Saigoneer Audio Archive

After a much longer break than we expected, we are back with a new, remotely recorded episode discussing a topic that is impossible to escape: Vietnam's severe COVID-19 outbreak, which has the country in by far its worst position of the entire pandemic. How did we get here, and what impact are lockdowns having on daily life? (1:20)

Then, amid the doom and gloom, many people are coming together to help those in need - we each share some uplifting stories that have given us a break from the terrible headlines (23:49).

As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (41:16).

We begin this week (1:12) by sharing our thoughts on the types of products Vietnamese companies should take to foreign markets. Domestic brands have struggled to make an impact overseas, with VinSmart being the latest casualty, but what uniquely Vietnamese goods could have an impact abroad?

Then (17:04), we pitch ideas for new Vietnamese TV shows, from an adaptation of 'Kitchen Nightmares' and 'Wet Market Sweep' to our very own 'Real Housewives of the Hẻm.'

As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (29:30).

This week, we are joined by the new editor of Urbanist Hanoi (1:23) to chat about sports and outdoor activities available in the capital, as well as down here in Saigon. From rock climbing and roller derby to stand-up paddle boarding, there's a lot to do if you know where to look.

Then (15:50), we look at the latest trends in sustainability in both cities, from the spread of non-plastic straws to an app that allows you to see where informal recycling workers are.

As always, we close with Bánh Mì Banter (30:20).

Eric Nguyen, editor-in-chief of DiaCritics and author of the new novel 'Things We Lost to the Water,' joins us today.

'Things We Lost to the Water' tells the story of a family who escapes Vietnam after the war and ends up settling in New Orleans, spanning a time period from the late 1970s to the destruction of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.

We discussed why he set the story in New Orleans, why the theme of water is so important to the book, what he wants readers to take away from it, his work at DiaCritics, and much more.

Learn more about Eric's debut novel: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/652032/things-we-lost-to-the-water-by-eric-nguyen/

And check out DiaCritics: https://dvan.org/diacritics/

In recent years, coffee producers in Vietnam have switched from focusing almost entirely on mass-market, low-quality products to more specialized beans aimed at discerning consumers. What does this mean for both coffee producers and coffee drinkers? (1:04)

Then (20:36), we share some of our favorite recent street food finds, including pork belly in District 11 and affordable, authentic Thai near the canal.

As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (31:25).

This week we're joined by Chau Nguyen (0:54), the founder of Urbanist Travel, to discuss how she shifted from a focus on international tourists to the domestic market amid pandemic flight restrictions, what the tourism industry should do to prepare for the eventual return of foreign visitors, and more.

As always, we close with Bánh Mì Banter (27:08).

This week, we return to one of our favorite topics: Vietnamese modernist architecture.

Phạm Phú Vinh, an architecture student and expert on this style, joined us (1:16) to talk about the prevalence of mid-century modernist buildings in southern Vietnam, why this home-grown style is so overlooked by the public, what he thinks about Saigon's current architectural trends, and more.

We also chatted about Vinh's new book, 'Poetic Significance, Sài Gòn Mid-Century Modernist Architecture,' which is available on Amazon, Book Depository, and other e-commerce sites.

As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (41:00).

Link to Vinh's book: https://www.amazon.com/Poetic-Significance-Mid-Century-Modernist-Architecture/dp/108794337X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Poetic+Significance%2C+S%C3%A0i+G%C3%B2n+Mid-Century+Modernist+Architecture&qid=1617540326&sr=8-1

On this week's show, Levi Doan, known as Levi Oi, joins us (1:00) to talk about her move from Berlin to Saigon, how she became a sought-after DJ in Vietnam, and the opportunities present in the country's creative community.

Check out her SoundCloud page here: https://soundcloud.com/levioi

We also talked with Levi about the new campaign by Saigon officials to crack down on noise pollution (22:44), especially outdoor karaoke and bars that blast music onto the sidewalk.

As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (35:49).

On this week's show, we begin (1:12) by discussing Vietnam's COVID-19 vaccination campaign, which began last week with an initial focus on medical workers. What do we think of the vaccine priority list, which places solders above the elderly, and how might vaccinations impact the country this year?

Then (16:10), we debate some of Vietnam's most controversial dishes, from hột vịt lộn and field rats to dog meat.

As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (28:48).

Link to Khoi's Vietnamese indie Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6TJNIj5ugIsxnqfed4wjtx?si=vCYg54wHQvGBSQIKHZMpHQ&nd=1

We're back from a longer-than-anticipated break with our 100th episode! To celebrate, we did a roundtable chat (1:49) on questions such as:

"If you could add one tradition to Tet, what would it be?"

"Which is better, Hanoi phở or Saigon phở?"

"What is the best convenience store chain?"

And much more. As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (30:15).