get up; kill and eat

china house @ the mandarin oriental

in the biblical account of the acts of the apostles...

peter went up on the roof to pray. he became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. he saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. it contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.
then a voice told him, "get up, peter. kill and eat."

i'm pretty sure that sheet was filled with chinese dim sum.

for my birthday, a good friend treated me to china house's sunday brunch (~1000B/p), which has become my favorite dining experience at the mandarin oriental. forget the usual loud, stock-trading ambience flagging down greasy-smocked ladies pushing stacks of little delights (dim sum literally translates to "touch the heart") and actually enjoy the mod sophistication of shameless red and black contemporary chinese design in private nooks.
starters were beautifully spread in the center atrium, including all the traditional chinese banquet accoutrements (drunken chicken, shark fin soup, cold jellyfish, roast suckling pig, peking duck, etc.) which are continually available. dim sum plates are ordered from their menu, which were introduced to us as "eat what you can." their shanghai and shrimp dumplings were fantastic, as were braised pork belly in XO sauce, wasabi crispy shrimp, salt & pepper fried squid, impossibly soft steamed snow fish, wok-seared (sounds better than stir-fried, huh?) black pepper beef and so much more.

top off what little space you have left with fruits, traditional or fusion desserts and then sit on your (now) plump, pork buns and try to have conversation about something other than how good the food is.

i have to especially acclaim their service. the staff were incredibly adroit and mirthful and i've never felt so comfortably served. also, this place is family-friendly - there's a magician that comes around at 12 to visit the kiddies.

china house @ the mandarin oriental hotel
hours: sunday brunch 11:30-2:30, dinner daily 7-10:30
for reservations, phone 02-669 9000 x7650-1 or email mobkk-restaurants@mohg.com
webby: http://www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/dining/restaurants/china_house/

your perfect greasy picnic

roti mataba

it's perhaps for everyone's benefit that they don't post roti nutrition facts. i'm willing to bet you could lubricate an entire freight train with the amount of grease roti mataba goes through in a week.step into this infernal, southern-fried kitchen, grab a couple rotis for about 40B each (get the chicken one and one with curry), a wadful of napkins and head across the street to the phra sumen fort & park. picnic on the rim of the chao phraya river overlooking the gorgeous rama VIII bridge and people-watch. this is probably the most relaxing, urban activity you'll find in bangkok. roti mataba, 136 phra athit road, banglumpoo.
phone: 0 2282 2119

we are 1 billion strong, aren't we?

tong lai shun chinese restaurant

i like being chinese. i like that i am part of an ethnicity that is 1 billion strong. i also like that we chinese are everywhere. is there a country that doesn't have a chinese person? is there a place in this world that doesn't have a chinese restaurant? which i find very favorable, since i likes me some chinese food.

which strikes me as a little weird here that in bangkok, a city that has a TON of chinese people, chinese food is kinda hard to find (at least the kind i'm used to - cantonese, szechuan, shanghai, taiwanese, hunan). my tastebuds yearn for good old fashioned HK dim sum that's not in an overpriced hotel, xiaolong pao filled with meaty broth, hand-pulled noodles that attain that elusive Q-ness, and the calming, rounded signature flavor palette. oh god, i think i'm going to faint.tong lai shun tied me over. this is like chinese "soul food." steamed fish (450B) was just right - the fish light and tender in savoury sauce. eggplant (100B) in "seafood sauce" (originally made because fish was expensive or unavailable, eggplant was prepared in the seasonings used for seafood) was delicious, if not on the oily side. xiaolong pao (100B) were small little delights - eat them *cautiously* fast or the sultry broth congeals upon cooling. the soul-foodiest of them all, mapo tofu (120B), gets a solid manchurian stamp of approval with its thick, spicy sauce with sour pickled cabbage. the standard deep fried green beans (100B) with garlic were on the greasy, limp side, but passable.

and to their credit, they make the rare, beloved sweet potato dessert (150B). sweet potatoes are battered and deep-fried, then covered in a burning hot caramel and served with a bowl of ice water. as fast as humanly possible, fork sweet potato, dunk it into the ice water to harden the caramel and eat it without burning the dickens out of your tongue. it's nirvana. we chinese are a bit "zen" with our cuisine. chinese (cantonese) use the term "wok-kae" referring to the energy of the fire and wok that is in the food. it is meant to be consumed immediately. you wait, you miss the magic. confucius say: eat yo' food hot and fast, sucka.

tong lai chun, sukh 41, alley behind the miracle mall.
10am-10pm (i think)
02-259-0765

joe louis was a puppeteer?

joe louis theater puppet show

the famous puppeteer, sakorn yangkhieosot, had a nickname that was eventually mispronounced "lui" and then was subsequently re-nicknamed "joe louis." (of if you're my friend from pomona, ca. who knows 800 people named "jose luis," has unintentionally re-nicknamed him again.) so, sorry all you boxing fans; thai puppetry is perhaps the furthest thing from man-pummeling.

for anyone with the means, i grab you by the shoulders and implore you to visit the joe louis theater. thai puppetry is so uniquely thai and performed so fluidly; it is thoroughly enjoyable. it is an impressive feat of choreography as each thai puppet requires 3 people to operate it. and not only that, each operator also mimicks the motions and stance of the puppet, so all three puppeteers and puppet act as one synchronized performer. traditional thai musicians and narrators accompany in characteristic half-chant-half-song. the show is entirely in thai with barebones english captions to communicate what is happening in each scene, yet is completely understandable by the adept performance. it's amazing what emotions puppets are able to express (ever see "being john malkovich"?).
currently, they're showing "the birth of ganesh," portraying ganesh's origin - a "large child" created from the sweat (yes, sweat!) of a high god's reincarnated courtesan after war broke out in heaven. he got the elephant head because his father didn't realize he was his son and decapitated him in war. then he resurrected him and found a replacement head by asking his servant to go in a northerly direction and cut off the head of the first creature that was facing a westerly direction. but you knew that already, didn't you?thai puppeteers regard puppets with great respect, referring them to as "him" or "her" rather than "it" and making an offering of respect to the artist's forefathers at the start of each show. afterwards, the actors also invite any interested audience members to pay their respects or make merit to ganesha.

joe louis theater, suan lum night bazaar
"birth of ganesha" shows nightly 8-9:15p, documentary at 7:30 (thai only)
900B/foreign adult, 400B/thai adult, 450B/foreign adult with thai work permit, 300B/child or students with id.
webby: www.thaipuppet.com

a better roast

kuppa

in this coffee-saturated city, kuppa is the only place i've found that roasts their own coffee beans imported from across the globe. impressed and delighted as i was, i didn't buy any because it's REALLY expensive (it's on par with san francisco or new york prices). that pretty much sums up my kuppa experience: impressed, delighted, price-shocked.

kuppa's ambiance is elegant, open and assuredly casual - oooh. their pastry case houses horking, drool-inducing, showboat desserts - ahhh. they proudly display their curious coffee roasters and serve excellent coffee - oooh. culinary standards are executed with superb quality (eggs benedict, sorbets, pastas) - oooh. their confident, spot-on creativity makes you want to slap someone (duck, salmon) - ahhh. the bill...WHAAAA?

introduction: get a salad. they're really big (enough to feed several people) and fittingly dressed. 3 of us ordered the mixed salad (160B) and roasted vegetables (195B) which went nicely together.
body 1: i have a weakness for duck prepared in its own fat (doesn't that sound unkosher?). duck confit with watercress, orange sauce (495). i was skeptical of the orange sauce; now i'm a believer.
body 2: miso salmon (420), was one of 3 offerings of salmon. tasty. pesto shrimp pizza (295) was on the cheesier end of the spectrum. i probably wouldn't get it again.
body 3: eggs benedict. you gotta love a breakfast-all-day place, especially one that makes a mean eggs benedict. thank god for angioplasties.
conclusion: topped off with a happy, pistachio crepe (195) & fresh fruit with lychee sorbet (195) that makes your brain override your stomach's fullness.

for those with no need to be concerned with cost, kuppa is a sure-fire win. the food is undebatably delicious. the venue is charming and classy and relaxed. for those with a budget, start saving or start convincing yourself it's a kuppa sour grapes.

maybe i can find a rich boyfriend...

kuppa, 39 sukh 16. (bts: asoke)
10a-11:30p, closed every last monday of the month.
02-663 0495
closed every last monday of the month

buddha has size 400 feet.

wat pho

every tourist makes a requisite visit to the grand palace and the temple of the emerald buddha. there is nothing else in the world quite like it. wat pho is like the neglected step-child situated just next door. those with extra time make the stop here.

i love wat pho. it's more serene, it seems as if more thai people actually come to make merit, and it's unique. wat pho is known for its prestigious massage school (you can get a traditional thai massage by a student - though it's usually more expensive than other traditional thai massages) and i like the painted anatomy diagrams that i'm convinced influenced the illustration of the poor patient of the "operation" game.also, you can see a giant reclining buddha. why is he reclining? i'm not really sure. my dad made a lame joke about how a standing buddha couldn't fit in the temple. nyuk nyuk. seriously, this reclining buddha is gigantically impressive with his massive feet embedded by myriad reliefs made of mother-of-pearl. and if you're into making merit, you can exchange your big-bill bahts for a wadful of coin bahts to drop into the chain of alms bowls, clinking all the while.if you're looking for thai herbal products or remedies, the street lining the north wall of wat pho has a slurry of shops hawking traditional oils, teas, powders, elixirs (how many opportunities can you legitimately find to use that word), and and other homeopathic tools.

wat pho, maharat road. near the grand palace on the side of the river.
50 baht entrance for foreigners.

i've got a ticket to ride

passport bookstore

unfortunately, the english translation of the thai name of this shop doesn't adequately catch the play on words. the thai literally translates to "travel book store," which for some reason still doesn't sound as cool as the thai. passport is an adorable, narrow, little shop with its walls stacked to the ceiling with books. they even have those enchanting ladders that slide along the walls to enable you reach those high altitude books. most of passport's stocks (new and used) are thai, but they carry a notable number of interesting english books. i just bought "the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime" from passport and i give two gung-ho thumbs up.

the staff are also super friendly and helpful. they even tried to convince me to buy the cheaper, used version of the novel. it's nice when shops don't give you the feeling of just wanting your cash. coffees, teas and espresso drinks are also served so you can camp out with your book o' choice.passport bookstore, 142 phra athit rd, phranakorn.
(near the queen's gallery)

what i learned about life from the dusit zoo

dusit zoo

if you're looking for an mind zoological experience, don't come to the dusit zoo. if you're looking for a fun day with a bunch of animals, here's your place. forget the many precautions of the west, throw up a little fence or window and you're up close and personal with the beasts.

on psychology:
"warfare. sometimes we are agressive and fight each other." the other monkeys are projecting their frustrations from the failing economy.
on body image: why not lay around in a pool naked with your friends? on diet: "we can choose which special plant to eat when we are sick for medicinal purposes." i guess you could call some purposes "medicinal"...on dating: "[they] may spray their scent on trees or rocks to mark their territory, the scents given out by females shows signs of readiness to mate." so that's the piece i've been missing!"myth = eating tiger meat, es-pecially the sex organs will give you special power. wrong. tiger meat is just another protein like any animal meat, eating tiger meat is unlawful." man! i was really craving a tiger-testicle-burger.
and lastly...
on etiquette:
keep your hands to yourself! yes, that is a picture of a dismembered human hand in a crocodile's mouth.
dusit zoo, 71 rama v, dusit.
open 8a-6p. 100B - foreigner entrance fee.
webby: www.dusitzoo.org

dining with mr. colonialism

mandarin oriental

one gets the distinct feeling of crossing into another time when entering the mandarin oriental...classy, ornate, luxurious colonialism. what gives you that cozy imperial feel at the mandarin oriental? aside from ac, the main areas of the hotel remain cloaked in british colonial decor, the thai staff in 19th century waitstaff garb, a string quartet serenades lobby loungers with classical chamber music.

overall, i'd have to say my opinion of the mandarin oriental is mixed (though, i do need to qualify that because i have yet to stay as a hotel guest). the property is beautiful and enchanting, quality superb, but i never felt terribly comfortable any of the times i've dined at the mandarin oriental because service has been slightly spotty, and - maybe i'm crazy - but, you get the feeling of being watched and evaluated.

no one will dispute that cuisine at the mandarin oriental is delicious and a sensually wonderful experience. so, here are my 3 dining ratings in order of preference.

1. barbecue terrace. situated on the outdoor patio adjacent to the chao phraya river, the balmy, lamplit dinner buffet is unlike most buffet incarnations. though extensive in its own right, this buffet is about quality, not quantity. duck liver mousse, rack of lamb, sirloin steak, inventive herbed salads, grilled horseshoe crabs, i couldn't stop saying "wow! this is amazing." this is the first buffet ever where i've taken my time. each dish is able to stand on its own. i still dream about it and my mouth is totally watering as i write this. service at the buffet is also exemplary; attentive while not overbearing, the waitstaff kept our table clean and deftly anticipated our beverage and flatware needs (honestly, it was like over 12 pieces of silverware). yeah, that's why it's 2,200B. as god as my witness, i will satiate my hunger there again! (sorry, i didn't take pictures, it felt too plebeian)

2. high tea in the author's lounge. sunned and couched in wicker and rattan british garden furniture, sepia pictures of the royal family line the walls over shelves of literature by joseph conrad and other authors who have stayed at the mandarin oriental, high tea is a unique affair that's worth a try (if you're into dainty teas). one set (1050B) including a pot of tea, finger sandwiches and pastries is good for 2 people for a light lunch. the plain scone was fantastic as was the white jasmine and the signature oriental blend teas. definitely do not get the thai tea set - you can get the same ordinary thai desserts anywhere else for a tenth of the price. no reservations. my two beefs with the afternoon tea are 1. pricey for a standard tea and 2. service was on the snootier side (we actually complained to the management).3. verandah. also situated on the outdoor patio over the chao phraya river, this is the "affordable" elegant dining option. entrees ranging from 200-500B, they're respectable dishes hitting both sides of the western and thai spectrum. perhaps the most casual of its restaurants, the verandah is a great place to have your lively, smart conversation. sound service.i do need to also mention that the mandarin oriental has a batch of other restaurants including: le normandie, lord jim's, sala rim naam, the china house, ciao, and bamboo bar and also a spa across the river.

mandarin oriental hotel. 48 oriental ave, off of charoen krung (closest bts at saphan taksin - complimentary boat shuttle at the pier)

*newsflash* i've heard that because of the economic downturn, and along with other hotels, the mandarin oriental is offering special promotions in their restaurants as well, including sunday brunches at select restaurants and such.
webby: mandarinoriental.com/bangkok and a snazzy little brochure

let them see art

queen's gallery

this is my absolute favorite place to see thai art. it supports and features contemporary thai artists and has frequently changing exhibits on its many stories, and often showcases students' art. one thing immediately noticeable is a thai aesthetic that differs from a western, or specifically, an american one, both in content and in style. tradition and a traditional way of life is honored and upheld widely and portrayed with a sense of longing for its revival. intricate and ornate designs and patterns within a large piece of art is also common. and at 20B a pop for admission, you can come admire thai art all the time.there's also a modest coffee shop with a few souvenirs available so you can discuss the art you've seen while satisfying your caffeine addiction.

queen's gallery, 101 ratchadamnoen klang rd, rattanakosin
02-281-5360-1, hours 10a-7pm, closed wednesdays. 20B admission.
webby: www.queengallery.org

sound of silence

kanchanaburi

for history buffs, kanchanaburi is the sleepy province a stone's throw from bangkok perfect for lazing around, catching up on ww2 history, and enjoying tranquil, understated natural landscapes.
fast fact = the original name of the river is actually "mae klong" and was renamed "kwai yai" in 1960.

accomodations:
the oriental kwai resort is entirely peaceful and relaxing. go here if you want to do nothing. the owners evelien and joe were incredibly warm yet out-of-the-way. the resort's 10-or-so cottages are situated on the river kwai and scattered on the resort's lush landscape. the oriental kwai is beautifully designed, in its crimson, cream, and teak motifs - blending thai styles with simple western forms.my favorites: large dvd collection, pool toys (yes, i am an adult), hammocks, great resort restaurant (thai and dutch dishes that we never got tired of). i can't say we were disappointed there isn't more of a bustling tourism industry in kanchanaburi because we literally ate every meal and didn't leave the resort out of sheer lounging delight. i say supine is the best way to vacation.oriental kwai resort
bungalows 2,400-4,400B/night. 03-458-8168
webby: http://www.orientalkwai.com/

movie plug:
one of the tastes i wish i could acquire is for old movies. my preference for pacing and editing lies more with contemporary film. since we were at the river kwai, we figured bridge on the river kwai was worth a viewing. the 1957 seven academy-award-winning film based on the novel "bridge over the river kwai" explores themes of loyalty, heroism, achievement, and survival over the construction of the thai-burma railway built by the japanese conscripting p.o.w. musclepower during w.w.2 and was surprisingly engrossing for an oldie. at the end, all seven of us viewers were yelling at the screen - which for me means good movie. (p.s. if you hate watching movies with back-talkers, never watch a movie with me). do stuff:
part of the thai-burma railway, the bridge on the river kwai, though once destroyed by the allied forces in w.w.2, has been rebuilt and now a tourist attraction. over 100,000 civilians and p.o.w's lost their lives during the japanese-driven construction of this railway, built without consideration of loss of life. you can now walk across this small, steel bridge, or, ride a train over the bridge and back for 20B.floating restaurant. this restaurant adjacent to the infamous "bridge on the river kwai" is often just called "floating." specializing in seafood, their menu has an extensive selection of river fish, sea fish and other sea creatures. slightly pricey at around 150-400B/entree and a popular stop for tour groups, we ordered too much food and ate it all. i recommend the ruby fish with green mango salad (the fish itself was incredibly fresh and delicious) and the *misnamed* deep-fried banana salad. this "laab blaa-tu" was delicious and but, oh my god, so spicy.
getting there:
it's easiest to rent a car and drive yourself there or hire a car. check out kanchanaburi's tourism site for their recommended airport pick-ups and services.
webby: http://www.kanchanaburi-info.com/en/index.html

have i ever told you the story...

the chocolate tales

...when i savored delicious, dense, rich cheesecake in bangkok? when it comes to cheesecake, i uphold the gold standard to be junior's in brooklyn, the dense, thick, creamy, classic cheesecake. the kind so hefty you have to hold it on your tongue to let the white gold melt. (thank god it takes time to eat, otherwise you might have to eat it with a defibrillator on hand). some find it to be too dry or too heavy. in my opinion it means you don't like cheesecake, then. the lighter, milkier cheesecake (like at coffee beans by dao) resembles more of a cream or cheese pie to me. fine for what it is, but not cheesecake.

a friend raved about the chocolate tales' cheesecake and i kept my fingers crossed. i'd already decided not to eat any cheesecake - my tummy was rumbly and the thought of eating heavy dairy sounded nauseating. well, the mind holds power over the body and we ordered a mixed berry new york cheesecake because it just looked stunning - the color, the height, consistency along with a white chocolate brownie cheesecake, each at 120B/slice. they were fantastic, not as thick as junior's, but delicious and worthy of respect. paired with a lavazza americano (70B), it was perfect...until my already disgruntled tummy had words with me. we all know that we just have to sacrifice the tummy sometimes for the greater good of the tastebuds. the chocolate tales also has other pastries on display, like a matoom cake, chocolate horlicks cake and crepes and parfaits on their menu. i'm interested in trying some of their specialty chocolate drinks but i'm afraid of developing instant type 2 diabetes.

the chocolate tales
silom soi 7, intersecting with narathiwat ratchanakarin soi 3. nearest bts @ chongnonsi.
100-300B. 02-2340210
webby: www.thechocolatetales.com (site not yet up)

urban retreat

phranakorn norn-len โรงแรมพระนคร-นอนเล่น

what happens when a former thai beauty pageant queen joins the green and grassroots movement? she opens phranakorn norn-len (aka p.n.), the "urban retreat," the trendy, rustic, eclectic, artsy, and quirky boutique guesthouse. written up in travel guides, international travel mags and even timetm magazine, this place is the trendiest of it's breed.

my fave features:
- "she's crafty, and she's just my type." p.n. is all about the creative use of old things. every floor hall houses a mural of a different theme, their gift shop is stocked with traditional and indie handcrafts, and their room decorations are bright uses of the traditional thai-country fabrics.- organic rooftop garden. they grow herbs and veggies up top with a loungy sitting area.- organic vegetarian (sort of) breakfast. inventive, simple, sensible portion size. last time i had breakfast, p.n. served mushroom & cheese egg wraps, mango & sticky rice, and green papaya salad. - really friendly service. you can tell the employees like working here.

things i feel "ehh..." about:
- hard to find. virtually no taxi drivers know how to get there. you'd best print out the map from their website.
- rooms are pretty small. like two-queen-beds-slid-next-to-each-other small.- no tvs. i like watching tv. sue me.
- it's pretty expensive. at 2400B a night, you could stay at a really ritzy hotel. but, if you're about the experience and the slower pace, this is your place.

phranakorn norn-len hotel
2400B+/night
46 thewet soi 1, phranakorn district. 02-6288188-90
webby: http://www.phranakorn-nornlen.com/

fireflies and loveliness

amphawa floating market

after my trip to the damnoen saduak floating market, i was content to never visit a floating market again. the 2 hour travel, contrived "traditional way-of-life," overpricing, and hordes of tourists were a turn-off, to say the least.thank god for redemption; after visiting amphawa floating market, my faith in floating markets has been restored. so, hurry up and get your butt over to amphawa before it gets dirty and stops being quaint and charming. the market open weekends, friday to sunday.

do stuff:
amphawa is known for its fireflies, which can be admired year-round, but in greatest abundance in hot season (apr-may). take an evening longtail boat tour down the river for 60B/person and watch the riverbanks flicker like christmas trees. most tours include other sites along the river, like fishing spots, temples, and sugar palm-making homes. plenty of companies along the market have tours that are all pretty much the same. take your pick.
you, too, can shop! the amphawa is much more of a DIY community than many other tourist spots, so we were able to find many more handmade and creative wares. the handmade glow-in-the-dark firefly cell phone charms at 39B each were my favorite souvenirs there. you know you want one.

just for a moment, suppose anthropologie and thailand had a lovechild. taramart is that lovechild. the first floor boutique sells hip, yet rustic, brightly printed tops and thai fishing pants and lady-bags while the eclectic, country-meets-chic second floor tea room has bright, inventive tea blends at 85B a pot. 081-696-4797
eats:
staying true to thai form, a great trip must have great eats. and as small as it is, there is so much great food at amphawa. in my opinion, these are the requisite "best eats"
*ice creams and sorbets at kumpan (กำปั่น) restaurant are homemade and delightfully thai. we tried (from l-r) star-gooseberry sorbet, apricot-guava sorbet, and coconut un-chun ice cream (our fave) for 35B a cup. *grilled river prawns. oh no, you shall not call these shrimp, for shrimp are not the length of your hand. these are prawns. and they are delicious. buy a plateful for 30B, then promptly buy another.*khao griap (ข้าวเกรียบ). a foot in diameter and impossibly delicate, lightly sweetened, grilled rice crepes. sorry, i forgot to take a picture, but it's worth buying a 20B bag of 3 crepes here, since everyone else's version tends to be a thicker, deep-fried, or savory version.

*amphawa also has a ton of beautifully-presented and delicious traditional thai snacks and desserts that are too numerous to list or even recommend. just eat your way around.
fat = happy, right?accomodations:
thanicha resort
amphawa is known for their "homestays" which means anything from crashing on some family's floor to a bed & breakfast. thanicha boutique resort is a charming thai-style teak bed & breakfast within walking distance from the market, modest and simple rooms and friendly service. it's like staying at a friend's house. you know, your hip, retro-traditional thai friend with 10 or so extra rooms. it was lovely.webby: www.thanicha.com/indexe.htm
03-472-5511

getting there:
amphawa floating market is in samut songkhram, and a mere 13km from damnoen saduak.
ac vans from victory monument, mo chit, and the southern bus terminal for 70-100B (depending on where they drop you off) that leave hourly (or more frequently, if busy).
also buses from the southern bus terminal.

what time is it?

Wine O'Clock

Well, if it's between 11-2 at "Wine O'Clock" Italian restaurant on Suk 49-- it is time to get a delicious and awesome pasta dish for 99 baht!
lunch menu features:
Four kinds of pasta
Four categories of sauce to choose from (red, cream, garlic/wine, and Thai curry) with about 8 variations of each sauce
Then, you can add a salad (3 choices) for only 49 baht!

The restaurant is situated on an adorable soi, and has an nice "alfresco" patio for cooler days. Inside, the walls are decorated in cork (which somehow comes across as classy) and the seating ranges from black leather couches for lounging to cozy corner tables. The ambiance is comfortable and the staff is attentive.

Every meal starts with freshly warmed french bread, oil and vinegar. Mineral water is 30 baht/bottle and the house wine starts at 250 baht/glass. (The white was delicious)

I ordered a mixed salad- lovely meslun leaves, tomatoes, onion with a light vinaigrette (they also ground fresh pepper! Hooray for traditionally served Italian food.)- followed by spaghetti with sausage in a saffron sauce. It was amazing. Served with fresh parm. Michelle had linguini with melanzane (eggplant and tomato) sauce, also a nice flavor.

I loved this restaurant so much the before we were done eating I started making plans to eat here again... later this week!

Check it out: Wine O'Clock 55/1 Sukhumvit Soi 49, 02-662-7895.

update: (michelle 5.11.09) true to her word, lexie and i did come back and i was so impressed with the saffron sausage that i ordered it again. unfortunately, it was served to me as "thai sausage" with a generous portion of chiles and no cream sauce. so, i pointed out to the server that this wasn't what i ordered. he then proceeded to tell me that i was wrong and that this was really the saffron sausage pasta and even brought over the menu - which i then pointed out was supposed to be a cream sauce and was different than the dish we ordered just one week ago. annoyed, he took the dish back and then came back with the same dish, except this time with cream in the dish and he said as he gave it to me, "it's the same, just with whipping cream." honestly, i'm not a stickler for superb service, but i don't appreciate service where they try to prove the customer wrong when they themselves have made a mistake and without considering the possibility of a mistake. and then, once the mistake has been acknowledged, my dish was altered and not corrected, and served back to me without apology. the altered dish, honestly, was tasty, but i was just so turned off by the way they handled it. is it too much to ask to get what you order and not made to feel like an ass?
i was so for you, wine o'clock, why'd you have to go and ruin it?

stop and smell the roses

pak khlong night flower market

you want flowers? you go here.
buy arm-fulls of orchids, roses, daisies, ferns, carnations, jasmine, marigolds and lotuses for scandalously cheap prices. flowers are sold wholesale mainly for flower vendors, meaning most things are sold in bulk quantiites. a bunch of 100 roses runs about 50-100B, depending on size and color and condition.it's worth going in the middle of the night simply for the fragrance emitted by the millions of fresh flowers - because really, when do you need like 100 orchid stems? you can buy flowers in smaller quantities at slightly greater cost as well, especially the ones that are rarer.

pak khlong night flower market
~250m northeast of the memorial bridge (saphan phut) on the chao phraya river; intersection of thanon chakphet and ban mo.
open all day, flowers best bought at night when freshly delivered.

god bless the military

JUSMAG

it isn't the gourmet delicacies and rare ethnic fare that make their residence in my brain's craving cortex, it's the common, the mundane, and the frequent conveniences i miss: the bagels, the sandwiches, the cereal. and because i refuse to spend $10 on a box of cereal, it's a forlorn memory of the familiar here.

i wouldn't have found the jusmag if a friend hadn't told me about it. why? because it's the joint u.s. military advisory group. the little hidden secret is the little diner-esque restaurant inside the complex. 60B usda hamburgers, deli sandwiches, 300B usda steak, bbq pork sandwiches that are nothing more than pork with kc masterpiece sauce...don't expect special, just expect dime-a-dozen american.the heavy, easily-missed steel door on the street requires your us govt-issued id to pass security. and once you're in the jusmag complex, the restaurant in the back is quiet, fluorescently lit, and pastel vinyl furnishings, the basic crowd is primarily jusmag personnel, vets, and other americans running errands at the jusmag, lending a small-town dive environment. even the wait staff, though thai, are quite un-thai in their indifferent, distracted airs. they might as well have blue hair, horn-rimmed glasses, and huge butts.

off to the side, there are american snacks available, meaning you can pick up pop tarts, mounds bars, cream soda, combos and dr. pepper as readily as you can in the states.

also, they have a us postal service office, barber shop, and athletic courts on campus, but no staff was available to tell me if it's available for all us citizens to use or military/govt personnel only. comment if you know.

jusmagthai
south sathorn rd., across from the suan lum night bazaar.
restaurant: mon-sat 6:30a-3p; bar opens 3p
webby: http://www.jusmagthai.com/jusmagthai.html

chiang mai, v. 2.0

chiang mai

i'm sure this will only be #2 of many chiang mai visits. such a manageable-sized city. so many natural attractions. so much culture.
biggest tip: rent a motorcycle for ~250B/24 hours and go wherever you like. on to the attractions!

going up doi suthep-pui... the doi suthep-pui national park is the closest national park to chiang mai city and sits just north-west of the city. easy to get to, you can take a red pick-up (song taew) from anywhere in the city. aside from the huay kaew and montathan waterfalls (in my last chiang mai post), head up a little further for this legend:
king na naone of the lanna kingdom in the 14th century got a hold of a buddhist relic (buddha's shoulder bone?) and stuck it on the back of a white elephant and released it into the jungle, proclaiming, "may this elephant stop suddenly when it reaches a suitable place to house this relic." it ran up the mountain and at some point stopped to rest and trumpeted three times. so the king built wat phalad on that site. it sits over a stream that runs down the mountain. quite peaceful and scenic with no tourists whatsoever. no anybody really. shrines overlooking the mountain stream. the elephant went further up the mountain, reached a point where it stopped, turned around 3 times, trumpeted another 3 times and then died. so the king built wat phratat doi suthep on that site, which is a major tourist attraction. i'm a horrible person to review wats since there are just sooooo many in thailand and they just are the same after a while. what's different about this wat doi suthep? it's big, it's well-kept, it overlooks the mountain, and has a heart-rate raising staircase up to the wat. besides that, it's kind of like every other wat in thailand.lots of vendors at the base of the wat. here's a vendor with her daughter adorned in traditional hill-tribe dress selling northern thai sausages. 100B entrance fee for non-thais.

further up doi suthep and unrelated to the white elephant legend, phuping palace is one of the royal vacation houses that the royal family still uses. while the buildings are closed to the public, the extensive landscaped grounds are available to stroll. if you like botanical gardens, you'll enjoy phuping palace. 50B entrance for non-thais, 20B thai.

as the fifth highest peak in thailand, doi pui is still further up the mountain and offers a 3km (roughly 1-2hr loop) hike up to the summit from the campsite. it is quite a hike, the second half being more difficult terrain than the first. don't expect a spectacular view at the top, it's mostly blocked by jungle. see? but, if you like hiking, it is a very good and unpopulated hike and it's free. here's part of the trail:
khantoke...
khantoke is a northern thai tradition of serving a meal on a raised tray (called "toke") to honored guests. in the 50s, a businessman invented modern khantoke to entertain special vips, introducing the now widely available popular dinner show. sit on the floor, enjoy unlimited northern thai food, and watch some great thai dancing and traditions. there are several venues ranging in price all over the city. i visited two, the original khantoke dinner called the old chiang mai cultural center and khum khantoke. overall, i'd say that khum khantoke is a better experience but i had a lot of fun at both and wholeheartedly recommend both.
just cause you want to know, here are pros/cons of each.
old chiang mai cultural center: well-established, better dancers (you can tell they pick their dancers by their skill over their attractiveness/size), separate hill tribe show performed by actual members of each of those tribes, 370B/person (including food, pick-up and drop-off at your hotel).
webby: http://www.oldchiangmai.com/index_en.php khum khantoke: it's more of a "show," meaning that it's more about the photo-taking and the production. better food, prettier venue, more photo ops (for tips), really fun. cons are that it's a bit pricier at XXX, further out of the way.
webby: http://www.khumkhantoke.net/

gardens...
i'm getting tired of writing so these reviews will have to be in haiku form.
tweechol botanic garden:
sculpted shrubbery
nature manipulated
hey, it's a hotel!webby: http://www.tweecholbotanicgarden.com/map.php
ratchaphruek garden:
celebrate the king
international landscape
a fading world's fair
free admission, open 10a-6p except mondays, located next to the night safari.

mae sa valley...
home to various orchid farms, elephant farms, monkey centers, and hill tribe cultural centers, there's a lot to do the mae sa valley (25 km north of chiang mai).
mae sa waterfall - you like to semi-vigorously hike? 10 tiers of waterfalls and a heart-stimulating 1+km hike.
eats (honorable mentions)...
the salsa mexican restaurant - inventive tasty mexican food (and jamaican, too). even more than the food, i have to promote their mexican coffee. liqueur-y, creamy, subtly orangey, spiced, delicious mexican coffee. it warrants suffering through consuming caffeine late at night. located on huay kaew, just NE of the central mall.

libernard cafe - a plus coffee. homey bungalow ambience. hippie-foodie-friendly banana whole-wheat pancakes. being there, you just want to hug somebody. hidden off the main street at 41 moon muang.the amazing sandwich - you want to feel like you're in america? go get a no-frills, no-nonsense sandwich you'd make if you weren't too lazy to buy all the imported ingredients. webby: http://www.amazingsandwich.com/

until next time, chiang mai...