Swimming Classes in HCMC

Posted on June 19, 2013 by

photo 20130619_093423_zpsf28c0f09.jpgNow that school is out, I’m harassing my son to swim. He has swimming classes in school but his “grade” didn’t improve at all during the whole year. :(

A couple of weeks ago, I started taking swimming lessons. Not only for health reasons but I also wanted to be confident in the water when taking my kids for a swim. When I was little, my mom enrolled me in a swimming school but it has been years (literally) since I actually swam the right way. I mean usually back then, when we say we want to go swimming during the hot summer months in Manila, it just meant wading and cooling off in the water.

For toddlers and kids in Saigon, there used to me Little Kix Swim School until the instructor moved to Manila. And I also heard of Rubber Duckies Vietnam. But the site doesn’t seem to be updated so I’m in the hunt of a good kiddie swim school. If not, I’d probably just ask my teacher in Phu My Hung’s YOFI Center in Sky Garden.

For those who want to learn how to swim in YOFI Center, for  ages 7 and above, it’s 1,500,000 VND/style for 12 sessions valid over 3 months. Or you can drop in and pay 150,000 VND per hour. But if you want to study with another person, it’s 250,000 VND per hour a pair.

For kids under 7 years old, the cost is:

1 month – 1,200,00 VND/kid
2 months – 2,200,000 VND/kid
3 months – 3,200,000 VND/kid

And you still have to pay the entrance fee to the pool which is 35,000 VND for children and 50,000 VND for adults.

My teacher is Phuong and is quite a tyrant. But his style worked for me. There’s also Tu and Tien (not sure). Tu is great with kids and Tien is very, very patient. Tien substituted for Phuong a couple of times and I really liked that he doesn’t get tired repeating instructions and showing me the proper way to swim.

So there — just an alternative activity for your kids this school break!

YOFI Center
54103008 / 54103009

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Xiang Flower & Tea

Posted on June 18, 2013 by

Last week, part of the walkway joining Kumho Link to Kumho Asiana was sectioned off to make way for the construction of Xiang Flower & Tea (right in front of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf). Today, it finally opened and was giving 20% discount.

photo 20130618_162821_zpsdab7b3bd.jpgThe fresh flowers were irresistible.

photo 20130618_162813_zpsba2db79d.jpgSigh. Sigh. Sigh.

photo 20130618_123639_zps9f0ad305.jpgI just had to get a bunch.

photo 20130618_162743_zps0cdeca4c.jpgI bought white roses at lunch and dropped by in the afternoon before I went home to collect.

photo 20130618_174951_zps22d09fcc.jpgNot bad for 100,000 VND  for 19 roses.

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Zalora.vn

Posted on June 18, 2013 by

Okay so the other day, I was browsing through Facebook when a Zalora advertisement popped at the sidebar. It was a photo of a shoe and recalling a photo of this month’s Oi Magazine of some shoe from Zalora as well (I think), I clicked on the ad. The price wasn’t too expensive and I was kinda curious about online shopping here in Vietnam so I ordered.

photo zalora_zps77cc133c.pngHere in Vietnam, you can order online and pay when the product is delivered. That’s okay by me coz I wasn’t too sure about giving my credit card details. A friend recently was charged for over hundreds of dollars for stuff she has never actually bought. Tsk. Tsk. So, using my credit card online these days is something that I don’t feel secure doing.

So anyhoo, the process is pretty painless ordering via Zalora. I received a confirmation email quickly and received an SMS message on the day (5 days after ordering) that the shoes will be delivered.

My beef though is that they wouldn’t deliver directly to my apartment. I received a call asking me to come down from my apartment to meet the delivery guy outside the apartment complex which was some 5 minute-walk away. On a typical day, I wouldn’t be ranting about it but I was away for work and my kasambahay has a kid and a baby to mind — and unfortunately she had to bring with her to meet the delivery guy. The reason was that they couldn’t just leave the motorbike with other people’s orders. Hmmm…. shouldn’t they have thought about the security of their products before they thought about doing deliveries? Hope they do something about that because it’s a real huge turn off for me.  I mean I engaged their services because I can’t be bothered to come out of my apartment.  So what’s the point of online shopping then, right?

Anyway, so the package came —-

photo IMG_20130618_203006_zps613f9f95.jpg

And I tried ‘em on — which sadly didn’t fit my size.

photo 20130618_171739_zpsfc4c7507.jpg

Lesson learned. When buying from Zalora, you might as well choose the next higher size.  Yes, you can have this exchanged or returned BUT I cringe at the process.  Sigh.  Luckily, this pair fits my kasambahay (who refused at first because she knew the size was too big, but apparently, the ZiLandi brand might have mis-tagged their products).

Also, you have to be familiar with the brands they carry. These absolutely looked terrific in their website (Kudos to the photographer!)but doesn’t look as good IRL. But, I have to admit that I got these because they’re absolutely affordable.

Will I order again?  Maybe if there’s absolutely something I can’t live without. But for now, I think I’d like buy my next pair in a real shoe store just to be sure.

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Instax Mini

Posted on June 17, 2013 by

photo 20130404_193151_zpseec753b9.jpg

For a couple of years now, I’ve been wanting to get an Instax Mini.

I know you must be scratching your head on that  since it’s the digital age and why do I need a Polaroid these days, right?

Low EQ? I think so too.

So this is purely an emotional buy. I was thinking of getting a Lomo instead but getting the photo printed will take some time and energy so I settled for the Instax Mini.

A couple of years back, it wasn’t easy to find this in the Vietnam market. Today, it’s so easy!

I got this from Shop May Anh Instax through their Facebook page. The transaction was all done via SMS. After confirming on what I wanted, they delivered in two days. That quick! But if you search more, lazada.vn sells too and they’re heavily discounted. ;)

photo 20130404_193228_zps22c82d4d.jpg

So there, if you’re like me with a very poor emotional quotient, an Instax Mini may be for you. It’s time to whip out those scrapbooking skills of mine to put these photos to good use!

photo 996788_10151962615872646_1491596951_n_zpsc52f32aa.jpg

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Top 10 Places to Dine In When Living in Saigon

Posted on June 16, 2013 by

Heard this before in this blog? Yup. I wrote about the Top 10 Places to Dine When Visiting in Saigon. What makes this different? Well, this doesn’t talk about Vietnamese Cuisine. Sometimes, when we get visitors, I honestly get tempted to bring them to non-Vietnamese restaurants. Because yes, there are really, really good restaurants here that serve international dishes.

I’m sure if I have had the time to explore District 2, the list will be much, much longer. Alas, I haven’t spent that much time there and yes, I have yet to eat at the place I’ve heard so much good reviews like Mekong Merchant and The Deck, among others.

Also, I’m only writing about restaurants that offer low to mid-range prices. I leave the high end stuff for Herdailydigest. :) Check her 10 Places to Eat Out: Downtown, Saigon.

Oh and by the way, I love Japanese food. That’s really my favorite but I haven’t found the best Japanese Restaurant. So if you have any leads, please let me know! :)

In alphabetical order ;) —

1. Au Parc

This 2-floor cafe-restaurant at 23 Han Thuyen St., D1 serves fantastic Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Cuisine. Not only is the food terrific, the ambiance as well, and all the servers speak English. The group operating Hoa Tuc, is the same group managing Au Parc. Every time I bring someone new here, they’d always love to come back.

The location is also ideal if you’re spending time visiting the landmarks in Saigon. It’s a few meters from The Reunification Palace, The Notre Dame Cathedral, and The Central Post Office.

Read a little about my experience eating here.

2. Gourmet’s Delight

photo 20130423_112738_zps0b2653f5.jpgAs an Asian, I don’t think there’s an escape from dimsum.

So if you’re going to try one, Gourmet’s Delight is it.

This Hongkong Cantonese restaurant serve the best tasting dimsum, noodles, pork rib bbq, and a whole lot more. My favorites are the congee, siomai, and the fried noodles.

Read more about my visit to Gourmet’s Delight here.

3-4. Lac Thai & Mai Thai

Looking for authentic Thai cuisine? Then you’ve got to head on over to Lac Thai or Mai Thai.  These are my favorite Thai restaurants.

I am not fond of the spicy Thai dishes but I’ve fallen in love with the Thai cuisine because of these two restos.

Both never run out of people during the weekday especially at lunch. It’s how good their food are!

The price? Almost the same range but Lac Thai is a bit pricier.

Check out my post on Lac Thai and Mai Thai.

5. Red Tomato

Sky Garden’s best kept secret is Red Tomato I think. Their BBQ Ribs is to die for.  It’s been our tradition to send off our guests with a sumptuous dinner from Red Tomato. My sister insists that we eat here every time she visits.

Other favorites include the Mexican Salad, the German Sausage, the Seafood Fried Rice, Chicken Skewers, and a whole lot more. A definite must try!

6. Salt ‘n Pepper

Craving for some Italian food? You have got to try Salt ‘n Pepper.

There’s also La Cucina near the strip where Salt ‘n Pepper is which serves Italian and seafood but I hope you get to try Salt ‘n Pepper. It’s also best for intimate dinners and dates.

It’s been a while since I visited Salt ‘n Pepper but I’m still raving about their Shrimp Ravioli! Read more about that here.

I hope their food is still as delicious as they first opened!

7. Scoozi

If you want pizza, please do try Scoozi and order the Scoozi. ;) Yup they have lots of different pizza to choose from but you definitely must try the Scoozi.

I have to admit that when I was pregnant, I usually go here to have lunch by myself to eat a whole pizza. I kinda actually miss those days.

If I remember correctly, they still have the buy one take one pizza promo happening every Sunday.

8. Scott & Binh’s

If you’ve been living in Phu My Hung, I doubt if you haven’t heard of Scott & Binh’s and the famous Cheff Scott Marquis.

I’ve been going since January of 2012 and yup I haven’t visited in a while but I know the food and service will always be topnotch.

Got to get back there for the Chili Roasted Pork Tenderloin. And if you’re craving for some mean burgers, you definitely must visit!

9. The Bean Store

For Malaysian/Singaporean/Japanese comfort food, The Bean Store is the perfect place.

Their soy delights and desserts are definitely one of a kind in Saigon.

We have lots of favorites like the Seafood Kway Teow, the Omurice, and Takoyaki. But every now and then, The Bean Store surprises you with a new dish.

My son had his Christening Party here and the people behind The Bean Store are just so easy to work with. Haven’t met a person I’ve brought there who didn’t have a nice thing to say about this terrific shop.

Check out my blog entry about The Bean Store here.

10. The Elbow Room

photo elbowroom_zps9fe59a95.jpgLooking for American food? Then you should go the The Elbow Room. Remember though that food here ain’t fastfood so if you want your food cooked to perfection, you have got to wait a bit. But I tell you, it’s always good. My favorites are the Clam Chowder and the Herb Roasted Chicken. The Philly Cheese Steak is good too!

This is another favorite by friends who visit!

So if you’re thinking of where to eat in Saigon and you want to take a break from all the wrap and roll and banh mi, try any from this list.

Enjoy!

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Happy Father’s Day!

Posted on June 16, 2013 by

photo 20130615_201442_zps1937d66b.jpgFather’s Day is being celebrated worldwide but not really too sure here in Vietnam. Come to think of it, there’s no fireworks when this day comes along — compared to International Women’s Day and International Children’s Day.

For the tireless fathers who strive to give their children and family a good life, Happy, Happy Father’s Day!

I worked on a mini-album for this day printed by Fujifilm in Phu My Hung. This almost didn’t make it. Received word that the first print went down the toilet. Glad that the staff of Fujifilm called and informed me at once and fast-tracked the printing.

If you’re not lining up for Superman to celebrate Father’s Day today, what can you do in Saigon?

Why not dine? Here are My Top 10 Places to Dine In When Visiting Saigon. Or shop!

Have a memorable Sunday everyone as you spend this day with your very own Superman, your Dad!

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Food Review: Boom Boom Burgers

Posted on June 10, 2013 by

photo boom_zps661ef1ad.jpgAs I was reading this month’s edition of Oi Magazine, I saw this ad about Boom Boom Burgers. Am seriously getting tired of my lunch options when I’m at the office so I thought may be I’d try the Boom Boom Burger.

So I sent them an SMS and got a quick response except that the Boom Boom Burger is only  75k and not 95k as it says in the website — and I do not qualify for delivery. Their minimum is 90k VND. So, I went to check Boom Boom Burgers Facebook site instead where the menu is updated. They only do deliveries.

I ordered the Double Boom Boom Burger which arrived 30 minutes after.

photo 20130610_122855_zps365a4479.jpgExceptionally tasty! The double patty doesn’t disappoint. I honestly like this better than Burger Oi which is a bit dry for me.  ;)

Boom Boom Burgers
090 953 23 78

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