Bien Nguyen, Quynh Anh, Michele de Albert, Quynh Pham, David Hodkinson and My Yen Kang

GEMMA PRICE INTRODUCES THE WORK, REST AND PLAY PLACES OF SIX OF HO CHI MINH CITY’S STYLE-SETTERS

HO CHI MINH CITY is fast becoming one of Asia’s most happening cities. Its booming economy has encouraged a flourishing art scene, pumping nightlife and host of sophisticated restaurants. While Hanoi remains a vestige of rich tradition, Ho Chi Minh City continues to develop a vibrant contemporary character that’s attracting a wealTh of international talent.

Joining the swelling ranks of stylish expatriates is an increasing number of trend-setting Vietnamese, many of whom have lived overseas and are returning to their ancestral home. The “Viet Kieu”, as they are known, are a defining part of the cosmopolitan mix of residents adding to the city’s unmistakable buzz.

Here, six style-setters from various backgrounds share their favourite things about the city they are proud to call “home”.

VIET CHINOISERIE

Who: My Yen Kang, managing director, Flaunt Talent Development Agency Born: Kien Giang, Rach Gia, Vietnam

“I really like Cholon,” says the petite Viet Kieu as she settles into the cosy, low-slung seating at Café Terrace. The 27-year-old was born in Vietnam and lived in Canada although, like many Vietnamese, her family is originally from China. Fittingly, Cholon (also known as District Five) is Ho Chi Minh City’s vibrant Chinatown.

“I can go there and speak Chinese – it’s great!’ she gushes happily. “Walking around, you see the similarities with Vietnamese culture, and the differences which go right down to the street food. When I’m there, I get char siu bao with Chinese-style barbecued pork inside, compared to Vietnamese bun bao, which contains a mixture of minced egg, sausage and other things.”

She also recommends a trip to the Chinese temples like Quan Am Pagoda in Cholon, to see Middle Kingdom elements in the décor, and to enjoy the atmosphere with the many Chinese who still go there to pray.

In 1981, My Yen left Vietnam by boat with her family, but decided to return three years ago. In the West, she helped to integrate immigrant ethnic minorities into Canadian society. Back in Vietnam, she went into advertising. Now she has started out on her own and is managing director of Flaunt, a successful hybrid of modelling agency, events company and training school.

Since returning to Vietnam, she has immersed in the local culture and recommends a trip to the nearby Cu Chi tunnels (dug by the Viet Cong during the war).

“It’s untouched and raw, just like how it really was back then. When I went there, I learnt so much – how it must have been to live under the ground for years in the tunnels. The lack of space and sunlight, the smells, everything, really opens your eyes. It is an essential trip to make from Ho Chi Minh City.”

Quan Am Pagoda, 12 Duong Lao Tu, District 5; Cu Chi Tunnels, about 70km north-west of town. Half-day trips available for US$5 from any local tourist office. Visit www.cuchitunnel.org.vn

INTERIOR ESCAPE

Who: David Hodkinson, interior designer, Noor Born: Lake District, England

David first visited Vietnam seven years ago and after a few trips, Ho Chi Minh City’s energy and dynamism proved too much to resist and he decided to make it his permanent home.

with his design background, David relished the freshness and artistic potential of the city. After renovating Java, a popular city café, with some like-minded colleagues, the group decided to take a broader, more permanent approach to their collaboration and set up Noor, a design and architecture company. It’s now the city’s leading company in the field with a portfolio that includes some of the coolest hangouts in the city: Middle-Eastern restaurant Warda; chic café Mojo; and svelte wine bar Manna – all local hotspots.

“I like Warda,” says David. “It’s a great place to escape from the downtown bustle. The city can be really hectic, so I love to find somewhere to just kick back.”

Tucked in a secluded alley, the restaurant’s exotic menu, décor and Fez-toting waiters set it apart from every other eatery. with its arched doorways, terracotta table tops and beaded curtains, it’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon nestled among plush cushions, sipping rose-scented Turkish coffee away from the city traffic.

“I also love Ton That Thiep street with its little shops and cafés, and La Fenêtre Soleil on Le Thanh Ton,” he adds. Topping a winding flight of rustic stairs, La Fenêtre Soleil is a quaint slice of Victoriana. In the evenings, salsa and swing dancing oft en take up the floor space, but, according to David, the luxe bar also has a quiet side. “I love to go there to sip some iced ginger tea and take some time out to relax and unwind.”

Mojo, 88 Dong Khoi; Warda, 71/7 Mac Thi Buoi, District 1, tel +84 (0)8 823-3822; La Fenêtre Soleil, Level 2, 135 Le Thanh Ton, District 1, tel +84 (0)8 822-5209; Manna, 26 Ho Huan Nghiep, tel +84 (0)8 823-3978

WINE AND DINE

Who: Bien Nguyen, restaurant director, Xu Born: Perth, Australia

with its blend of contemporary style and retro 1960s chic, Xu is one of the more refined watering holes in the city. The concept is simple – to attract the city’s well-heeled clientele in the early evening and keep them there, with all the elements of a fun night out in one chic space.

“It’s something the city doesn’t have elsewhere – you can come to Xu for pre-dinner drinks, eat at the restaurant, and then relax with some evening cocktails,” explains Bien. “The music is different in the bar and the restaurant, and at a level where you can talk easily – often impossible in other Vietnamese places.”

The menu isn’t bad either. Owner and director Bien has worked in restaurants since the age of 15 and used his extensive experience to develop Xu’s Asian-fusion cuisine. Like the décor, the food is traditional with a twist – dishes like Grilled Snapper with Citrus Mash and Ginger Fish Sauce are a modernised take on traditional flavours, yet remain quintessentially Vietnamese.

Born in Australia, Bien has lived in Sydney and the Philippines, eventually deciding to settle in Ho Chi Minh City because of the city’s vivacity and potential. Like many young entrepreneurs, his few precious hours off work are spent unwinding with friends, but when he does venture out, he likes to pay a visit to the city’s more popular nightspots around town.

“Lush [the nightclub] has great music,” says Bien. “And I like Q Bar, boThearly evening for the fresh air and nice views; and later on, when it’s at its most vibrant.”

Q Bar’s subterranean cubby holes are the only place for hardcore night owls to be seen once the clubs close around 2am, and Bien often heads there after locking up at Xu. But even though his job is nocturnal, Bien does venture out during the day on occasion.

“Once in a while, I like to look around the American market on Yersin Street. You can pick up all kinds of military knick-knacks – old hardware, some vintage gear and reproductions. I got one of my favourite shirts – an old army T-shirt – there a while ago. It’s definitely worTha visit.”

Xu, Level 1, 71-75 Hai Ba Trung, District 1, tel +84 (0)8 824-8468; Lush, 2 Ly Tu Trong, District 1; Q Bar, Opera House, Lam Son Square, District 1, tel +84 (0)8 823-3479, www.qbarsaigon.com

BUDDING TALENT

Who: Quynh Anh, floral artist, Padma de Fleur Born: Hue, Vietnam

Quynh moved to Hanoi at a young age. After living in Paris, travelling around Latin America and spending some time in New York, she decided to settle permanently in Ho Chi Minh City four years ago.

Flower arranging had always been a hobby, but eventually, the feeling that she had reached the peak of her advertising career prompted her to quit and pursue her passion for flowers full-time.

Padma de Fleur opened its doors for business in January this year and Quynh’s colourful creations have made appearances at weddings, parties, and events held by the city’s movers and shakers.

The florist’s creative media background is obvious – her careful, evocative description of the city could be a professional pitch for a romantic commercial.

“If I had only one day to rediscover Ho Chi Minh City, I would start at 5am at the Ho Thi Ky flower market in District 10,” she smiles. “The sun isn’t up yet, everything is a little dark and you can almost feel the day coming. This is the market’s busiest time, and it’s great to grab a coffee and explore.

“The old Vietnamese apartment buildings surrounding the area are full of character. It’s an amazing place to walk around and just absorb the air and take in the unique atmosphere.”

A big fan of the town’s bazaars, Quynh also loves Ben Thanh Market in District One. “It’s my favourite place to buy silks, and have lunch,” says Quynh.

Selling everything from cosmetics and cushions, to flowers and fish, Ben Thanh is the most central and hectic shopper’s haven in the city. The food section is particularly extensive and sells all kinds of quirky cuisine, but Quynh has a particular favourite:

“There’s a counter called Be Chê that sells the best banh chuoi (banana cake) and che ba mau (three-coloured cake). I just have to stop there every time.”

Padma de Fleur, 59/20 Nguyen Binh Kiem, District 1, tel +84 (0)9 0300-9873; Ho Thi Ky flower market, Ho Thi Ky, District 10; Ben Thanh Market, Le Loi Boulevard, District 1 (entrance faces the roundabout)

LACQUER LADY

Who: Michele de Albert, lacquer-ware artist, Gaya Boutique Born: Paris, France

When Michele first came to Vietnam with her husband, they planned to stay for only a year. But 13 years later, Ho Chi Minh City now feels as much like home as her native Paris does.

“I just love the climate and the energy of the city,” she explains. Lighting a cigarette, she guides me out of the shop office and gestures to a cast aluminium couch where we can talk comfortably. The elegant designer’s casual and relaxed manner makes Gaya Boutique’s showroom, with its elegant contemporary furnishings, seem like an extension of her living room.

“My first job was organising an exhibition for Le Bon Marché in Paris. All the products were from Vietnam and we had to find everything – I was responsible for furnishings and décor, and my friend was looking for fashion. That’s when I first spent time in the lacquer-ware workshops.”

Now, along with four other international designers, she produces everything from lacquer-ware chopsticks to tables – all cast in a kaleidoscope of strong, bright colours.

“I like to make beautiful, functional things that you can use every day – I’ll never eat from plastic plates. Even when I’m eating alone, I want to sit at a nice table. I guess it’s a French thing.”

She lists Mekong Merchant as one of her favourite local eateries, but when she has some time to spare, Michele heads to Giac Lam Pagoda for the tranquil atmosphere.

“A friend told me about it when I first moved here. It’s very peaceful – the city has changed a lot, but the pagoda has stayed the same. I also like to take a stroll along Le Cong Kieu – the old Antique Street. Sometimes, you can find some old ceramics and lovely wooden furniture, but for me, it’s just as much about going to chat with the people in the area.”

Gaya Boutique, 39 Ton That Thiep, tel +84 (0)8 914-3769, www.gayavietnam.com; Mekong Merchant, 23 Thao Dien, District 2, tel +84 (0)8 744-4713; Giac Lam Pagoda, 118 Lac Long Quan, District 10

ARTISTIC LICENSE

Who: Quynh Pham, director, Galerie Quynh Born: Danang, Vietnam

As the only professional contemporary art gallery director in the country, Quynh Pham is Vietnam’s first port of call for museum curators around the world. Before establishing Galerie Quynh in 2000, the American Viet Kieu worked as a freelance art writer and curator. She decided to move back to Vietnam in 1997 aft er her preliminary visit revealed a contemporary art scene on the cusp of taking off.

“Contemporary art is work related to the world today,” she explains. “It’s not… ‘cutting edge’. I really like interactive and conceptual projects as opposed to documentary photography.

I work with foreign and local artists, artists who are provocative, and run classes to educate people about contemporary art. International art collectors come from all over the world and enthusiasts are excited to find this kind of work in Vietnam.”

Quynh names the Fine Arts Museum as one of her favourite spots in the city. The ochre walls, internal courtyard and quaint bridge mean that the building itself is just as much an attraction as the works on display.

“I also really like Himiko Café,” says Quynh. “It’s a unique exhibition space run by a young Vietnamese artist who speaks fluent Japanese – she exhibits sculptures, photographs, paintings. It’s unique. And then of course, there’s Wonderful District.”

Wonderful District is a studio run by visual artists Sandrine Llouquet and Bertrand Peret, boThof whom are represented by Quynh’s gallery. Last year, the pair ran a project called Atelier Wonderful, designed to facilitate people meeting and sharing art.

Over six months, the pair opened their apartment studio to the public. “Anyone could go into their home to attend an exhibition or watch a movie,” says Quynh.

The open house officially ended last July, but the couple is still happy to receive visitors to their workspace.

“I strongly recommend visiting Wonderful District to anyone coming to Ho Chi Minh City. Just give them a call first to make sure that they are around,” Quynh suggests.

Galerie Quynh, 23 Ly Tu Trong, District 1, tel +84 (0)8 824-8306, www.galeriequynh.com; Fine Arts Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, 97A Pho Duc Chinh, District 1, tel +84 (0)8 829-4441; Himiko Visual Café, 88 Huynh Tinh Cua, District 3, tel +84 (0)9 5888-1908, www.himikokoro.com; Wonderful District, Level 2, 80/9 Nguyen Trai, tel +84 (0)8 925-0657, www.wonderfuldistrict.org