7/31/2019 Press Club Hanoi's Italian Cuisine Week

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Chuyn du lCh, m thChAnOI EdItIOnAugust 2012

7/31/2019 Press Club Hanoi's Italian Cuisine Week

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14 | WdAugust 2012 August 2012

briefy got to spend time with a Labourpolitician and his wie who were visitinga volunteer programme I worked with inArica.

Each day we ate the local produce or oneo us volunteers cooked, including a abulouscurry by an Indian volunteer. At the end otheir stay they let us a huge bag o biscuits.

We were told to bring them, theyexplained. They said there wouldnt be anyood.

Pre-departure briengs rarely refect reality.This week in Vietnam there was some

online amusement courtesy o the fedglingblog o a couple o young diplomats headedto Hanoi.

They wrote: In our preparation to moveacross the world, we have compiled a list oall o the things we need beore we move,the list is almost 200 items! Since Hanoi isconsidered hardship, we are preparingourselves to purchase a lot o toilet paper, etc.etc. etc.

They go on to share how huge their newapartment will be something that thetaxpayers back home might begrudge acouple o entry-level embassy workers.

o h Bad lBut whats interesting is the hardship angle.Yes Hanoi can be challenging, but a hardship?Clearly they had been told it was.

Hardship tends to mean more moneyand so I guess its not in the interests odiplomats to actually point out that thismight be a little outdated. It correspondswith thoughts Id been having about arange o other organisations located herein Vietnam.

Because whether you're working or ahuman rights organisation, the media or anNGO, bad news is good news. As regardsthe media, I dont recall a single positivenews story out o Vietnam in a long longtime and or all its problems that seemsincredible or a country that has undergonesuch a reversal in ortunes. For the rest,

bad news is key in terms o continuing toattract grants and promoting undraising.

And so our young diplomats will arrive inVietnam with a crate ull o toilet paper andwestern oodstus, waiting or a hellhole. Intheir palatial pad theyll realise that theyvegot it made. Theyll eat out most nights andgenerally enjoy a liestyle that they couldnt

have begun to imagine back home.In short theyll have a blast and when their

posting is up theyll play the game and passon the same advice to their replacements: Itstough. Bring toilet paper.

Sf-PpaVietnam has a myriad o growing pains you dont need me to list them here.However, so many o them are borne out osuccess that surely the success itsel warrantsa mention, or context i nothing else.

There remain those that have a lotinvested in ailure. There are those whosestandard o living relies on it. A numbero organisations have packed up and letVietnam seeing the country as job done oreven too dicult to deal with, but thereare others who will continue to highlightailure as a reason to stay.

I Vietnams ailings are to be remediedthen its time to be objective about them.I organisations are telling people that youcant buy toilet paper in Hanoi, then youstart to wonder what else they might besaying and in whose interests they might besaying it.

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intelligent riceIts hot as hell outside, so be smart and escape theintense heat and summer storms inside the air-conditioned comorts o Highway4 restaurants.All August the Hanoi avourite is oering aspecial lunch menu at VND299,000 or 4 people orVND199,000 or 2. The tasty sets include our main

dishes with steamed rice, sour broth, unlimited icetea and Son Tinh ice cream or dessert. AvailableMonday to Friday rom 11am to 2pm in allHighway4 restaurants.

For more inormation on Highway4 promotionsincluding a magic show and the chance to eat yourway to a deal with NShape Fitness Centres, see www.highway4.com. See our listings section or the addresses o

Highway4 in Hanoi

WHen in roMeWhen in Rome do what you doeverywhere else? Italian ood, amed theworld over or pizza and salad, or is thatAmerica? Anyway, rom Aug. 20 to 26,get reacquainted with the wonders osaltimbocca alla Romana, the addictive heat

opasta Arrabiata,and the silky texture oresh vegetable ravioli with the Press Clubsweek-long Roman Holiday menu. With eachItalian main course ordered, diners can enjoya ree glass o Santa Cristina, straight romthe historic town o Cortana in Tuscany.

Press Club is at 12 Ly Dao Thang, TrangTien, Hoan Kiem. Check their website or ulldetails: www.hanoi-pressclub.com

roDion AnD Metro toKyo DeScenD onHAnoiItalian disco is the sound o the summer in Hanoias CAMA lure Italys avourite producer,Rodion, to Vietnams capital. Since therelease o his EP For Ever in 2010, eaturing

Jeppe Kjellberg rom WhoMadeWho,Rodion has been in demand all overEurope. Described byMixmag as thenew genius o Italian Dance music and

much loved by the likes o Lindstromand DFA Records, the boy wondermixes the euphoria o Balearic housewith the atmosphere o Morriconessoundtrack compositions to hip swingingeect. Las Vegas-style slow disco ballads,

beautiul Italian melodies, house anduturistic crooner pop are all part o the un.

Rodion will be fying in or a one-o summerparty on Aug. 25 with support rom BerlinsMetro Tokyo. Check out www.cama-atk.com or www.camavietnam.com or inormation on tickets and venue