a better butter

little home bakery

what american doesn't love a good brunch here and there? what other meal can be leisurely stretched into two meals? what other meal is only socially acceptable on weekends? what other meal can legitimately pack in tons of carbs and butter?

i guess that's what it comes down to: butter. here in asia, the reigning fat solid is an orange, vegetable oil margarine-like substance, whose unmistakable fragrance wafts out of every bakery. it also leaves that distinctive oily aftertaste when you shove down a pork floss bun.

and this is where little home bakery stands tall in its stalwart defense of BUTTER! their goods have the full, rounded flavor of butter. and in case that's not enough for you, your banana pancake (80B) or strawberry waffle (95B) comes with a proud, defiant scoop of white, smooth butter melting in glory.

for those "brunch-should-block-my-arteries" folks, you can always get the american breakfast with two eggs, bacon, pancakes, grilled tomato, fried potatoes, coffee and juice (165B). and for those disgusted by that, you can always order from their extensive thai menu (75-125B).

bright, sunny, half-diner-half-cafe ambience, little home bakery's a perfect spot to meet your friends for butter - i mean, brunch.

little home bakery

thonglor, between soi 23-25

weekdays 8am-9pm, weekends 9am-9pm

webby: http://www.littlehome.co.th/

it's as exciting as toast

after you

it's dry, it used to be bread, it is light tan - it's toast!

oh ye of little faith, believe me when i tell you this toast is worth it. 3 inches tall and smothered with shibuya honey, nutella, peanut butter & bananas or other scrumptious sundries plus ice cream and whipped cream - this isn't your grandma's toast. this is toast in splendor.

for all ye nonbelievers, don't worry, after you has other desserts. between 4 of us, 5 desserts didn't stand a chance. two toasts, applesauce brownie (with ice cream), baked sundae (lava cookie with ice cream), millecrepe (crepes stacked with whipped cream), and four quadruple bypasses. i pity our arteries and the cow that had to produce all the cream we consumed.

baked sundae oozing

applesauce brownie. light, yet intensely chocolatey.

millecrepe with creme brulee-sugared top.

my only regret was not being able to try one of their many coffee drinks. i am not of the breed who's able to drink coffee at night and not become a vampire. next time, i'm getting my lazy butt up for breakfast (since after you opens at 7am) and throwing down a coffee and a breakfast toast. yes, savory or sweet, you can have your toast at any time of day.

after you

thonglor soi 13, j avenue

desserts 145-200B

open 7am-midnight

02 712 9266

other locations @ paholyothin la villa and central world 7th fl.

no, it's not a gay bar, but it is fabulous

the fabulous

when i walk down khao san rd, it looks virtually the same as the first time i came to bangkok in 2002. boho backpackers in wannabe beach environs, red bull tees, tribeswomen selling jangling accessories, pad thai every 10m, etc.

that's what makes the fabulous, extra-uber fabulous. this adorable coffee-dessert shop tucked away off of khao san rd is a welcome oasis of retro-style, quiet, and best of all: absence of seediness.

unlike other establishments in the area, this unique shop feels more akin to the cafes along thonglor or ekamai, flaunting its twee ambience. it's cute and it knows it. what else would you expect of a place that has an antique record player actually spinning records that don't play music?

free wifi, illy coffees (70-100+B), desserts (100-160B).

the fabulous

webby: http://groups.to/the_fabulous

32 jakkapong rd, next to the true coffee shop.

hours 10am-12:30am.

02 629-1144

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

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)

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

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)

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...

sensory stimulation

true urbanpark

the true coffee shops are almost as ubiquitous here in bangkok as the starbucks branches. whereas starbucks makes a point to give you the same experience in every starbucks joint, regardless of the country or place, true coffee has a lot more variety and design in their shops. the true coffee in thonglor is nothing like the true coffee in siam square is nothing like the true coffee in the mall bangkapi...
the one in siam paragon is definitely a stand-out. you have to at least check it out and give it a good walk-through. true urban park's forward-thinking prototype for a coffee shop, music shop, and book store is a feast for the senses. plug your ipod into the table and listen from within a plastic head-pod-thingy, buy audio electronics and accessories, browse the web, sip a peppermint patty latte, and peruse through some shelves of books.in case that's not enough stimulus, buy some fresh flowers, gnosh on a sandwich, stare at the giant flippy wall as it switches, or watch thailand's big brother version of american idol projected on a giant wall screen.

true urban park, siam paragon, 3rd floor.
10am-10pm. true wi-fi available.

i now understand how kobe cattle feel

bangkok marriott resort & spa

since i'm officially a bangkok resident, there aren't many opportunities to stay in hotels. well, that, and i don't have enough money to hotel hop. a friend recently came to visit and invited me to come join her vacation-o-luxury. i just have to say:
I LOVE THE BANGKOK MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA

i've visited (but not stayed at) other top hotels in bangkok, of which the best are along the chao praya river, but this one, in my opinion is the one i recommend to anyone looking to be treated like royalty. turn down service, broadband internet, fresh fruit, featherbeds, robes and slippers add those nice touches to your stay in the room, but it's the hotel grounds that keep you from wanting to ever leave again.

i believe i've figured out the technique to transform my body into lazy, tender kobe meat:

step 1: consume large amounts of delicious, decadent food.
the three i tried were the following (in order of enjoyment):
trader vic's in the US is mediocre, unfortunately, skewing my expectations to be low. however, despite the second-rate name, is a fantastic pacific rim fusion restaurant. everything we ordered was matched beautifully, blending flavors well and using the most quality ingredients. if i didn't feel bad for my friend who was paying, i would have ordered the wagyu. highlights: tuna sesame encrusted diakon radish with wasabi mayo topped by caviar; avacado gazpacho with green apple and watercress; lamb yakitori with eggplant and mushrooms, sided by a rich pumpkin puree (900B); and crispy red duck and foie gras, with bok choy and apple taro cake (800B). you're drooling, aren't you? trust me, if your wallet's thick, you want to eat here.

riverside terrace which was an outdoor buffet on the patio overlooking the chao phraya river. lots of goodies including teppanyaki, crepes, mongolian bbq, italian pastas and pizza to order, grill, indian, oyster/shellfish bar, and an extensive dessert spread. thai boxing and traditional thai performance (dancing/acting) throughout the evening. priced at 1100B/person + 10% service, buffet dinner 6-10:30

numero uno cafe is a nice little chocolate shop and deli/bakery with an alluring display of pastries and sweets. a la carte menu with pastries, deli sandwiches and lunch fare, fondues, and chocolates. roughly 160-510B for breakfast, lunch or dinner. i got to try both their chocolate afternoon tea buffet as well as their after-dinner cheese/chocolate and cognac buffet (both 500B). have i ever told you i have problems with self-control? though they're meant to be post-meal treats, they became my meals. beware, my brothers and sisters with poor self-control, these are small, but very calorific buffets. cherry chocolate cake. nice presentation, eh?

in addition to these restaurants, they also have these spots that i didn't try:
benihana - japanese grill, teppanyaki okonomi (370-4900B). a little grill show as your meal's cooked.
the market - breakfast buffet. a la carte 95-510B. lunch/dinner 699 buffet. noodles, sushi, etc. 170-980
rice mill - chinese, dim sum 180-3000B

and for bars:
elephant bar - tapas, fusion bar food 175-295B
longtail bar - riverside, live music "kim" 170-980B bbq grill food - light fare
loy nam - pool bar, snacks and salads 180-300B

step 2: get a massage.
nothing says "pampered" like a great massage. the mandara spa (also available in room or poolside) offers steams 950, wraps 3-4k, scrubs 2-3k, massages 2250-5520, poultices 3200, facials 2700-5520, baths 950, steams 950, men's stuff 4k-9500. i got a deep tissue massage

step 3: be sedentary and expend as little physical energy as possible.
though the marriott resort has a fitness center with tennis and fitness classes, you should avoid them if you hope to keep your body marbled with fat. the thai cooking classes may be ok, though, if you maintain a very slow pace and try not to move too much while cooking. the pool is the perfect place to work on your golden tan while using little-to-no energy.

but if you decide to veer off the course of kobe cultivation, this place also has:
- manohra cruise - old rice barges converted into personal cruise ships. dinners or overnight cruise to ayutthaya.
- it's own malls and shopping.
- the hotel grounds are also beautiful decorated with lush tropical gardens.

bangkok marriott resort & spa. 257 charoen nakhon @ krungthep bridge. 02-476-0021
room rates between 5,400B-42,000B (if you're a guest, you receive coupons to all the restaurants)
webby: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bkkth-bangkok-marriott-resort-and-spa/

these legs aren't just for show.

northeast chiang mai

i recently had the chance to retreat up to chiang mai and i LOVED IT. next time, i'm leaving more time to explore. i think i finally found out what these legs are for; needless to say, i trekked a lot.

first things first: lodging. i should mention that the purpose of going up to chiang mai was to retreat and pray, so we found a great retreat center that i would recommend to anyone looking to pray and practice silence/solitude.
seven fountains spirituality center on hway kaew rd, near chiang mai university is a jesuit center specifically for contemplative retreats. it's simple, affordable, and has thought of everything. rooms are 500B or 600B (AC) per night (they only have single rooms), includes all meals (simple but good and satisfying), there's free laundry service available, library, labyrinth, coffee/tea/ovaltine available all over the grounds, and simple well-kept gardens and landscaping. the only thing they don't have that you should not forget is mosquito repellent.
strict silence observed. daily mass in english at 6 for retreatants, mass in thai twice daily. spiritual direction available.
the simplicity and serenity of the center is super conducive to a slower paced life and i felt very cared for. love jesuits.
seven fountains spirituality center @ 97 hway kaew rd, 50300
tel: 053 211076, 053 892545; web: htty://7fountains.wordpress.com; email: jesuits@cmnet.co.th
proximity to other places of interests is another plus...keep reading.

doi suthep-pui national park
just a little walk up hway kaew road, you reach the chiang mai zoo where you can catch a songtaew up the doi suthep mountain for 40B. if you want to use those things-they-call-legs, walk past the songtaews, and take a left at the fork in the road to reach the hway kaew waterfall, which is free! hway kaew waterfall is a series of waterfall starting at the entrance and other spots to stop about .5-2km up the mountain, including wang bua ban pond (named after a woman who committed suicide over her lover who moved to bangkok) and pha ngerb which is a rolling waterfall over large boulder and rock formations. and a beautiful view over chiang mai at an overlook on the path. up the road another 3km, you'll reach the entrance to mon tha than waterfall. it's another 3km into the actual waterfall, so if you walk, expect a lengthy hike.

babylon italian restaurant
this is where "thai godfather" should be filmed. very dimly lit, a little dingy, and homey yet with a tiny creep-factor. this place has to be mafia because of how good the food is. their homemade pasta is fantastic, their sauces so comforting and spot-on with flavor, and they don't skimp on the size or ingredients. standouts were the spinach malfatti (gnocchi) in marinara (140B), extra-wide fettucini which we had with their osso bucco (220), and their macaroni siliciliana (180) with eggplant, piquant meatballs, mushroom, and basil in marinara. wait, let me wipe me drool off my keyboard.
i highly recommend anything with their robust tomato sauce and pastas made on-site. simply fantastic.desserts were decent, but a little amiss. all their ice creams (50) taste a little goaty (i guess thai cows produce goaty milk) and on the icier side of the spectrum. blackprune ice cream was very icy and so pruny, that once it was topped with prune sauce, it was just as if we were eating a frozen prune. you'd be better off heading down to milk garden after the meal.
babylon restaurant, 100/63 hway kaew rd.

milk garden (suan nom)
milk garden, also on hway kaew rd., in between seven fountains and babylon restaurant, is a hip, eclectic little cafe packed with students.
come for toast, smoothie, or yogurt. because it's right down the street from a dairy, it has wonderful milk offerings. the yogurt (35B) was a delicious, refreshing bowl of yogurt mixed with crushed ice with whatever fresh fruit you want.
in addition to their menu, milk garden also sells handmade mugs, dolls, bracelets, and other crafty items. think: cool DIY crafts, not your grandma's embroidery crafts. this whole place feels creative and trendy, but not without its requisite thai cuteness. instead of having table numbers, you pick out a stuffed doll so your server can identify your table.

happy hut
honorable mention of the trip: coconut based ice cream from happy hut. homemade by a friend of the owner, the ice cream (20B) comes in a smattering of intriguing flavors: black sesame, black sticky rice pudding, pomegranate, thai ice tea,etc.). very tasty, and since it's coconut based, lacks the heavy coated aftermath. bunch of coffee drinks, too.
happy hut, corner of nimmanahaeminda soi 3

it's all about how you present yourself

vanilla cafe

stepping into the vanilla compound, i mean, courtyard, is walking into a fantastical hidden alcove. forget feeling like you're in bangkok. it's no surprise that there's japanese behind this place; they've mastered aesthetics.
hedging the meticulously manicured lawn and courtyard, we've got the trifecta: sauce bookstore on the left, vanilla cafe in the back, and royal vanilla restaurant on the right.

sauce's two levels of books specially feature cookbooks to provoke your salivary glands to pavlovian activity. i'm sure it's not accidental. especially for someone like me, who is the easiest sell when it comes to advertisements appealing to carnal appetite. fear not, you're close to vanilla's two restaurants, conveniently planted adjacent to the book store. aside from the cookbooks and japanese titles, sauce also has a nice stock of trendy-yet-simple tote bags, t-shirts, and gifts.vanilla cafe in the center has the feel of your father's office, if your father was into retro design and aesthetically anal in his collection of vintage action figures and clocks. in the area of refreshments, vanilla's selection is pretty wide - hitting a large japanese selection and dim sum in addition to their pastries and coffees and sandwiches. beautiful, but lacking in taste: macadamia latte had no macadamia flavor at all (i honestly thought they had just given me a regular latte) and their peanut butter brownie (40) was too sugary and not chocolatey or peanutty enough. i did really enjoy their strawberry daifuku (35B), though (fresh strawberry wrapped in red bean paste and delicately held in a soft mochi cover) and their lime frost.
also, one point off my experience of vanilla cafe: i had my notebook out and was taking notes on their menu and a waiter came to scold me and yanked the menu away. i asked for a reason and was refused the courtesy. boo.vanilla cafe, sauce bookstore, royal vanilla. 53 ekkamai (sukhumvit 63) soi 12
coffees 60-110B, smoothies 130-150B,

in the quest of a good sandwich...

landmark plaza: garden court/greenhouse/the terrace

i miss my nebbishy delis of the east coast. pangs of longing for thick, punchy pastrami and murturing matzo ball soup hit every so often. get me to a restaurant that serves a decent sandwich!
which leaves me asking: what about bangkok is not attractive to our judaic brothers and sisters? come and bring us food! (perhaps its the oh-so-not-kosher nature of thai food)

landmark plaza's selection of mention-worthy sandwiches fills a deli-shaped hole in my heart.

i'd heard that their reuben would make a new york deli blush. well, it won't. it won't even make an LA deli blush. but, it will make an american sigh with satisfaction. the reuben came on dark rye, under a generous layer of melted swiss and sauerkraut. it was delicious. well done, landmark.
the grilled chicken sandwich with bacon and pesto spread on focaccia roll was also delightful.
extra points for giving us unexpectedly free coleslaw when we asked for it as an extra side. all three landmark incarnations (garden court/greenhouse/the terrace) serve the same menu, so have your ambience your way: out on the patio, in a more traditional restaurant, or in the courtyard under palm trees. if you're not feeling into sandwiches, they also serve congee, dimsum, noodles, and salads.

landmark plaza: garden court/greenhouse/the terrace
138 sukhumvit (between 4 & 8). closest BTS @ Nana
165B for half sandwich and 240B for a full. comes with fries, curly fries, or wedges. say yes to curly!
free wifi in landmark plaza.

sweet oasis

ann's sweet

parched. so parched. must. find. air. conditioning...preferably with lattes.
finding an aircon cafe in the banglumpu/kao san area was a little harder than i expected. poo on those hippies and their preference for balmy bungalow cafes.

ann's sweet was such a nice, climate-controlled little bakery and coffee shop to duck into before the rained poured. situated at the bend between phra athit and phra sumen, across the street from santichaiprakan park (prasumen fort), this bakery has really great pastries. because of its tiny size (about 4 square tables), i asked where the pastries came from and was surprised to find that the owner and namesake of the shop bakes them all herself in the back. she's actually still a culinary student and is making desserts as she learns them.
i was very impressed with her cute, mini strawberry cheesecakes (120B) with a strawberry cheesecake layer (as opposed to a strawberry topping), which were deliciously velvety and rich, and pleased to find a little pineapple blended into it. i like that she twists an original just a tad. paired with a full-bodied lavazza latte (60B), i was set to wait out the downpour.
the only downside is that the seating isn't exactly what i would call "comfortable." blocky, wood furniture with tables that have a shelf underneath the glass top, holding a lot of fun and entertaining magazines, but also making about 3 inches of space between the chair and table for your legs. don't expect them to fit. they won't.

her other pastries include a triple chocolate mousse (120B), brownies (25B), and trifles (80B) among other things. full lavazza coffee menu and an extensive selection of teas.
don't feel like pastries? have some of their iberry ice creams.

ann's sweet. thanon phra athit, across from santichaiprakan park (fort phrasumen), banglumpu.
hours 5am-8pm (8:30p on weekends). 06-889 1383

books a la cosmopolitan

skoob bookstore

tucked on the second floor of 'penny's balcony' stripmall on thonglor, skoob packs its small space with an impressive amount of new and used english & japanese books. unfortunately, i can't comment on the japanese literature available, but the english selection has a fair number of fiction and non-fiction, popular and slightly more obscure titles. though, if you're looking for something specific, it may be more difficult to find. and as a plus, all the used books i looked at were in good-as-new condition.
there's a jazz-flavored cd corner. it literally is a corner, but i was actually surprised with what albums they had - a mix of world, folk, indie, experimental. and they've got some funky, thai-cut tote bags for sale that are a livelihood project for rural areas.

and for all you caffeine-addicts, stay all day if you like: lavazza coffee & cookies available. seating sparse, though.
skoob. thonglor soi 16 (2nd fl. of "penny's balcony")

webby: www.skoob-bkk.com (it's a great ordering site for such a small shop)

coffee over the chao phraya

vivi the coffee place

i love lounging on the chao phraya river in bangkok. give me a spot on the bank and come back for me in 9 hours.
vivi "the coffee place" is a cute little coffee shop situated directly on the chao phraya across from wat arun. indoor ac and outdoor patio make for the best of both personal-comfort worlds. sip a bubbly italian soda, rich chocolately drink, or your favorite incarnation of coffee and enjoy the river.
kiwi soda on the patio
vivi - the coffee place (next to aurum river house). 394/29 thanon maharat, between soi setthakan and chetuphon, historical rattanakosin (just south of Wat Po/Grand Palace).
hours 8a-8p. drinks and assorted pastries 50-120B.