The rich history of Vietnamese chocolate In its 4,000 year history, it’s been used as currency and tribute. It’s been drunk as an alcoholic beverage and a bitter foamy elixir in gold cups by Mayan elites. It’s been presented as an offering at the funerals of noblemen and played a part in ancient New World religious rituals. It’s spawned saints and… Read more »
Strange (but true) travel stories “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” I’m desperately trying to recall Mark Twain’s inspirational words as I’m struggling with two suitcases… Read more »
The other color green that makes the sport so exciting When tennis aces , women’s #1 Serena Williams and men’s #2 Novak Djokovic, won their respective year-end championships recently to cap spectacular seasons, they pocketed handy winner’s checks of around USD2 million each. Djokovic ended the regular season with just over USD11 million in prize money and Williams shattered the previous female single-season… Read more »
A love letter to the “City of the World’s Desire” Dear Istanbul, I know we’ve only known each other for a few days, but in that short amount of time, I’ve really grown to love you. I love how I never know what to expect from you. Are you Asian or European? Or both, because you’re the only metropolis in… Read more »
A unique project brings international artists to Vietnam A dozen chatty Korean ladies are gathered around a large wooden table laden with tapas-sized snacks. The mood is jovial, fueled by copious amounts of makgeolli, a milky Korean rice wine. The small crowd has gathered for an art talk and exhibition by Korean artist, Andy Khun, whose ink drawings range from whimsical to disturbing… Read more »
Giving your holiday a purpose It used to be that everyone would dream of that once-in-a-lifetime vacation - a European cruise, a Hawaiian holiday, a week in Paris. But now that flights have gotten cheaper and people are traveling more, those bucket list holidays are prone to losing a bit of their magical luster. Luxury properties with similar amenities start merging together in… Read more »
Artist Barbara Anchisi draws inspiration from her new life in Vietnam Ensconced in her sunny third floor studio directly on the Saigon River, Italian artist Barbara Anchisi is perfectly happy watching the world float by. It’s no surprise then that boats and barges inspired her latest collection, Cargo, a series of mixed media prints, photos and paint. “It’s not just boats that carry… Read more »
Silky smooth manna On the list of the 49 most fattening foods as determined by a New Zealand university, cream sits at #11, not quite as fattening as corn chips and condensed milk, but more so than donuts and fried food. While it may be high energy but essentially bereft of nutritional benefits, like almost everything that’s bad for… Read more »
Unorthodox pairings to create uniquely divine cakes Some matches are made in heaven. Brad and Angelina. Pizza and beer. Gin and tonic. But strawberries and chili? Chocolate and beetroot? More like pairs joined in culinary hell. But David Campbell, owner of Villa Royale Treasures (8 Dang Huu Pho, D2), a brand new antiques store-cum-tearoom set on a quiet, leafy lane… Read more »
Johnny Tri Nguyen talks MMA in Vietnam, his banned movie Chinatown and why he’s always the bad guy Hearing Johnny Tri Nguyen talk about his grandfather, the “White Crane of Ca Mau,” so named for his long sleeved shirts to hide metal arm and shin guards, it’s hard to separate fact from fiction. The story sounds a lot like a Hong… Read more »