Spring Like A Lion Pt. 1
Honoring the Day of Remembrance, Khmer New Year's, and Fall of Saigon. Also, highlights of my weekend visit to Seattle (3/22-3/24)
April Remembrances
As March is about to conclude, April is a time of many feelings for the Vietnamese, Lao, Hmong, and Khmer communities. For one, it is a time of celebration with the Khmer New Year’s and Songkran. On the other hand, it is a time of remembering the trauma of the Khmer Rouge genocide that killed over 2 million Cambodians, the painful ending to the Vietnam War, and the eventual end of the Lao Civil War which these historic events would lead to the forced mass exodus of Southeast Asian refugees to America and other Western countries. It is also not lost on me that we are seeing history repeat itself in recent times in places like Syria, Burma, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Congo, Sudan, and Palestine. Meanwhile, in Palestine, there’s an ongoing genocide with 30,000+ dead (as I’m writing this).
With these upcoming celebrations and sobering remembrances, I think about how far our communities have come along in those nearly 50 years, but how close that history can feel sometimes even for a person like me who was born several years after 1975. As our surviving elders from that era are aging into retirement and death, I see more 1.5 and 2nd generations of our Southeast Asian folks becoming the stewards of that history and honoring the work that was left by our elders so that the critical part of our history doesn’t become revised and worse, erased. While our SE Asian communities here in America and the diaspora have struggled through intergenerational trauma, refugee resettlement, and assimilation challenges among others, I am encouraged to see folks in our community going beyond the refugee trauma, and creating healthier community spaces, empowering young people, creating innovation, and more importantly, working towards being their ancestor’s wildest dreams. While the darker parts of our history and arrival as refugees or children of refugee parents may never leave us, the determination of many in our community to write a new chapter that honors their ancestry while evolving their culture and identity is something to behold, and that makes for promising future-making possibilities for our communities and the potential that it holds for us.
Seattle (3/22 - 3/24)
Supporting Local Khmer-owned Businesses in Seattle
I recently went to Seattle to support my friend and Muslim Khmer international artist Anida Yoeu Ali’s exhibition, Hybrid Skin, Mythical Presence at the Seattle Asian Art Museum which goes until July. Along the way, I got to hang out with friends, particularly from the Khmer community to see what is happening in their community and to check out some of the local Khmer-owned places. I also checked out a few other hot spots in Seattle during my brief weekend stay. Here is a recap of my Seattle trip:
1. Mam’s Bookstore
(From the left, bookstore owner Sokha Danh, middle is Khmer advocate and community leader Sina Sam, and me (Randy Kim))
Mam’s Bookstore opened in 2023 to great fanfare. It is the first and only Khmer-owned bookstore in America, and the first Asian American-owned bookstore in the US Pacific Northwest. The bookstore is run by Sokha Danh and his parents. It carries a focused collection of AAPI authors and BIPOC authors. For months since it opened, I thought about the excitement of being able to finally step into a space that was not accessible in our Khmer community, and that many years ago during the genocide, many artists and people who knew how to read were targeted and killed. This full circle moment demonstrated how powerful the impact of art can be on our community, and despite how much we’ve nearly lost with our arts during the genocide, art can find its rebirth through a new generation of like-minded Khmer folks.
My friend Sina drove me to the shop, and as I entered inside, I received a warm welcome from Sokha’s mother who greeted me with a huge hug and smile. Despite the smallness of the space, it felt both intimate and inviting. There is a selection of sodas and assorted drinks (non-alcoholic) available for purchase. A VHS tape can be seen playing on a loop that showed Sokha’s family in the early 90s at the temple and other family gatherings on a tiny TV by the orange sofa. I was chatting with Sokha about some of the books that his shop carries written by AAPI authors that I’ve interviewed in the past while picking up new books for my already heavy book list.
The following books that I purchased are:
In The Shadow of the Banyan by Vaddey Ratner
Watch Your Language by Terrance Hayes
When We Were Sisters by Fatimah Asghar
Others Were Emerald by Lang Leav
The following day, I was back at Mam’s Bookstore to celebrate Anida Yoeu Ali’s successful exhibition show at their private party. The bookstore was transformed into a community-gathering space filled with Khmer food and the sounds of Khmer music emanating through the speaker. The celebration was plentiful as we celebrated a Khmer American artist in a Khmer-owned bookstore with the community taking in that precious moment. How fitting that we celebrate our abundance in a space where our community can access art when nearly 50 years ago, it was forbidden? With Mam’s, it demonstrates the possibilities that our community can provide and transform into.
For more information, follow them on IG @ Mamsbookstore or visit them at
https://www.mamsbooks.com/
2. Phnom Penh Noodle House
(Starting from top left to the right: Cambodian crab cakes, Cambodian fried prawns, Shrimp Fried Noodles, The Cambodian Beef Short Ribs and veggie plate, and Sina Sam and myself)
Located in the Seattle Chinatown district, Phnom Penh Noodle House has been a favorite staple for many Khmer and non-Khmer folks alike. This family-owned establishment boasts several homemade traditional Cambodian dishes right to your table. Don’t forget to order the ever-so-tender and delicious Cambodian beef short ribs plate!
Follow them on IG @ phnompenhnoodlehouse or visit them at www.phnompenhnoodlehouse.com
3. Sophon Seattle
Newly opened for their soft opening, Sophon Restaurant opened with greater fanfare. Located in the trendy Phinney Ridge neighborhood, the restaurant was already packed by the time Sina and I walked in that Friday evening. We were there to meet up with the Cambodian Professionals Network which was led by Ny Mony Tsai. We had a variety of Cambodian-inspired dishes and handcrafted drinks. Dishes like the Stir-Fried Morning Glory aka water spinach were a delight as was the tender caramelized pork-belly that melted in your mouth. The decor of Cambodia’s Buddhist temples is sprawled in the background. The atmosphere was quite lively and festive, and most likely, filled with patrons who were unfamiliar with Khmer food and trying it for the first time. It was a memorable evening breaking bread with fellow Khmer folks using the opportunity to network with another while amplifying a new Khmer-owned business. The future is bright at Sophon, and it is worth making that your future visit.
Follow them on IG @ SophonSeattle or visit them at https://www.sophonseattle.com
Other Seattle highlights:
Pike Market Place
Catch seafood workers throwing salmon to each other while looking at some of the freshest seafood catches, grab a clam chowder, see some of the local arts, or check out the fresh farmer’s market. Pike has the charm and is located right by the Seattle pier. Highly recommend Sound View Cafe for the salmon breakfast.
Biscuit Bitch
Yep…Bitches….It’s tasty and worthy. Near Pike Market Place, this outdoor to-go place is a great breakfast grab and go. I decided to go for the Smokin’ Hot Bitch which the gravy is smothered in the biscuit with the spicy sausages and cream cheese. Let me say it was delish. Yes bitch, you have to try it!
Ludi’s
This Filipino hot spot for breakfast and lunch is a must-try in downtown Seattle. Be prepared to wait in line. As you wait in line, you might get fed a sample of the lechon kawali (fried crispy pork belly) by a friendly elder Filipino man. The lechon kawali with eggs and garlic rice was delightful and hearty while I took a bite of my friend’s longanisa (sweet Filipino sausage) which was plump and juicy with the right kind of sweetness that hits you.
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop)
If you’re a fan of pop music, Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, sci-fi, video games, and all things pop culture, this is the right place for you! Get ready to immerse yourself in learning about the history of some of pop culture’s biggest stars while learning about some of the indie culture in music. Get interactive by playing an instrument and being in your own sound booth. This museum is expansive and will fill your hour or two especially on those rainy Seattle days.
Thank you for sharing this recap of your time in Seattle, but also highlighting your visits to Mam's Bookstore and the symbolism of what it means for the Khmer community. It is a huge celebration indeed.
Thanks for another great newsletter!! Looks like you had a great time! My husband and I went to Seattle a couple years ago, there was always a crowd in front of Biscuit Bitch. Lol I’ll have to check out the books you picked up at Mam’s!