‘European Days 2012’ will be held in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang City and Quy Nhon City in Binh Dinh Province.

A special concert featuring the Notos Quartett from Germanyopened the European event at the Hanoi Opera House .

Founded in 2007, the piano quartet has earned recognition o­n international stages and raised audience admiration at well-known festivals all overEurope. They won the 2011 Park house Award in London, the most important competition for piano quartets, as well as received First Prize at the Charles-Hennen-Concours in Holland in 2011. The Notos Quartet has been highly praised by both audience and critics.

Additionally, the Black Voices, a music band from the UK, will perform in HCMC o­n May 20 and in Hanoi o­n May 2. The French rock band, Success will perform in Hanoi o­n May 30.

On the other hand, a European film festival screening 15 films, including some Oscar winners such as In a better world, Oscar winner in foreign film category and Golden Globe Award winner in 2011; short films for children, Oliver Twist by director Roman Polanski will be held at the National Cinema Centre in Hanoi from May 16-27, at the Dong Da Theatre in Ho Chi Minh City from May 17-27 and at the Le Do Theatre in Da Nang from May 18-27.

The European Literature Day will take place at the National Library of Vietnam in Hanoi from May 11-13. Readers will have a chance to enjoy many books from Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, the UK, Denmark andPoland, which are translated into Vietnamese.

The British Council invited British writer Andy Stanton, who will introduce his last book, the “Mr. Gum” children series and talk with young readers.

The National Library of Vietnam will also see a European culinary festival o­n May 26.

Belgian writer Jean Calude Servais will also arrive in Vietnam for the third Comics Festival, as part of the event in Hanoi o­n June 1-10.

Besides, EU ambassadors will join exchange programmes with students in HCMC and Binh Dinh Province, where seminars o­n Vietnam-EU trade relations will be held o­n May 16 and 18, respectively.

Round-table discussion o­n the role of women in family and society will be organised in Hanoi o­n May 22 and in HCMC o­n May 29.

In addition, an exhibition of artworks titled ’Riverscapes in Flux’ by local and international artists, o­ne of the activities in the event,is being held at the Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi.

The Goethe-Institute has organised the exhibition, inviting 17 young artists from Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia and the Philippinesto reflect in their work the ecological as well as socio-economic and cultural changes that riverscapes in these countries are currently experiencing.

17 art works include multimedia installations and photo series, videos and object installations. The exhibition will run until April 29.

The display aims to contribute towards raising awareness about the invaluable ecological and cultural heritage which the river landscapes inSoutheast Asia represent and create networks between artists beyond borders. The exhibition will then be held in Ho Chi Minh City from May 12 – 27.

source from: hanoitimes

On Monday the Ho Chi Minh City Culture, Sport and Tourism Department announced a VND3.5 million (US$175) fine against local pop singer Thu Minh for flouting the decency law with her skimpy costume at a recent music show.

At the show titled “Ngan Sao Hoi Tu” (The Convergence of a Thousand Stars) in HCMC on April 20, the singer wore revealing clothes which were criticized by the public as being offensive and inappropriate to traditional Vietnamese culture and customs.

However, to some people, the lenient penalty is just a light slap on the wrist that serves as a poor deterrent compared with the fame the singer attracted after the scandal.

According to Vo Trong Nam, deputy director of the department, the fine is quite gentle since this is the first time Minh has violated the law. He also added that if the singer continues to dress similarly, the penalty will be heavier.

Thanh Thao Production Company, the show’s organizer also received a warning.

In March local model Thai Ha was fined VND5 million for exposing most of her breasts in a skimpy outfit at an advertising event in HCMC.

Similarly, last August, Quang Binh Province’s Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism announced a VND3.5 million fine against the organizer of the “Night of Beauties” charity music show in which many performers, including singers Minh Hang, Yen Trang and Hoang Thuy Linh, were criticized for donning skimpy costumes.

One month later, there was a public outcry after the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Department of International Cooperation appointed actress Ly Nha Ky as its first tourism ambassador, since the actress has been known for exposing her body. In a play titled “General Vo Nguyen Giap and The Symphony of Dien Bien”, which was broadcast live on TV, Ky angered many viewers when she wore a dress that showed part of her chest.

source from: tuoitrenews

The 2012 Southern Land Cusine Festival will open at Dam Sen Cultural Park in Ho Chi Minh City on May 25.

source from: nhandan

An exhibition featuring antiques from Southeast Asian countries is being held at the Ho Chi Minh City-based Vietnam History Museum in District 1.

Titled “Southeast Asian antiques,” the exhibition showcases more than 300 objects from regional countries, including Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines.

The exhibits feature many kinds of objects including paintings, daily utensils, weapons, jewelry and religious statues dating as far back as the 12th century.

The event will run for eight months at 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street before ending in December.

Below are some photos by the HCMC-based Vietnam History Museum:

source from: tuoitrenews

Tata Young, Thai talented singer who attended music festival SoundFest with South Korean band Big Bang in Ho Chi Minh City on April 14, has just joined local singer Thanh Bui who finished at top 8 Australian Idol 2008 to release a duet single.

Titled “Tinh Ve Noi Dau – Where Do We Go,” the single which was born after the duo had a performance together at SoundFest tells of a love story of a couple overcoming difficulties towards happiness.

The song was written by Thanh Bui and musician Duong Khac Linh and performed in both Vietnamese and English. It has been released online in Vietnam and will be broadcast on TrueVisions, one of Thailand’s leading cable satellite television operators.

“Tinh Ve Noi Dau – Where Do We Go” is also expected to be aired on Asia-wide music channels like Channel V and MTV Asia.

According to MTV Vietnam, the pair is finishing a music video version of the song.

“As Asian artists, we want to cooperate and go beyond the boundaries between the countries in the region,” Thanh Bui said. “We hope artists will join hands together to bring our music to the world.”

The singer also confirms that he and Tata Young will continue to work together in further projects.
source from: tuoitrenews

Local best-selling writer for children Nguyen Nhat Anh has just opened a reading club named Kaleidoscope in District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City on the occasion of the World Book and Copyright Day on April 23.

The club sponsored by the namesake bookstore of the writer aims to create a playground for book lovers who cannot buy books to access their favorite works with low cost.

Working as a normal library, the club requires readers wanting to join the club to register and pay a small fee to get membership card to borrow books. Around 30 readers have become the club’s members so far.

The venue now has 500 book titles including world’s famous books as well as Anh’s hits like “Toi Thay Hoa Vang Tren Co Xanh” (I Saw a Yellow Flower on the Green Grass), “La Nam Trong La” (Leaf Inside The Leaves), the series “Kaleidoscope,” “Thien Than Nho Cua Toi” (My Little Angel) and “Cho Toi Xin Mot Ve Di Tuoi Tho” (Give Me A Ticket Back To Childhood).

“We want to create chances for young readers to access world’s classic writings as well as the latest ones. The Kaleidoscope Club will continuously update its library to bring quality books to its members,” Anh said.

Also on the opening day, the writer handed over around 500 of his books to several high schools and a library in the city.

source from: tuoitrenews

According to a press release from HCMC Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera as the concert’s organizer and performers, the event will feature classic masterpieces by Franz Liszt, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, and George Gershwin.

Korean and Vietnamese pianists Joo Eun Young, Ly Giai Hoa, Ly Giai Nien, cellist Nguyen Tan Anh, clarinet Dao Nhat Quang, violinist, prof Ta Bon, and ballet dancers of HBSO will perform Hungarian Rhapsody No.6, Trio in B flat, op.11 for Clarinet, Cello & Piano, An American in Paris (for 2 pianos), and Modern ballet “Dream Puzzles”.

Tickets, priced from VND 60,000 to 250 000, are available at:

Ticket Counter, HCMC Opera House, 7 Lam Son Square, District 1, HCMC, Tel: 08 38299976.

HCMC Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera, 3 Phan Van Dat, District 1, HCMC. Tel: 08. 38237419/ 08. 62704450.
source : thanhniennews

I knew where it was, but it just seemed that Lush was always on the edge on my radar at the time for some reason.

When I finally did get around to visiting Lush, I remember the impression it made on me well though.

This is because when I walked through the doors I found that Lush was exactly what I would expect from a dance club back home.

In fact, because of the combination of music, laser lights and the modern look and feel of the decor and surroundings, you can walk into Lush at times and it makes you forget that you are in Vietnam rather than back home.

And it is this Western style and feel that makes Lush so unique in Saigon.

When you walk in, Lush nightclub is not filled to the brim with working girls or seedy looking foreigners lurking in the shadows, it is filled with young trendy people having a good time.

This makes it a great addition to one’s night out, and a good alternative to the more touristy type nightclubs.

And Lush is especially a great place to visit if you really want to dance and be seen dancing.

The vibe at Lush just gives itself to getting one’s groove on and showing off those newly polished dance moves!

And even if the ground floor dance area does gets a bit crowded at times, there is always room on the stairs or on the inside balcony where you can shake your money maker until the sun rises.

In fact, dancing on the stairs is the best place to go if you want to stand out from the crowd.

Alternatively you can just go upstairs and recline in leisure on the rather comfy sofas, or watch the people bopping about below.

The result is that Lush tends to attract a nice blend of expats, locals and travelers all dancing along to the latest hip hop, R&B and pop tunes.

Additionally the people that do visit Lush also seem to be a bit younger than at most other foreign nightclubs.

Not to mention that this young crowd often has quite diverse origins, and you can end up meeting people from Japan, Hong Kong, Australia all in one night, giving Lush a somewhat cosmopolitan feel.

For this reason, even if you don’t feel like dancing, Lush is a great place for relaxing, meeting people and for just having fun.

Source : saigonscene

The abundance of East Asian restaurants around Thai Van Lung and Le Thanh Ton can be traced to the vast number of Korean and Japanese residents. Whilst the French influence is still evident at places like Le Jardin, new fusions are also encroaching, including Cuban, Spanish, Mexican and Middle Eastern.

Aside from the dearth of East Asian restaurants, almost any other kind of Asian food can be found in District One, including excellent Chinese, Thai and Indian options, with Malaysian, Cambodian and Taiwanese thrown in as well. The Vietnamese scene is naturally expansive. The range includes traditional street food vendors typically serving one or two snacks, small street side restaurants often serving a specialty such as pho or seafood, mid range restaurants with enormous menus and good value, and finally finishing with 5 star luxury fit for a king. Vietnamese food is often reinvented in higher end restaurants to be more suitable to the foreign palette, so bear this mind and be aware that the real taste of Vietnam is not as simple as dining on Dong Khoi St.

The western selection consists of the inevitable, a collection of ‘pub’ style menus serving burgers, ribs, and cooked breakfasts, along with healthier options which champion posh sounding salads and exotic fruit smoothies. There are some real gems that take a little digging to uncover, usually secreted in Saigon’s alleyways, away from the main road.

Coffee shop enthusiasts will not be disappointed either. Despite no Starbucks, Vietnam has its own version, Highlands Coffee. Highlands is a popular choice for its cheap set lunches and home produced selection of coffee, and usually occupies a busy city centre location. Illy Café is another chain which on top of its own stores also ‘provides’ the coffee at many other smaller locations – when you see the small red Illy sign hanging outside you’ll know this is the case.

Other Vietnamese style coffee shops are large, brash roadside extravaganzas, places to see and be seen for the trendy Vietnamese patrons. You won’t run into any of these in the city centre, although they are dotted across other parts of District 1 and especially District 3.

This central area of the city also houses numerous bars usually frequented by Saigon’s foreigners-in-residence. The Aussies have a couple of places to hang out in Café Latin and Blue Gecko. Underground is a London themed bar. All these could be labeled as ‘pub’, but the most recent diversion of Saigon’s nightlife has followed the trendy route of wine bar / club, such as Manna on Dong Khoi St. Don’t be surprised to pay a price that is definitely not aligned with the local currency, more the international dollar rate. Other than this, there are the hotel bars, such as Level 23 at the Sheraton or the infamous Saigon Saigon at the Caravelle, both of which command a spectacular view over the city.

Post midnight, options become limited. The most famous of all Saigon nightspots is Apocalypse Now, a disco in every sense. The wine club crowd will be making their way to Q Bar, a small but popular late night bar, or Lush, the upscale version of Apocalypse. Some may head over to Pham Ngu Lao to continue festivities.

The Pham Ngu Lao St area is a typical travellers den, the ‘Khao Sarn Road’ of Ho Chi Minh City. Inevitably there is a plethora of restaurants, bars, and cafes, as well as ubiquitous accommodation and travel agencies. The eateries of this area differ slightly from the their town centre counterparts; restaurants are cheap and open air providing much better value for money, although of course quality may be compromised. The bastions of the areas nightlife are Go 2 and Allez Boo, large street side bars where backpackers gather to shout over the music and play pool until the early hours. The area has a handful of smaller hole in the wall bars each retaining their own loyal band of patrons. Le Pub and Bobby Brewers provide a more stylish venue, catering to those who prefer the atmosphere in the ‘Pham’ but also enjoy a classier environment than a plastic chair on the street. These kind of establishments may signal the future of the area.

For a taste of true Vietnamese nightlife you could try America in the Windsor Plaza, or Volcano. By the selection of $7000 plus motorbikes in the parking area, it’s deducible that the people inside aren’t short of a few bucks, and they like to show it off too. The dancing is frenetic, the music loud and the atmosphere highly strung.

Source : itsthefinalword

Tet Nguyen Dan (Chinese New Year): held in January of early February, this is the most important event of the year, with parties being held nationwide to celebrate the coming of the new lunar year. Festivities last for three days, with various religious procedures being carried out at home, while the final night encompasses fireworks, drum performances and plenty of gong-banging.April Festivals

Thanh Minh: held in early April, this event honours the dead through worship and renovation of their dwellings. Ancestor worship is a big part of Vietnamese culture and this special time sees families travel to the city’s cemeteries to repair the graves of loved ones as well as presenting them with special foods.Liberation Day: held on 30 April, Ho Chi Minh City celebrates its fall to Hanoi and North Vietnamese forces, in 1975. The historical importance of this day is immense, as the capturing of the city marked the end of the Vietnam War and the start of the reunification process. For citizens of the city, this is a day of reflection and remembrance.August/September Festivals

Trung Nguyen (Feast of the Wandering Souls and Hungry Ghosts): held in August or September, this festival sees people put food out for the dead at temples city-wide. It is on this day that the dead come back to wander the earth, with the food ensuring the hungry ghosts are well-fed. In addition, paper money is burnt to support the praying for absolution.National Day: held on September 2nd, festivities on this day include parades, fireworks, as well as musical and dance performances. Those visitors that are lucky enough to catch this festival will be presented with some great photo opportunities. The day marks Vietnam’s independence from France in 1945.No Fixed Date

Tet Nguyen Tieu (Lantern Festival): Ho Chi Minh’s large Chinese community ensure this festival is kept alive, with children carrying lanterns through these streets at night, while traditionally, it is also thought to be a special day for matchmaking, with youngsters allowed out beyond their usual curfews in the hope they will find love. Lantern parades are also a popular feature.

Source : directrooms