Opa!

Take your taste buds on a Mediterranean fling With food, it’s always the familiar that wins over the exotic, and in the food industry, it’s dependability that keeps a restaurateur in business. While trendy Thai Van Lung has transformed unrecognizably since Tristan Ngo founded his fancy Mediterranean eatery Skewers (9 Thai Van Lung, D1) here 13 years ago, the restaurant itself has remained pleasingly … Read more

Baby School of Rock

A German-invented method of teaching preschoolers social skills and languages through music I have to admit, when I first heard about the Kindermusik center over at the Crescent, I presumed it was all about musicianship for kids. What I imagined was something more Suzuki-style, a group of three-year-olds with miniature violins, or a cacophony of pretweens going wild on their glockenspiels. Lauralynn … Read more

The Happy Baker

A local speaks about his experience coming out in Vietnamese society Chatting with Yun Lukas, one gets the impression that life couldn’t be better, but not for the reasons you might expect. Yun is an increasingly respected fashion & lifestyle commentator who rubs shoulders with models, celebrities, and prominent designers – and yet he completely fails to mention this during our … Read more

Home Schooled

Teaching kids at home is a growing trend in HCMC as costs of international schools rise and families consider more choices When Molly and Grant Wyatt arrived in Ho Chi Minh City back in 2007, their sons Logan and Grayson were only four and two, so schooling wasn’t yet the first thing on their minds. Here to assist locally-based relatives start … Read more

The Heavy Hand

In Vietnam, teachers and parents still believe kids need to be beaten to behave UNICEF’s report on Vietnam under its Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, released just a few months ago now, was surprisingly conservative. If you follow such things, you tend to expect a barrage of criticism and finger-pointing – but this time, its report conceded … Read more

Domo Arigato, Mr. Robata

Within HCMC’s Little Tokyo is a new standout Japanese restaurant DISTRICT ONE’S LITTLE Tokyo along Le Thanh Ton is hardly short of Japanese venues, but you’d probably have to be Japanese yourself – or at least intimately familiar with the culture – to spot what’s been missing. From the overly-vibrant sushi platters to mispronounced greetings uttered distractedly by kimono-clad Vietnamese girls … Read more

Meat the Maker

A Canadian expat opens a sidewalk food cart selling meatballs With all the late-night clamor and bustle of Bui Vien, you might walk straight past Nana Marie’s (60 Bui Vien, D1), tucked away against the side of a wee souvenir shop a short bitumen waltz away from the Crazy Buffalo. It’s the simplest of start-ups;a … Read more

School of Thought

Things to consider when choosing a school for your child  Text by Michael Arnold Images by Quinn Ryan Mattingly So imagine you’ve had this fantastic opportunity. An opening has come up in Vietnam, the salary is everything you’ve been waiting for, and your whole family’s invited to go with you – on the company account. … Read more

Home Invasion

The affluent An Phu area is a prime target for break-ins Text by Michael Arnold Image by Quinn Ryan Mattingly Mother’s Day this year took on a particularly sad note for recently-arrived An Phu resident Irene Wong and her family. Three weeks after moving into what appeared to be a properly-secured compound with 24-hour security … Read more