THE WHAT’S ON GUIDE TO PHNOM PENH December 2007 www.asialifecambodia.com 2 Asialife Phnom Penh | #12 December 2007 #12 December 2007 | Asialife Phnom Penh 3 contents 28 Tim Page Fresco 2 54 contents AsiaLIFE We visit the new Fresco outlet in An interview with one of the most NGO land DECEMBER 2007 well regarded photo journalists in South East Asia 55 Quiz nights 13 Danny Whitehead 30 Saigon Exercise the brain matter at Has written a new version of Ham- Phnom Penh’s various quiz nights let for this year’s Christmas panto - you may even win a prize Photo of Tith Veasna taken by We visit the cultural hotspots, Virginie Noel. Cover designed by restaurants, nightlife and shops of 59 Paul Stewart Keith Kelly. 14 Streetsmart Vietnam’s biggest city Editor in Chief: Mark Jackson [email protected] 37 Fabrizio Sartor Tel: 012 182 8237 Editor: Liz Ledden [email protected] Associate Editor: Charis Shafer [email protected] We soak up the local flavour of Art Director: Keith Kelly Street 63, and explore its more [email protected] expat oriented southern end His new CD-ROM takes We meet the man behind Phnom you on a virtual tour Sales Manager: Qudy Xu of Angkor [email protected] 17 Cambodia’s art scene Penh’s popular Italian eatery Luna d’autunno Director of Sales & Marketing: Jonny Edbrooke [email protected] 38 Al fresco dining Production: Say Vichny Deck the halls Photographers: Nathan Horton, Virginie 65 Noel & Kate Burbidge Where to buy the best Accounts: Say Vichny Christmas baubles, Are Cambodia’s artists ready to cards and more for the Distribution: Seang Seyha stand on their own two feet? festive season Special thanks to: Coral Glennie, Mike Some of the city’s best options for Gracey, Julian Grant, Gwang Ching Seven year itch Lee, Naomi Robinson, Lotta Väänänen, 26 outdoor dining, from poolside to Afonso Vieira and Laura Watson – for their terrace to rooftop 72 On the waterfront contribution to this issue. For advertising and marketing enquiries 47 Cantina please call Qudy on 012 960 076. If you want a copy of AsiaLIFE Phnom Penh delivered to your doorstep email: [email protected] We chat with Java’s Dana AsiaLIFE Phnom Penh is printed in Langlois about her seven years Cambodia by Digital Advertising. supporting the local art scene Tequilas and tortillas - Hurley Is Kampot about to experience a explains the secret behind the tourism take-off? THE WHAT’S ON GUIDE TO PHNOM PENH REGULARS riverside’s most popular local The Wire 06 . Resort Review 33 . Motorbike Diaries 34 . Getaway Guide 35 . Restaurant AsiaLife is a registered trademark. No Guide 40 . City Map 42 . Bargain Bucket 44 . Bars 48 . Spot the Bar 50 . Scrapbook 52 . content may be reproduced in any form Coffee Filter 54 . Leisure & Wellness Guide 56 . Laura Watson 58 . Arts Diary 60 . Book without prior authorisation of the owners. © Inside Out Investments Ltd. (BVI) Worm 62 . Culture 63 . Top of the Bops 64 . Billboard 64 . Shopping Guide 66 . Information 70 . Regional Guide 74 . Unplugged 79 . Photo Essay 80 . Pub Quiz 82 . Sudoku 82 . Editorial IT SEEMS THAT NOVEMBER marked the birthday for many bars and restaurants around town. Dec. 16 is the first an- niversary of AsiaLIFE Phnom Penh. It’s now one year ago that we launched our maga- zine at Pontoon Lounge. At the time friends and acquaintances doubted whether there was enough going on in this fair city of ours to maintain a monthly lifestyle magazine. Hope- fully a year down the line, Saigon, for those of you and with the emergence of who want a change of scene the Globe magazine as well, for Christmas. we’ve managed to answer a Tim Page has produced few doubters. some of the finest photo- I believe this month’s journalism in the region. We PLAYING LIVE AT THE issue is our most interest- include an interview, first FCC Angkor – 7th December @ 9PM ing yet. We cover one of the printed in AsiaLIFE HCMC, more dynamic and visible with the veteran English FCC Phnom Penh – 8th December @ 9PM aspects of life in this city – photographer on his recent the arts scene. trip to Saigon. Over the last few years, The last year has been a Cambodian art has started to roller-coaster full of chal- really lift off. In our cover sto- lenges and rewards. I’d just ry, Charis Shafer investigates like to take this opportunity whether Cambodian artists to thank my wonderful team are now ready to stand on – Keith, Qudy, Liz, Charis, Ny, their own two feet, or are still Seyhag, Nathan and Virginie reliant on traditional western – as well as all the freelanc- intermediaries and facilita- ers and those who have tors. Charis also provides an come and gone, for their A-to-Z of the Phnom Penh great support over the year. art world, providing snippets Second, I would like to thank of information on the artists all our advertisers who have here and the venues in which prevented the bailiffs from their works are displayed. knocking on my door. The third element of Also last month, my col- Charis’ work is a retrospec- league in Saigon Nick Ross tive on Dana Langlois’ Java decided to call it a day with Café and Gallery. Over the AsiaLIFE. It was Nick who last seven years Dana has came up with the concept probably contributed more for the original Saigon Inside than any other expat towards Out magazine that spawned lifting the international profile AsiaLIFE HCMC and AsiaLIFE of Cambodian artists as well Phnom Penh. I just want to as kick-starting the career of thank Nick for his boundless many young artists. energy and mentoring. Away from art, not sur- As always I hope you prisingly, we feature some enjoy reading this issue and drinking and dining options look forward to receiving for the festive season. Liz your feedback. Looking Ledden also provides some back at our initial magazine advice on where to buy from December 2006, I Christmas baubles. Liz also think the advances we have talks with Fabrizio Sar- made since then are clear PLAYING LIVE AT THE tor about his popular Luna for all to see. My promise FCC Angkor – 10th & 11th December @ 9PM d’autunno Restaurant. to you, our readers, is that Outside of Phnom Penh, we will continue to make FCC Phnom Penh – 14th & 15th December @ 9PM we take a look at the chang- the same advances over the ing face of Kampot, as well following year. as providing you with the Send comments to: low-down on neighbouring [email protected] #08 August 2007 | Asialife Phnom Penh 5 The Month That Was 6 Openings 12 The Wire News & Events 10 this was the wire seafood,the cognac, month smiles, photos, thatbirthdays, and was more... including Linda Saphan, Qudy a Hennessy cognac evening, Xu and Fleur Childs. One of where the young and beautiful, Linda’s pieces raised US$1,000 unashamedly dressed to im- – the same amount as the cost of press crowd enjoyed live music four operations. alternated with DJ sets. Some For more information visit: www. excellent rhythmic drumming operationsmile.com was a highlight of the evening. Special ‘Hennessy Artistry’ Seafood buffet openS at cocktails all featuring the pre- RAFFLES HOTEL LE ROyAL mium beverage were enjoyed Nov. 2 was the opening night along with delicious canapés, in of Raffles Hotel Le Royal’s new what is surely one of the city’s weekly seafood buffet. By 8pm most glamorous locales. the hotel’s Café Monivong had Topaz, 182 Norodom Blvd., filled up with patrons eager to Tel: 012 333 276 try the seafood on offer, ranging from house smoked salmon, to AnGkOR PHOTO FESTivAL sashimi, to seafood soups and Southeast Asia’s premier pho- hot and cold seafood mains. tography festival hit the streets A stir-fry station offered fresh of Cambodia’s major tourist Joseph Mussomeli mussels, giant prawns and town from Nov. 17 to Nov. 28. At the Operation Smile auction more, and an array of delectable Photographers from Europe, OPERATiOn SmiLE inclusion in the groundbreak- desserts rounded things off the U.S., China, India, Thailand, Cambodia was one of 25 ing mission, Operation Smile nicely. Themed decorations Singapore, South Korea, Japan, countries that were part of Cambodia’s programme director, in the form of a cylindrical Indonesia and Bangladesh had Operation Smile’s ‘World Dr Mok Theavy, said, “it is my aquarium and an ice-carving of works shown at the event. There Journey of Smiles’ mission from dream that one day all babies a fish (with four kinds of caviar were also free workshops for Nov. 8 to Nov. 16. Designed to born with a cleft lip or cleft palate decadently served from its top) emerging Asian photographers commemorate the organisation’s in Cambodia get free treatment.” completed the scene. The buffet with renowned photographers 25-year anniversary, during Also announced were plans to runs from 7pm every Friday Philip Jones Griffiths, Roland the mission Operation Smile collect and study the DNA of all night in Café Monivong, and is Neveu, Benoit Gysembergh, operated on an estimated 5,000 children operated on so scientists US$24+ per person. Patrick de Noirmont, Antoine children across the world, could undertake a study on what Café Monivong, Raffles Hotel Le d’Agata and Suthep Kritsana- born with a cleft lip or cleft causes the defects. Royal, Street 92, Tel: 023 981 888 varin. Proceeds from the event go palate – a congenital defect that A fundraising event was towards the Anjali Centre set up is easily treatable yet sadly is held on Nov.