What is Up with Musicians Looking at Sheet Music?!!
When I was a teenager, I wanted to become a musician. I didn’t practice enough to get good at anything, but in the process, I saw tons of musicians perform,…
Tielman Brothers and Van Halen Brothers
The great rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen, the lead guitarist of the band “Van Halen,” passed away yesterday. I can distinctly remember the first time I heard his guitar playing.It…
Movie Theaters in 1951 French Indochina
I came across a document that contains a list of movie theaters in French Indochina in 1951. The distribution of theaters is predicatable: 14 in Hà Nội, 12 in Sài…
Equal Rights to Makeup in 1930s Vietnam
I came across this nice image in an early issue of the journal Phong Hóa. A wife is surprised to see her husbands powdering his face, and he responds that…
When an Apsara Ruled the Universe
The apsaras, or celestial female spirits, of Hindu-Buddhist mythology are figures of grace and elegance. They are renowned for their beauty. . . but did any of those apsaras ever…
Lý Công Uẩn in Film and TV
There were several films and TV series made recently about Lý Công Uẩn. They were meant to coincide with the 1,000-year anniversary of Thăng Long/Hà Nội, but some were not…
The 1948 Burmese Olympic Team
The Nation reported on 12 August 1948 that members of the Burmese Olympic team were entertained at Buckingham Palace by none other than Their Majesties the King and Queen themselves.…
Viet-Nam Music Explained to the Burmese
I was looking at The Nation newspaper from Burma for 22 October 1948 when I came across this article about “Viet-Nam Music.” It is supposed to be a “broadcast talk”…
Going to the Movies in 1954 Burma
Can a trip to the movies in Rangoon in 1954 tell us anything about Burma at the time? I think it can. In fact, I think it sheds a good…
Looking Good in Tents and Paper in 1960s Malaysia
I just came across these articles in the Malay Mail about certain hip fashions in 1963. The first was for "the tent" which apparently girls were "falling for." Girls were…