Why I love my neighbourhood

Noodle soup at Tan Dinh Market (the local)

I sometimes get asked by fellow Saigonites why I live where I live. Some choose to live in An Phu or Phu My Huong (expat enclaves outside the city centre), others, far-flung local districts (actually I don't know too many people who live in Binh Tanh, Go Vap etc. but a scattering of expats do), and then there are those who choose the chaos and colour of centrally located Districts 1 and 3 (my hood!). I like living in District 1 as it's close to the city centre (read - bars, restaurants, shops...). That's the main reason really - it's like preferring the inner city vs. the burbs - but here are a few more things that I love about where I live:

• There's a general store right next door to my place that I often refer to as 'the world's cheapest shop'. I'll buy a whole heap of cleaning products and the bill will only be a few dollars. The best bit is that they sell ice-cream and chocolate bars (Mars, Snickers, M&Ms..). I actually feel embarrassed sometimes that I go in so often to buy chocolate.
  
  
• The cheap, fresh produce for sale a short walk away at the local market, Tan Dinh. The walk is a bit of an epic - it's not far but there's a treacherous road crossing with an endless stream of cars, cyclos and motorbikes that never actually stops - I just have to do the Saigon road-crossing technique of walking out into the traffic and hoping it parts. The scary thing is that I'm pushing my baby in a stroller while doing this! The trek is worth the effort though when I come home laden with fresh herbs, fruit and vegetables that are so cheap they're almost free
  
  
• My local coffee shop - source of gossip, ad-hoc Vietnamese lessons and inside info on what anything and everything should cost. Also a source of a never-ending stream of gifts. I then feel compelled to give something in return, they keep giving me things, and the cycle continues...I think it's gotten to a point now that it's not going to stop as long as I live here (gift suggestions anyone?!)
  
  
• Quirky neighbourhood characters - banana lady, pineapple lady, over-enthusiastic streetside hairdresser, tattoed-on make-up lady, friendly girl with a baby the same age as mine, sometimes bossy general store lady ('don't get that ice-cream, it's for children!') and the rest who either wave cheerily or stare like I've just landed in Saigon from another planet
  
  
• Cool places to discover on Hai Ba Trung, a main thoroughfare nearby. It's jam-packed with clothing shops mixed with Vietnamese restaurants and random places like Bud's ice-cream, (all the way from San Fransisco to Saigon), a doughnut shop, a Chinese medicine place, underwear shops, toy shops, florists, hairdressers and a new Korean restaurant that looks intriguing
  
  
• And finally, that you can actually walk to the centre of the city, if you can bear the heat and crazy traffic (ok, I've only done this once, but it's nice to know it's an option)

I enjoy living in a 'local' area that's also close to Saigon's centre - it's like the best of both worlds (streetfood one night, Cepage the next!).

Shoptalk: PI-CHANNEL

Wandering along Le Thanh Ton today I spotted what looked like a promising little shop sign - a modern, minimal black on white pi symbol. It immediately struck me as quite unusual and design-forward for Saigon. My curiousity piqued, I had to go inside.

Discovered - a small space displaying a gorgeous selection of writing accessories: pens, notebooks, desk accessories, funky clocks and leather agendas, passport folders and money clips. The leather used felt and smelt real, too.

Some of the finds:

Agenda cover

Flip clock

DAISY notebook

Passport cover

INFINITE notebook

The creative spirit behind the products is Do Thi Thuc Doan, a female Vietnamese designer. PI-CHANNEL is definitely worth checking out if you're into stationery and organisers and great design. Most inspiring Saigon shopping find in a long while!

PI-CHANNEL, 31b Le Thanh Ton, D1, Saigon

Images courtesy pi-channel.com

Cha Ca - my latest food obsession

Cha Ca at Cha Ca La Vong (Saigon)

Fragrant herbs to enhance the grilled fish - yum!

Cha Ca, if you haven't had the pleasure of trying it, is a delicious Vietnamese fish dish originating from Hanoi. Grilled white fish, turmeric, spring onion and dill are the essential ingredients, with sides of vermicelli noodles, lime wedges and abundant fresh herbs (basil, mint etc.), crunchy peanuts and condiments with a chilli bent designed to be eaten with the fish. Combined, the flavours and textures are a sensation. There are a few places in Saigon specialising in Cha Ca - fortunately, the ones I know of are walking distance from my place (Cha Ca Hanoi and Cha Ca La Vong). The latter is my pick - the fish here is somehow more fragrant and tasty than Cha Ca Hanoi's. I'm not sure if it's related to the famous Cha Ca La Vong restaurant in Hanoi or a copycat using the famous name, but it's fantastic either way!

Cha Ca La Vong, Thach Thi Tanh (just around the corner from Vo Thi Sau, opposite the park), D1, Saigon

Cha Ca Hanoi, Tran Nhat Duat, D1, Saigon

Cafe Crush: Plie (a.k.a May)

Another week, another Saigon cafe crush! This time, it's cute and comfortable hideaway, Plie, which also goes by the name of May. Tucked down an alley off a non-descript D3 street, it's definitely off the usual expat radar. Catering to a younger demographic evidenced by the cushion strewn second floor playing host to a cool Vietnamese crowd in their late teens, Plie has a fresh contemporary feel. Cushiony couches, wall decals (like black on white tree branches) and coffee tables constructed from old packing crates deck out the ground floor. Loud (and lousy) love tunes aside, it's the perfect spot to relax with a hot chocolate (or cacao nong as it's known in these parts!) and a good book.

Go for: the hideaway factor, great fruit shakes, comfortable seats and cute decor

Not for: the music (huge speaker stacks - in a cafe?! Welcome to Saigon...)

Plie, 120/4a Tran Quoc Thao, D3

What to do on a short trip to Saigon

Treats at TIB Express

I'm a huge fan of the Asian city mini-break. Eating, drinking, shopping and jaunting around a cool metropolis, with a smattering of obligatory sightseeing thrown in - what's not to love?! For those similarly enamoured with such breaks and perhaps planning a Saigon version, check out this piece I recently wrote for About.com's Southeast Asia Travel site. It's always hard to narrow down a great selection of restaurants, bars, shops and sites for one short itinerary but the article hopefully captures a little slice of Saigon's 'best of'!