Happy Year of the Rat

Welcome to the Year of the Rat, Hanoians new and old! We had quite a holiday for ourselves, but we're all back to work ready make this the sort of year we all know it can be. With your help, we know we'll continue to bring you the best of what's available in Hanoi. In fact, our year of the best of what's available kicked off last weekend with a rockin' good meet up at the R&R Tavern. True to form, the R&R lived up to its reputation of one of Hanoi's true institutions of food and drink. We had it all...a big crowd, live music, and (R&R owners) Huong and Jay's unparalleled hospitality. Be sure to give them a hearty thanks the next time you drop in. This weekend is also full of the sorts of events that make it look like a promising year already. On Friday the 22nd, Roots Bar is hosting a fundraiser for the Chi Em Project complete with Vietnamese rapper Kim and DJ Kruise. Then, on Saturday the 23rd, our friends at Noi Zee are turning the Piano Bar & Lounge into a madhouse once again. Their events hardly need introduction at this point, but if you haven't attended one yet, do yourself a favor and get out there. One suspects there will be some serious ass shaking going on. While we decided to take a month off from the User Contribution Prizes over the Tet holiday, we certainly didn't fail to notice the many outstanding reviews and Ask A.N.H. posts that made their way onto the site. With just about a week to go before we announce the next round of winners, it's time to let you all know what is up for grabs. There's plenty to get excited about, so don't sit on those reviews you've been waiting to write. Make the push now, and you might find yourself walking away with some great free stuff. To start us off, one of our outstanding contributors and a friend will be able to look forward to a day of pampering to offset the winter doldrums. [Comfort Zone] Space will be treating the lucky pair to their full spa package. We're talking four to five hours of sitting back and being waited on hand and foot. Our deserving pair will have a package including: A facial designed by their on-staff skin therapist, intensive anti-aging eye treatment, lip blooming treatment, their choice of a wide range of full body treatments, some time in the sauna and jacuzzi, manicures, pedicures, and finished off with some nail art. That, my friends, is the sort of treatment that you just don't get on an average day. Using 100% [Comfort Zone] spa products imported directly from Italy, somebody out there is going to be mighty glad they have a friends who knows what's up here at the New Hanoian. Next up, we've got a night of Old Quarter drinking that only the most experienced Hanoi bar aficionados may be ready to step up and fully take advantage of. The up and coming Bar 38 of Luong Ngoc Quyen street is taking its seemingly innocent name to the brink of depravity. One of our fine users and a couple of friends will make up a party of three with eight hours of free drinking coming their way. That's eight hours of beer, mixed drinks, or any of the cocktails that Bar 38 features in its extensive menu. The place will be their own for a night, with two plus floors of space to map out their evening's attack. Their soundtrack of choice will accompany their mission, and provided they maintain the capacity for speech or work out a series of hand gestures with the bar staff in advance, drink will be following them wherever they go. Finally, the new face on Kim Ma's stretch of restaurants in the shadow of the Daewoo Hotel is ready to announce itself to the New Hanoian world. Casa Mia, already receiving one glowing review from these parts, will be treating a party of four to an all expenses paid dinner. One of our distinguished users and three friends will have their full menu of European and Asian dishes at their fingertips. Already popular with the surrounding office lunch crowd for the affordability of the dishes this five-star-hotel-trained chef (and owner) serves up, the discerning tastes of the prize winning New Hanoian community will be on its way as well. Casa Mia welcomes the challenge of meeting such high standards. So who's up to it? With two months of contributions to sort through, our task might even be more difficult than usual. But, I have a feeling we're going to see the prizes catch and eye or two and lead to a couple mammoth reviewing sessions that leave some of that neck and neck competition in the dust. At least, that's what I'd be thinking I were you and these were within my grasp. Let's see who else feels the same. Happy Year of the Rat everyone, The staff of the New Hanoian.

Written by alpha

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