AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 COCKTAILS AND SKETCHES – NUMBER 30 – DONG KHOI STREET, HCMC, VIETNAM.

Home to many French colonial buildings, Dong Khoi street has witnessed many changes in Ho Chi Minh City. During the French occupation, the street was the centre of glamour and was called Rue Catinat. Originally, the street was a royal road leading from the river wharf to the main Southern gate of the 1790 Gia […]
Around the World in 80 Cocktails & Sketches – Hai Ba Trung

BY Richie Fawcett PEOPLE In Vietnam, women have always been in the forefront in resisting foreign domination. Two of the most famous heroines are the Trung sisters, who led the first national uprising against the harsh rule of a Chinese governor called To Dinh. Some feel that if the sisters had not resisted the Chinese […]
The Studio Saigon – A brave New World after entering the doors of perception – The future and what to expect – Part 3

Far from the post-apocalyptic, dystopian wasteland of our worst fears, the reality of the future post pandemic World, will, undoubtedly be introducing new ways to live, but it’s not all doom and gloom. Without getting sucked into the endless warrens of the conspiracy theory rabbit hole, as to why we are in […]
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 COCKTAILS AND SKETCHES – NUMBER 28 – HAI BA TRUNG – TRUNG TRAC, HCMC, VIETNAM.

By Richie Fawcett PEOPLE In Vietnam, women have always been in the forefront in resisting foreign domination. Two of the most famous heroines are the Trung sisters, who letd the first national uprising against the harsh rule of a Chinese governor called To Dinh. Some feel that if the sisters had not resisted the Chinese […]
THE STUDIO STORY SO FAR – PART 2 OF 3 – WEATHERING THE STORM

By Richie Fawcett The Studio Saigon has recently celebrated its 4th year Anniversary. This year however was very unlike other years, as the date coincided with the full lockdown of Ho Chi Minh City. As such there was no party as in previous years, instead we were locked down in the building with a Covid […]
The Studio Story so far – How we got here, what we do, and where we are going… PART 1 of 3 – The Early days

By Richie Fawcett It all started, as most stories do, as an idea on the back of a scrap piece of paper, I don’t smoke ( only when I’m on fire ), so there is no cigarette packet to put in a museum one day…however…there IS… a LOT… of ART. Find a comfortable spot, mix […]
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 COCKTAILS AND SKETCHES – NUMBER 27 – NGUYEN TRAI, HCMC, VIETNAM.

PERSON 1380 -1442 Nguyen Trai originally was from Hai Duong Province. He was born in 1380 in thanh long ( present day Hanoi). Under the briefHo Dynasty, he passed his examinations and served his time in the government. In 1417, Nguyen Trai joined a rebel leader named le Loi, who […]
Around The World in 80 Cocktails and Sketches – Ly Tu Trong

By Richie Fawcett PERSON 1914 – 1931 Ly Tu Trong was a Vietnamese revolutionary executed by the French when he was only 17 years old. He is considered to be a revolutionary martyr. His remains were identified in District 10. Ho Chi Minh City in 2010 and he was reburied in his parents home town […]
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 COCKTAILS AND SKETCHES – NUMBER 25 – MAC THI BUOI, HCMC, VIETNAM.

PERSON 1927 – 1951 Mac Thi Buoi was one of the people the government of the democratic republic of vietnam posthumously awarded the titleHeroine of. The Peoples Armed Forces Vietnam.In 1950’s, she played a key role in the Thanh Dung station attack. In this battle mac Thi Buoi made reconnaissance missions to check the position […]
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 COCKTAILS AND SKETCHES – NUMBER 24 – THI SACH, HCMC, VIETNAM.

PERSON lived and died in early 1st century AD Thi Sach was introduced to Trung Trac, one of the Hai Ba Trung sisters when a neighbouring prefect came to visit Me Linh, the father of Trung Trac. He brought with him his son, Thi Sach. The young Thi Sach met and fell in love with […]