Khanh. Photos courtesy of Aprxel.
“High school was when we all had lots of thoughts and reflections. And I felt like I didn’t fit in with the world around me at that time, so I turned to music as my companion,” Aprxel reflects on the period of time where her connection with music began to solidify, which ultimately set her on the path to become a music artist.
Women in Post-Đổi Mới Vietnamese Cinema: From Archetypal to Multifaceted
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- Published on 02 September 2024
- Written by Thư Trịnh. Top image by Tiên Nguyễn.
In Vietnamese cinema, the female figure has long been employed to deliver macro-level messages rather than just mundane narratives.
Vy Trịnh Takes Us 'On Da Dream' via Her Solo Exhibition at Galerie Quynh
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- Published on 30 August 2024
- Written by An Tran. Photos courtesy of Galerie Quynh.
Tough-looking, yet elegant metal ribbons spark, spill, move and occupy all corners of the empty space: up and down, left and right, and in countless directions. Through a new series of sculpture works and a site-responsive sculptural installation, Vy Trịnh blurs the lines between the street scene and the exhibition space.
Ngõ Nooks: This Modern Co-op Serves up One of Hanoi's Best Skewer Bánh Mì
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- Published on 30 August 2024
- Written by Gia Nguyễn. Photos by Bạc Hà.
Hợp Tác Xã Thịt Xiên is more than just a bánh mì eatery, it’s a place to rekindle your childhood nostalgia and take in the ambiance of the street.
A Visual Timeline of Hội An's Historic Chùa Cầu Through the Eras
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- Published on 29 August 2024
- Written by Saigoneer.
With the recent makeover of Hội An's Chùa Cầu sparking divisive chatter, it's a great time to gaze at the iconic Japanese bridge through the decades.
Saigon's Most Famous Cua Rang Me Is a Tangy Tamarind Party
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- Published on 28 August 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Saigoneer.
It started with tamarind, and ended with crab.
This Charming Northern-Style Country House Is Made Entirely of Mooncake
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- Published on 27 August 2024
- Written by Saigoneer.
Another Trung Thu season is just around the corner, and bakeries across Vietnam are busy at work churning out thousands of mooncakes to be given out as gifts or relish at home with family and friends. One meticulous local baker, however, had a different idea.
Via Webcomics About Sơn Đoòng, Hai Bà Trưng, a Link to Vietnam Across the Ocean
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- Published on 24 August 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Top image by Tiên Ngô.
An enormous chim Lạc snatches Mai from her school library in the present day and lifts her high above Sa Pa more than 2,000 years ago.
Diving (Literally) Into Hoàng Hoa Thám's Mountains of Secondhand Clothes
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- Published on 22 August 2024
- Written by Phạm Thục Khuê. Top image by Trường Dĩ.
In a hẻm, clothing sprawled out on platforms lined with the plastic sacks the clothing came in, overspilling onto the tarmac road. This was just a glimpse of the thrifting scene in Vietnam.
With Thriving Coffee Culture, Vietnam Has Half a Million Cafes, Data Shows
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- Published on 20 August 2024
- Written by Saigoneer. Top photo by Alberto Prieto.
Taking into account global and national chains, small brands, independent cafes and street vendors, a recent report estimates that Vietnam is home to more than 500,000 coffee shops that generate US$1.46 billion in revenue in total.
On Grappling With the Problematic Legacy of 'Miss Saigon' in 2024
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- Published on 19 August 2024
- Written by Camille Lay. Top graphic by Trường Dĩ.
Having been abroad for more than a year, I was excited at the mere mention of Vietnam anywhere, so I was even more delighted when I learned of the popular musical Miss Saigon. Posters of it were plastered up in musical-themed bars in Manchester and different theaters across London. The musical is constantly on tour, having recently been staged in Brisbane, Manila, and Singapore. I was curious to see what about the play created such a cultural phenomenon in western theater and pop culture, especially when all people ever seem to know of Vietnam is the war and phở. The play, however, with its questionable history and writing choices, didn’t live up to my expectations.
Hẻm Gems: An Alternative Cao Lầu in Saigon for Full-Topping Eaters
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- Published on 18 August 2024
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Pete Walls and Cao Nhân.
If I have to use one word to describe the food philosophy of Saigoneers, it would be maximalist. Those who have had the gluttonous joy of hunkering down on a plastic chair on the sidewalk and demolishing a giant tumbler of full-topping bubble tea will know what I’m talking about.
Hẻm Gems: A Long-Anticipated Bowl of D10's Pre-Eminent Mì Vịt Tiềm
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- Published on 16 August 2024
- Written by Dana Filek-Gibson. Photos by Brandon Coleman.
Rarely have I gone into a meal with such anticipation.
Nam Cao's Radical Sympathy and Pursuit of Happiness Are Still Relevant Even Today
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- Published on 15 August 2024
- Written by Thiện Bùi.
What messages would a young writer living in colonial times want to impart to the youth of the 21st century?
This Terracotta Workshop Makeover Sings the Praises of Vietnam's Red Bricks
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- Published on 15 August 2024
- Written by Saigoneer.
A Quảng Nam brick kiln that's been operating for over twenty years has received a makeover that allows guests to get a more intimate look at the traditional craft of making terracotta.
One Nation's Beloved Cá Lóc Is Another Nation's Horror Movie
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- Published on 13 August 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Top graphic by Tiên Ngô.
America has been losing its shit over snakeheads. All summer long my algorithm-led newsfeed has been alerting me to ominous headlines including “‘Horror movie’ snakehead fish that can slither on land invading Missouri amid fourth sighting,” “Voracious, invasive ‘frankenfish’ reeled in from Delaware River at Easton,” and “Snakehead Fish Found in Georgia: ‘Kill It Immediately.’”
Vietnamese Staff Member Wins 7-Eleven Japan's Annual Customer Care Contest
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- Published on 12 August 2024
- Written by Saigoneer.
A Vietnamese national recently surpassed over 2,000 other contenders to claim the top spot in a customer service contest in Japan.
A World in Turmoil via Mahdi Abdullah’s Exhibition 'Memory and Body Mythology'
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- Published on 09 August 2024
- Written by An Tran. Photos courtesy of Vin Gallery.
How does an artist turn haunting memories into powerful artworks that speak for himself and on behalf of countless lives? Mahdi Abdullah’s paintings serve as social commentary on the realities that the artist has witnessed and lived through, and allow us to rethink the chaotic world we live in today.
There's a Dark Context Behind These Seemingly Random 1930 French Sketches
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- Published on 08 August 2024
- Written by Saigoneer.
Can visual representations of colonial activities produced with immoral intent become works of art?
Hẻm Gems: Mơ Đi Hội, When Florists Dream of Opening a Cafe
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- Published on 07 August 2024
- Written by Camille Lay. Photos by Cao Nhân.
When book lovers open a café, we are blessed with book cafes; when animal lovers open a café, we are given a myriad of animal cafes; what happens when florists open a café? This is the case of Mơ Đi Hội, the physical manifestation of passions for plants and beverages.