Coffee on the run....

This is one of my favourite little coffee stops. It's called "By Doi Chaang Coffee" and I really love the coffee they serve there. It's a small little joint at the BTS station of Phrom Phong. If you exit the train station you walk towards the exit closest to the park and the Robin Hood pub.

It is definately a coffee on the run shop, though they do provide a cute little wooden table and two small chairs if you want to sit while you wait and/or drink. What I like is that you can request no sugar or control the amount of sugar you put in. They also provide an abundance of flavours if you want to jazz up your coffe! The coffee is nice and strong and at 50baht for a standard hot coffee, 60baht for a ice-coffee and 70baht for frappe, the prices are very reasonable. But what I love about this place is the couple that run it. They are so sweet and friendly. This is what I love about Thailand, all the small little street places, or the mom and pop stores. It feels good to establish relationships with people that run these little businesses. And I get to practice my Thai with the people, too!

The Secret of the Soi



A soi here is akin to a street back home (in Australia) and once you venture off the main thoroughfare and into the sub-sois of Bangkok, you will come across many amazing restaurants, cafes, street vendors and shops. I have found that when you live in Bangkok you really do depend upon word of mouth and where your Thai friends suggest you visit or places your friends in general have happened upon. We have found many great places from simply walking along back sois and coming across places by chance.

 This restaurant is one that a friend insisted we try and now it has become a regular place to dine! Tucked away down Sukhumvit Soi 35, Gedhawa is the only (I believe) little restaurant on the street. It is such a cozy and charming little place that serves Northern Thai style food. Its decor is what I call Asian Vintage. They have these gorgeous collectables surrounding the dining area that look as though they were collected from the 50's or 60's. 

The food is divine and it is so affordable. Be warned, if you do not appreciate spicy food, this would not be a place for you! Every dish has a kick and it is what makes the food so, so good! The spicier, the better!

This is a 'must have' dish! You wrap the dried shrimp, nuts, ginger, lime, red onion and chili in a ka na leaf, sprinkle with dried coconut and spoon sauce on top.

I think this is one of my favourite Thai dishes, period. Khao Soi. I lived off this in Chiang Mai.

heh heh, these little fellas will get you!

This is the charm of Gedhawa

Worldly Grooves

Music expresses that which cannot be said
and on which it is impossible to be silent.
Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)

There is such a wealth of creativity in this country and this city, you just need to know where to look for it. From art galleries to photography exhibitions to live music. Bangkok embraces it all. There are many little gems around town. I remember Siam Square was home to many art galleries of various genres.

There are many good places to visit for live music, too. I wanted to share the World Music cultural event that I saw the other night. I have often seen free events here. I appreciate the accessibility of it and how anyone can be part of a musical quest. This night we witnessed an amazing Korean drum quartet and a selection of Thai dances. A marquee was set up with basic tables and chairs and food from around the world at the various stalls surrounding the venue.

This is what attributes to making Bangkok a wonderful city. Food on the street and at the stalls and live music from around the world! There is never a dull night here, that's for sure!!

Sidewalk Serenades

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart
and give thanks for another day of loving:
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love`s ecstasy:
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in you heart
and a song of praise upon you lips.

Kahil Gibran, "On Love", The Prophet (1923)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

                                                             

When you walk along the pathways outside Central World, you will notice an array of posterboards displaying messages of love and peace. Central World was always home to photography exhibitions held outside, so it is fitting that these posters go up around the reconstruction of the site that was marred by the social and political uprising this time last year.

I have no desire to comment on the politics of this country. I just enjoy walking past these boards that change almost weekly. Perhaps you could call it naive, but I am looking for all the positive elements of this city and these creations stir something inside of me.

Books, Books, Books!

and i'm so sad
like a good book
i can't put this day back
Tori Amos - A Sorta Fairytale, Scarlet's Walk

There is nothing quite like the smell of a book, be it new or old. I love the feel of a book. Flipping the pages like motion comic scene, the anticipation of entering a world full of life, colour and imagination. That is why I feel that sense of sadness impending when a book is coming to its end.

I read almost a book a week. So my bookshelf tends to be overflowing. My shelf flows over with books from Paulo Cohelo to Neil Gaiman to Dean Koontz. However, my love for forensic medical mysteries renders me unable to hang on to each and every copy, so I am thankful for some good book exchanges in Bangkok like Elite Sun Books.

You can find a good mesh of books and magazines here. If you time it right, you can even get the latest magazines for only 100baht! People, Who, Marie Claire, Men's Health, Psychologies. They usually have them all. But the best is the range of books stacked pile high on shelves that allow for only one body to persue at a time. It is a squishy little cove of bookery delights! and yes, it has that old book smell. mmmmmm-mmmmmmmmm!! You just have to open the book to the first page and on the top right corner they write the price, the price varying depending upon the age or popularity of the given book.

To get here, take the BTS to Phrom Pong Station

Exit number 5 then walk straight ahead. You will see Eilte Sun on the right hand. If you get to Villa Supermarket, you have gone too far!

Welcome to Bangkok Jems!

Bangkok or Krung Thep or Krung Thep (กรุงเทพ)  Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit (กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยามหาดิลก ภพนพรัตน์ ราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์ มหาสถาน อมรพิมาน อวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะ วิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์).

This is the city I live in. The City of Angels or The Venice of the East.
Bangkok is an amazing city. I love living here. This blog was born from a simple facebook status update. Jokingly refering to my 1, 856,349   reason as to why I love Bangkok, I thought, why not share all the reasons I love this enticingly beautiful city with friends and people around the world?

Many people have said to me that they favour the islands to spending time in Bangkok. Understandable. The Islands or Chiang Mai is my first thought for any holiday or long weekend. But why the disdain for Bangkok? I realised that Bangkok, for a tourist passing through, can be somewhat inaccessible. I am in the fortunate position of living here. Bangkok, for me, is about or hopping off the BTS or Subway to navigate the unyeilding pathways to experience back sois and hidden treasures. It is about sharing tidbits of information with friends as to the funky and decorative places to eat. Bangkok is full of surprises. It is full of little 'gems'.


Facebook Status Update
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 1:57pm
Reason 1,856,349 for loving Bangkok: the infinite array of high quality places to eat (be it a street vendor or restaurant). My new favourite: the cutest french cafe calle cafe tartine in ruam rudee. The french onion soup is amazing!!

Cafe Tartine. Soi Ruamrudee at the Athenee Residence. 65 Wireless Road. BTS Pleonchit. Lumpini, Pathumwan. Bangkok 10330.

02-1685464

My favourite new cafe in the centre of town. If you hop off Phloen Chit BTS you will see the Novotel Hotel on the left hand side of the road as you face Siam. Exit here and walk down Soi Ruamrudee. You will see on  your right hand side after Novotel, a group of restaurants. The first, Ad Makers, then Cafe Tartine and then Hyde and Seek.

Cafe Tartine is now my treat after training BJJ on a Saturday morning/afternoon. The food is fresh and delicicious. I recommend the french onion soup!!

I wholeheartedly recommend the french onion soup!

The atmosphere is so laid back. As you enter, you smell the warm aroma of garlic and you can watch the chefs at work in the kitchen. You feel as thought you are in someone's actual kitchen, it is that homely! Alternatively, they have seating outside (and yes, they provide you with a fan!) where you can rest amongst the water features and people watch! I sat for 2.5 hours reading my book and enjoying their food/coffee.

The vegetarian open sandwich!

Creme brule with blueberries. I felt like Amelie cracking the brule caramel topping!

The staff are genuinely friendly and make you feel comfortable and at ease. I love this little gem!