Candy Stripes and Rainbow Dreams: December 2009

Ipa-Nima, Hanoi

Tina Sparkle, Hanoi

carries Ipa-Nima bags.

I thought I wouldn't get anything here as the designs,

nice as they were, weren't quite my style...

perhaps a tad too young and embellished for me.

So, I was surprised to find a bag in a design which

I'd been looking for for a long time!

And the colour was lovely too! Such a unique turquoise colour!

I was sold on the design - the fact that I could easily carry it over my shoulder with the shorter handheld handles, and sling it messenger style with the longer strap.

And the metallic accents gave it a slightly rugged look

- perfect for a casual bag.

Shawl from TanMy, Hanoi

I couldn't resist this beautiful shawl from TanMy.

The embroidery is so rich and so well done that the back looks almost as good as the front. I was also tempted by a velvet jacket with a velvet rose as a front fastening. However, the cut somehow just didn't suit me.

Maroon, Hanoi

I couldn't resist this lacquer ware jewelry box with a dragonfly "lock"/pin.

From Maroon on 156 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem.

I also got a couple of lacquer ware photo frames in silver. Wish I could have bought more! I'd have got 3 more frames in black. But they had sold out all their blacks in the size I wanted.

Mosaique Boutique Hanoi

Can you tell I love their cushion covers?

These are actually made up of a plain cushion cover

and a band that is embroidered.

These separates give sheer versatility.

I have the option of keeping them plain greenish-blue.

Or just add on different bands to alter the look

and change the entire ambience.

Lovely!

I got these cushion covers

(excuse the creases - I was in too much of a hurry to take photos to iron them out ... heh heh ...)

I love the embroidery and the colour of the cushions.

This is one of my favorite stores

Mosaique Boutique

- a home decor shop.

I love the designs and the colours and the pieces I purchased were very well crafted.

Visit this branch on Ly Quoc Su.

It's located in a 4 storey villa and each level is furnished beautifully.

The staff here is also very helpful.

Mai Gallery - Vietnam Art

We purchased a painting by

Phan Thu Trang (Ms)

(pronounced Pun Too Chiang)

a young contemporary Vietnamese painter,

who is exclusively promoted by Mai Gallery, Hanoi.

I was first attracted to her paintings that were displayed in the lobby of the Hilton Opera Hotel, Hanoi. I especially loved one of them

but it was just too big and as I currently don't have a permanent home, I was hesistant to buy it in case I didn't have the wall space to display it.

So, I ended choosing this smaller one titled "Summer".

Mai Gallery's manager, Ms Hien, was sweet enough to take it down from display on the second floor of the Hilton Opera Hotel for us to look at before we made our decision.

I love the way the artist paints the trees.

I especially love the red trees.

And somehow, I was drawn to the skinny trees

which some say is her trademark.

I hope I'll one day be able to get a collection by her representing all four seasons.

Red for summer

Yellow for autumn

Blue for winter

Green for spring

Highlands Coffee

- Vietnam's answer to Starbucks

They serve the usual cappucinos, lattes etc

but they also serve the traditional Vietnamese coffees with

or without sweet condensed milk.

Vietnamese Grilled Pork Patties Noodles

Pho Bo - Vietnamese Beef Noodles

Night Scenes of Hoan Kiem Lake

Dinner at the Green Tangerine

Flambed bananas with ice cream

- in my opinion, flambed bananas are one of the best things ever created!

Pho Ca & stir-fried beef slices

Deep fried vietnamese spring rolls

Vietnamese set meal starter

- Pho Bo

Duck confit main

A pomme noisette like starter

The Green Tangerine is located

in a refurbished long and narrow old house.

This shot is taken in its courtyard.

Charming!

Tea at a (very) local patisserie - Kinh Doh

I've always had a thing for french pastries

so we decided to come to this little shop

patronised by locals.

Apparently, the owner's father was trained in France

by the French on the art of baking pastries.

The shop is totally unassuming

- in fact, it looks rather like our kopitiam

from times gone by.

But the lemon tart could beat Paul's anyday!

And the custard puff was lovely too.

It turns out that the owner's father (who sadly passed away last year) had actually met French actress Catherine Deneuve, who starred in Indochine - an academy award winning French film about Vietnam's liberation from French rule.

The movie Indochine is apparently huge in Vietnam

and seems to be a movie that most Vietnamese know and are proud of.