Con Kỳ Lân – a most surprising Vietnamese mythical creature
Inspired by Chinese mythology, Kỳ Lân is one of Vietnam’s four sacred creatures, which also includes the Dragon (Long), Phoenix (Phượng Hoàng), and Turtle (Quy). Say its name in English, and it may elicit squeals of excitement from children and
Decorative, durable and very dep – Encaustic tiles in Vietnam (part 2)
The rise, the fall (& the rise again) of the cement tile in Vietnam. Take a leap into the history of encaustic cement tile production, its introduction to Vietnam and its rise from the veritable ashes after a fall from
Decorative, durable and very dep – encaustic tiles in Vietnam (part 1)
A recent visit to an encaustic cement tile manufacturer in Ho Chi Minh City inspires a dive into how these highly popular, yet enduring, decorative tiles are made.
Thuỷ Nguyễn and An Everyday Dream
An Everyday Dream, an oh-so-inspiring and visually gorgeous retrospective, featuring the work of local artist and designer, Thuỷ Nguyễn, held in late 2020 to early 2021.
Escaping the Chaos – the Catinat Building
One of the ways that I take time out from the often chaotic hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City it to spend time exploring some of its older buildings. A little while back, I was wandering through one
The Mosaic Wall that Suddenly Disappeared
I am trying to unravel the story behind a beautiful hand-painted mosaic wall in Ho Chi Minh City. It seemed as though one moment it was there and then, with a blink of the eye, it was gone. It has
Places We Love: The Old Compass Café, Saigon
Venture down any of the small hems/alleys in Vietnam’s major cities and you never know what you will find. One of my favourite local cafes is hidden down one such laneway, just off Pasteur Street in the heart of downtown
Featured postcard: Rue Catinat, Saigon
The postcard that launched a lovely little business: Cochinchine: Saigon, Rue Catinat pres du theatre. An evocative image taken by French photographer, Poujade de Ladaveze, at the turn of the 20th century. I sourced this image back in 2009 from a
Propaganda artwork around Vietnam
Any time I am lucky enough to travel around Vietnam, my eyes are trained to eagerly explore the cityscape/landscape in search of something I haven’t seen before. This is one of the many joys of living in an adopted country
Coming soon: Hand held printed clutches
Casual clutches with a convenient black wrist strap and decorative (but useful) hand-made tassel. Get ready to tszuj (verb. to make fabulous: zoosh if you like) your look with these stylish additions in your life.
