Thai cuisine ftw: Tuk Tuk bistro

Ep.4 

Enough with places to drink, this is the diner I've been obsessed with. Thai cuisine is one of my favourite cuisines therefore I'd always try to investigate new Thai restaurants and I've found one that blew my mind, without further ado the place is called Tuk Tuk bistro.

Tuk tuk has many franchises but the place I like to visit the most is the one just downtown Saigon. Unlike others Thai restaurants this place contains a relaxing vintage vibe, from the exterior to the interior, if you are seeking for a place to chill and eat with your mates this is the place for you. As the location is so convienient you don't have to worry about where to go next and hopefully it'd save you some taxi money.

Not only the amazing design but also the food itself and the service here are fantastic. The food is delicious, a little pricy, and the red milk tea is guaranteed best in town. The staff here are very open , polite and speak perfect English. I enjoy going here in the afternoon with a couple of friends and just feast on my meal meanwhile catching up about life. If you love Thai cruisine just like me, then you definitely check this place out! 

Address: 38 Lý Tự Trọng street, district 1

Quick update

  Once again I failed my mission to deliver you guys with the new places but life changed quite a bit for me and I haven't recently been to any new places but luckily I did visit some before I took the ride on the roller coaster of life and I will soon update about those places for you guys but for now this is the best I can offer. After this post I will be gone for another month or so before I can balance out my schedule, right now it's just me, my books and past papers since I'm doing my IGCSEs. I know many of you are suffering the same issue as me, exams, and I just want to tell you guys that you must believe in yourself before you can actually accomplished it. Don't look back after you finish the exam and just continue to move forward because even if you feel like you really screwed up the paper but you can't go back in time and change it anyway so just focus on what's coming up and try your best to achieve top mark, as long as you know you tried then you have nothing to worry about. 

Revise tons and take good care of yourself, don't stay up too late as it can affect your memory and it will drain your energy which might lead to lack of concentration. Remember to eat and take often rests to help your brain to relax, this will allow your brain to absorb more. Listen to calming music, turn it down to small volume so you can concentrate on your work, music genre such as instrumental can really boost your memory. 

I don't personally listen to instrumental but I listen to chill remixes when I study and I love 'Majestic Casual' for this, search the account on youtube or 'The Sound You Need'! I'm currently in love with these songs:
"Open Up" by Gallant
"All I Need" by Astronomyy ft. Denai Moore
"Cavalier" by James Vincent McMorroe but MOORS remix
"Another love" by Zweete Edit originally by Tom Odell

I will, hopefully soon, make a revision playlist including all the songs I'm current putting on repeat. Well have a good night and good luck to you guys with finals and exams! Defeat the exams and don't let they taunt you. Top tip: Don't Procrastinate! 

Love you all x

Here's just a kawaii picture for you all.

かわいいドーナツ、おやすみなさい

Somewhere to get away: Mocking bird café

Ep 3.

Whenever I feel down or I need to escape the reality this is the place I check-in to. Not so overwhelming yet very rustic this is the perfect place to settle down. As it's on the top floor of an apartment building there aren't many disturbances which allows you to find your inner peace. I don't recommend this on a weekend as it tempts to get a bit more crowded. This location is one of the first places that I visited when I just started my journey into the alternative Saigon, back then it was very underrated and unknown but now as more people have found out about this place it's not exactly the same as how it was anymore. Despite the fact that it's not as quiet it's still worth the shot and it's a must go place.

This place holds can contains many of my memories and that's why I cherish it so much. All the decorations here are very simple yet very beautiful, sitting here on a rainy day is the best thing ever. Even though they don't have a large variety of foods but the drinks here are very delicious and worth trying.

If you ever have the chance to visit this place, please do and take tons of photos. I do consider this place one of the many places I love so much. 

Mocking bird cafe: 4th Floor of Tôn Thất Đạm Apartment, 14 Tôn Thất Đạm, District 1

  

Not a typical salon: Hair Bar

Ep.2

Talking about hair salon most of the people will think of boring ordinary salons but hair bar is not just an ordinary location but it's hair salon taken to the next level. The place itself is already out of the world, with all the original decorations and embellishments. Sophisticate clashes with chic.

Lamps made out of hair styling tools



It's not only about how the salon looks like but the service there is also incredible. The employees there are all so kind and thoughtful, first thing they would give you is a cup of homemade iced tea. Talking about the iced tea, it's a recipe of perfection. It was very difficult for me to resist the temptation of asking for more. 

The price itself is not ridiculous, it's not cheap neither, but the outcome really worth the cost. The price varies but yet suitable for a wide market segment. Not only hair service, they also provide a range of other beauty packages, such as manicure. Every Friday night the customers, usually, will be given a free Mojito, which I think personally is a very effective promotion strategy.  

At this place,instead of feeling like I'm going to a boring hair salon, it makes me feel like I'm at somewhere fun. Not the suffocated smell of ammonia and toxic chemicals but the gentle smell of aroma. Don't worry if you can't speak Vietnamese because the staff here all know how to speak English fluently. It's also about the quality of this place that makes me adore it so much as your hair will look spectacular for a long period of time. If you are planning to go to the salon in Saigon then you should totally check this place out!

Hair bar:  68 Ngô Đức Kế, District 1,Ward Bến Nghé.

Hope you guys enjoyed this little post, remember to spoil, treat yourself once in a while! 

Lots of love, from me x

Saigon's time machine: Heritage café

Ep.1

Alrighty then recently, out of pure curiousity, I was lucky and discovered this gorgeous café. If you haven't been here you obviously haven't been to an actual vintage café, this place is so old school that they use tape recorder for music. Strange to hear but the place has the ability to take you back in time, back to the old saigon. 

That bulldog though

Outside of the petite café you'll be able to see the antique Vespas, and as you look into the enchanting place it will be a challenge to resist the temptation. The café doesn't have big posh tables and chairs but these miniature sets of stools and tables, which gives that very homely feeling. Not only the fact that it's a remarkable place but the drink is also unbelievable.  One of their signature drinks is called the "Egg coffee" which is pretty self-explanatory, it's a mix of egg and coffee. Might sound gross but as a combination, it's quite wicked.

As narrow as it's, at the far end of the place there's this glamorous wall with tons of vinyl disc as decorators. It's so amazing how typical everyday things can be such stunning art. Of course there are type writers, most basic antique device for a retro, vintage café. What even cooler than all the things above is the main wall with all the bad-ass bicycles. The bicycles add that very eco-friendly feel and also that "organic" vibe. 

Besides the café part of the place, on the attic is another floor where it's a fashion store with very unique clothing that will make great damage to your wallet. Although the place has many different decorations but it doesn't overwhelm you, in fact they all blend in so well that makes the place so special. If you ever go downtown and have the chance to check out this awesome café then it's located in district 1 on Pasteur street, 10 Pasteur to be precise. Like no where else this back is a time machine.

Heritage café: 10 Pasteur, District 1.

Happy Valentine's

To: You guys

Well I apologise for the lack of blogging but my mood lately is not the best and I thought I could use some time off. Life as a teenager is just so rough haha! So tommorow is Valentine and I made this 8tracks playlist for you all! It's not a lot but I hope it will make you smile or dance but happy in general. To me Valentine is not the only day you should express your thoughts and love to your love ones, by love ones I'm not saying only your other half but other important people in your life as well.

Even if you are single, don't feel lonely because there are always people who love you and care for you, smile and go give yourself some free time, spoil yourself! For people who are in love, seize the moments and treasure it. Don't look back and keep on moving forward because you do not know what is in front, if it's an obstacle then overcome it and don't give up. I know I'm no one to tell you around so at the end of the day it's still your choice and decision. I respect you all so stay strong and keep that chin up.

Happy Valentine's Day

Playlist: Single or Taken?

Love,
From: Me x

Alternative Saigon.

 Saigon is very well known for being a small yet busy city, but only some people actually know that there is inner peace within the chaotic surroundings.

Saigon, quite alluring this place, once you are into it, it's difficult to get out. It attracts you not by its apperance but by its "personality". Personality is the trait, how a person is like inside, and the same concept goes for a city, the personality is the interior of the city. It determines how beautiful something is, permanantly. Beauty only last and can be remembered for a certain about of time but the personality is what will be remembered, forever. Back to the main point, the other side of Saigon, or as I call it, alternative Saigon.

Behind that noisy and hectic walls is an isolated and undisturbed world. What is this amazing world that I'm talking about, this world is made out of underrated elements of the main city. It's the city of cafés and independent restaurants, I call them havens. Each opens and leads us to a different dimension through divergent atmospheres. In one place you might feel like you are back to the 50s and in another you might feel like you are in another country, amazing huh? Most of them will have a rustic feel which makes them like havens,  at small cafés you can just get away, from the externals and forget about it for a while. It's where you can enjoy that delicious drink and just clear your mind from whatever is going on. 

Find these places can be tricky sometimes, it takes time and a bit of road knowledge to find them. Most of them are either in a creepy, dangerous looking apartment or in a shady alley. Luckily I'm fine with investigating the locations and talking about investigating, I'm presenting you a somewhat "series". This is a series about independent cafés and restaurants in Saigon. After going to each of the places in town I will take photos and blog about them. I hope this series will turn out like plan and it will be the ticket for you guys to go into the alternative Saigon, that I'm also inlove with. me. 

Some of the locations are also placed in my cafés page and I'm sure that this will be updated frequently. 

Saigon, personally is my inspiration and everyday when I wake up I feel inspired. I want to brag to the world that Saigon is  also a beautiful and magical place, not bad at all comparing to other breathe taking sites. Every place has its own beauty and so does Saigon.