Follow us on TWITTER and WIN a pair of SAIGON HEAT tickets!

Follow us on Twitter @lusinespace (twitter.com/lusinespace) and you could WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS to see Vietnam's first professional basketball team, SAIGON HEAT, play against the Chang Thailand Slammers on Sunday, February 26, at Tan Binh Stadium, HCMC!

SAIGON HEAT! SAIGON HEAT! SAIGON HEAT! SAIGON HEAT! SAIGON HEAT!

Paper Tigers in New York Magazine:. An exploratory into the modern Asian-American psyche

Paper Tigers in New York Magazine- May 8, 2011

What Happens to all the Asian-American overachievers when the test-taking ends?

By Wesley Yang



http://nymag.com/news/features/asian-americans-2011-5/

[caption id="attachment_4489" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="Wesley Yang"][/caption]

“I’ve realized that food is one of the only places in America where we are the top dogs,” he says. “Guys like David Chang or me—we can hang... There’s a younger generation that grew up eating Chinese fast food. They respect our food. They may not respect anything else, but they respect our food.” Rather than strive to make himself acceptable to the world, Huang has chosen to buy his way back in, on his own terms. “What I’ve learned is that America is about money, and if you can make your culture commodifiable, then you’re relevant,” he says. “I don’t believe anybody agrees with what I say or supports what I do because they truly want to love Asian people. They like my fucking pork buns, and I don’t get it twisted.”

- Eddie Huang of NY's Lower East Side's BaoHaus

[caption id="attachment_4488" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="Eddie Huang "][/caption]

An Choi: A NYC Vietnamese Eatery- Beginnings and Bright Future

The L’usine family extends across lands and oceans to New York City with our favorite Lower East Side Vietnamese eatery, An Choi. Vietnamese-American and first-time restaurant owners and brothers, Tuan and Huy Bui opened An Choi with first-time chef, Dennis Ngo. As it enters into its second year, it continues to secure its position as a prime destination for classic Vietnamese cuisine set in an intimate beautiful space inspired by that of an authentic Vietnamese street alley café with small metal stools and construction phone number graffiti lining the warmly lit walls.





On a beautiful Spring afternoon, I sat down with the brothers in their new Williamsburg, Brooklyn studio to reflect on the beginnings of An Choi, where it is now and where they see it going. As I walked past the first room of the studio, I peered in to see Huy and his architecture team, HB Collaborative, covered in wood shavings in their workspace. In the next room, Tuan was feverishly plugging numbers into a worksheet in preparation for an investor meeting. I waited patiently until they had a spare moment and then we began on a journey into the past and beginnings of An Choi.



The economic crash gave impetus to Tuan’s departure from the real estate industry. Huy had recently graduated with a Parsons Masters of Architecture degree. At this pivotal moment in their lives, they were individually seeking opportunities to work on projects aligned with their personal passions. Serendipitously inspired by a visit together to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in the Fall of 2008, the Bui brothers returned to New York excited with plans to concept a restaurant together. Before this trip, there was some talk of developing a fashion boutique. However, Huy said they “were just blown away by the raw energy of the city and found the ubiquitous street alley to be quite fascinating and full of vitality.” Tuan “wanted to bring this unique dining experience to NY” and that is how it all began.

Since its opening in February 2009 with the Vietnamese Tet/New Year, An Choi has received many accolades and mentions and has expanded its business in several ways. Listed alongside Saltie, Vinegar Hill House and Momofuku Milk bar, it was one of the Top Best Restaurants Under $25 by The New York Times in 2009. Tuan and An Choi were featured in a national U.S. Blackberry campaign, “Pursuing the Dream with Blackberry.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1bhPdySwoc

The restaurant has expanded its physical space with custom and unique HB Collaborative designs and they have embraced their original love for fashion by bringing in Derrick Cruz’s Black Sheep and Prodigal Sons shop, Occulter, into part of the expanded space. For the restaurant expansion, HB Collaborative maintained the communal and casual family-style spirit of An Choi with a dining furniture collection that re-purposed architectural elements and reclaimed industrial materials with a series of tables, chairs, and benches derived from vintage doors, antique stair spindles, and other found objects.





Beyond its restaurant doors, An Choi participates in local food community events as part of the Lower East Side’s Hester Street Fair and Momofuku's Lucky Rice Night Market.

To continue with the excitement, An Choi confirms the addition of a fully stocked bar at the restaurant by this Fall and there are talks of expanding in the future into other New York neighborhoods, top U.S. cities and possibly even into global markets with more gourmet, high-end cuisine.

As someone who has loved An Choi since day one, I felt honored to get this intimate update from the brothers and couldn’t maintain the excitement of my continued support for them when Tuan nodded to excellence. Keith McNally was unaware of the future NY restaurant empire that awaited him as his original film director career path was thwarted by a means to an end in restaurants finding himself as an oyster shucker to general manager of One Fifth. Speaking fondly, Tuan expressed admiration for McNally as well as his own commitment to his An Choi clientele, “As Keith McNally's clients, such as Anna Wintour, grew he grew with them and we want to grow together with the community that surrounds us.”

South Vietnam's Former First Lady aka "Dragon Lady" Dies

Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu (aka "Dragon Lady"), former First Lady of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, has died in Rome at the age of 86.



As the wife of the chief advisor/head of the secret police and brother of the single, President Ngo Dinh Diem, Madame Nhu acquired the role of First Lady.

Raised Buddhist and later converting to Catholicism, Nhu became known for generally speaking her mind, harshly speaking out against Buddhist protests, including against her own Buddhist father; therefore, receiving the nickname "Dragon Lady." Time Magazine quoted her as saying, “You are never going to overthrow this government because you don’t have the guts... And if you do overthrow it, you will never have me because I will claw your throat out first.”



Beyond the controversy that surrounded her, Nhu was also known for her extravagant fashionable attire, hairstyle and popularized wearing a more form-fitted and modern version of the traditional áo dài.

After the death of her husband and President Diem and the eventual fall of South Vietnam, Nhu exiled to Italy where she has been residing with her children.

Old meets new in SAIGON ELECTRIC -a Vietnamese hip-hop film

In the past few years, modern dance has taken the world by storm with shows like Dancing With the Stars, High School Musical and Glee. This focus on dance and performance may have sparked rejuvenation from the youth of Vietnam but by no means is this love for dance anything new to this country. Dance is deeply ingrained into its tradition with cultural dances such as ribbon and hat dancing. Additionally, ballroom dancing is celebrated at many wedding receptions. There are even nightclubs that host daytime dance parties for adults for entertainment and fitness. Today’s youth may have some exposure to tango and cha cha but their interest lie mostly in modern dance easily revealed on any given afternoon in Tao Dan Park with different sects of hip-hop crews rehearsing in various corners.



Written and directed by Stephane Gauger with cinematography support from Bao Nguyen, Saigon Electric (aka Saigon Yo!), portrays the story of old meets new connecting a traditional girl with modern life transitions. Mai, a traditional ribbon dancer from a small village finds herself in a new world of city life, hip-hop culture and a new best friend in Kim.



Gauger and Nguyen focused on maintaining authenticity to the culture and viewpoint of the characters:

In my wish of telling universal stories with a global outlook and a distinctly Vietnamese point of view, the seeds of Saigon Electric were planted. As the population of Vietnam grows younger and younger, youth culture is seeping onto the streets of Vietnam. Hip hop and graffiti artists are alive in today’s rapidly modernized culture. As our production team researched the best underground talent in Vietnam, we found much support from the hip hop community. Hundreds of young dancers came to audition for the chance to be captured on film, and I believe we were very fortunate in the ones selected to showcase their world of expression. My wish is to give the teenagers a voice and present to an international audience a fresh new look at the dreams and struggles of Asian youth.

- Stephane Gauger





We wanted to portray Saigon in a very realist way - not the polished,
sanitized version that many people see in other cinematic depictions of the city. Saigon, to me, is gritty, chaotic, the epitome of urban but at the same very dynamic and energetic. Also since this is a hip-hop film, Stephane, the director and the other director of photography, and I wanted the cinematography to compliment the subject of the film.

- Bao Nguyen



The film has premiered in LA and Saigon and will appear in upcoming festivals in San Diego, Chicago and San Francisco.

Happy 41st Earth Day! What is your Earth Day pledge?

Though today is Earth Day and celebrating this day brings awareness to how we should be taking care of Mother Earth, EVERY DAY SHOULD BE EARTH DAY!

In 2009, Patrick James of GOOD proposed an open call for commitments to Earth Day through pledges:

If you ask me, Earth Day is pretty much useless. You don’t get the day off of work. The parties are terrible. And, when the generally inconsequential day draws to a close, very little in the way of lasting impact has taken place-and even less takes place in the days, weeks, and months that follow. All that said, I don’t want Earth Day to be inconsequential. So this year, as I’m only somewhat delusional, I’m making an effort, on a small and personal level, to turn Earth Day into an impetus for lasting change.

James committed to reducing his red meat intake. Readers responded with pledges to use plastic bags less or ride bikes more often. This year GOOD asks for pledges again and reinforces that "The goal of these pledges is twofold: to infuse a stupid holiday with a modicum of meaningful action, and to commit to improving your relationship with the world around you."

I’m going to start an herb garden in my back yard.



What is your Earth Day pledge?

Ari Marcopoulos presents Directory

Dutch photographer and filmmaker, Ari Marcopoulos, presents his most recent project ‘Directory,' a book and show that opened in New York last night at White Columns.

The book is printed to look like a phone book and the show features hundreds of black and white Xerox prints that dress the stark white gallery walls.





Marcopoulos began his career assisting famous pop artist Andy Warhol. Similar to Warhol, he draws inspiration from the community that surrounds him. Though he carves out his own unique visual voice capturing playful every day moments of friends from urban city downtown art, skater and snowboarder scenes.





I have special love for this photo of an old friend who sadly passed a few years back, Harold Hunter, known from Larry Clark’s film 'Kids'.



Marcopoulos captures and maintains Harold’s lighthearted and loving spirit and reminds me of  the beauty of photography taking a single moment and making it last a lifetime. RIP Harold.

Bao Nguyen Sits in Banksy’s Seat at the Oscars [Rehearsal]

Vietnamese-American photographer and filmmaker, Bao Nguyen, attended the recent 2011 Oscars and actually sat in Banksy's assigned seat during the rehearsals! Bao may have been the only person who sat in that seat, as the elusive artist was, not surprisingly, a no-show. During his real time Facebook updates from the show, Bao shares the irony of the seat location’s proximity to the exit referencing Bansky’s Oscar-nominated film, “Exit Through the Gift Shop.”



Bao was at the Oscars filming a documentary about PS22 Chorus, the student choir from Staten Island, NY that became a YouTube sensation and performed during this year’s Oscars’ closing ceremonies. They have performed for Beyonce and Lady Gaga and Oprah’s such a fan that she had them perform with Katy Perry at her After-Oscars Party.

Recently, Bao shot this beautiful film in Hanoi, Vietnam about o-mai candy for Etsy’s original video series. The close-ups and tight shots capture the sentimental mood of a long-time family tradition at risk of losing its way to a quickly changing world focused on modern development. This intimate glimpse into this multi-generational family sweet shop will make your heart melt and leave your mouth watering for these ginger apricot candies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj0uVw7eW6E

Keep an eye on this talent! Bao Nguyen might very well find himself sitting in another Oscar-nominated seat NOT assigned to Banksy!

United Bamboo Fall 2011 RTW and After Party at New York Fashion Week

Miho Aoki and Thuy Pham are the brilliant minds behind one of L’usine’s favorite brands, United Bamboo. They haven’t added the fashionable cats from their annual calendar into their runway show just yet but here’s a preview of the Fall 2011 Ready-To-Wear collection from the recent New York Fashion Week.

Thuy shared some positive responses from the show, "We showed a collection with lots of coats. Big hits were some of the shearling coats and the shoes. Everyone was telling me it looked very 'United Bamboo' which is good I think. It means they wanna wear the stuff."

Noah Lennox aka Panda Bear of Animal Collective, Sean Lennon, James Iha and MGMT's Andrew VanWyngarden were spotted at the show. This season, Pete Kember formerly of Spacemen 3 produced the music.

One can only hope that the cats will make their live runway debut one day. Until then, monthly inspirational outfits can be referenced in the 2011 calendar available for order in the US.

Now what would a show be without its after party? Every season, United Bamboo collaborates with Justine D. to throw one of the must-get-to parties of fashion week. This season, Dossier Journal also presented the after party at the Jane Hotel. Karen O and Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem (probably taking a welcomed break from “the last ever LCD show sold-out in minutes and crashing servers because of lame scalpers” debacle) provided the tunes that had everyone rocking including LCD’s James Murphy (who wrote an amazing response letter to the last show drama), David Chang of Momofuku, Kirsten Dunst and all these pretty people.

Dan Pak | W Hotel Seoul Walkerhill

Our friends at Fantastic Matter spent most of November in Korea shooting a short film for  W Hotel Seoul-Walkerhill.  Now, who wants to go to Seoul??



When In Seoul

Directed by Dan Pak

Original score by Cool Calm Pete

Fantastic Matter Ltd / GDW Productions

©2010