Promotions and news in HCMC and beyond…
The Rebirth of Vietnam House
With a grand opening this month, Vietnam House Restaurant is set to introduce Vietnamese cuisine with a modern twist. Through a unique partnership between celebrity chef Luke Nguyen and Windsor Property Management Group
Corporation (WMC Group), the restaurant returns to its former location with a fully renovated interior and façade accenting the historic building on the corner of Dong Khoi and Mac Thi Buoi.
The restored colonial building once housed the famed Café L’Imperial in the early 1900s, and was a popular destination for the city’s affluent business class. The new Vietnam House Restaurant is set to bring back the nostalgia and charm of the storied street corner while the menu spans the country with classic dishes selected from North to South, delivering a traditional style while reflecting modern trends with culinary impressions from chef Luke Nguyen. With experiences and knowledge gained by travelling throughout Vietnam, Chef Luke invites diners on a rich gastronomic journey with unique presentations of classic recipes.
Watch the city’s traffic bustle quietly by through classic arched windows while sipping premium coffees brewed from the finest Arabica and Robusta beans. To complement your lunch or dinner, select from the expansive wine list featuring 500 varietals including award-winning brands from vineyards around the globe.
Photographer Réhahn Will Display His Precious Heritage Collection In Hoi An
After the opening of his permanent gallery on Dong Khoi in Saigon and the opening of the Ageless Beauty Exhibition at the Fine Arts Museum in Da Nang, he will display his moving and colorful exhibition Precious Heritage in Hoi An, his hometown. The free outdoor exhibition will take place on Nguyen Phuc Chu Street, on An Hoi island, for two months, starting July 1. Through a selection of 40 photographs, echoing his museum, Réhahn shows how rich and diverse Vietnam’s ethnic culture is. His famous portraits of young kids and old women from all provinces of the country represent groups of hundreds of thousand members to as few as hundreds like the O Du or the unique portrait of a Ro Mam, that required him to wait 3 years to get the authorization to visit them in their remote village.
Posing in traditional costumes, they all symbolize ancestral customs, ancient knowledge passed on from one generation to another, the challenge to protect it and the hope in keeping it alive. The Precious Heritage Collection promotes the beauty and pride of these communities that, together, form the great mosaic of Vietnam’s people.
That’s what motivated him to create the Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum unveiled in January 2017. By choosing to keep the museum free and with all texts translated in Vietnamese, English and French, the photographer aims to give maximum access to this side of Vietnam’s identity for people to see what’s beyond the more obvious images.
School Helps Build More Homes for Poor Families
Renaissance International School Saigon celebrated its 10-year anniversary last month, and the school’s community raised USD5,200 to support the Habitat for Humanity charity that builds homes for poor families in Vietnam. The money raised was matched by the school’s Board of Directors, therefore the amount donated doubled to USD10,400. Throughout the year, the students had also raised an additional USD1,900, which totalled USD12,300. The money will allow Habitat for Humanity to build 4-5 homes for families in need. In addition, students will also help build the houses.
