ASIATIQUE The Riverfront

Am I really ready to shop anywhere? “Yes” is the correct answer since the question comes from no-brainer like myself.  That being admitted, I would like to share one new open-air mall with Chao Phraya river views, namely, ASIATIQUE The Riverfront, which I have visited yesterday. Going there is quite easy: from BTS Saphan Taksin station, I took free shuttle boat from the Sheraton Pier provided by the mall starting from 5 p.m. The mall itself is situated on Chareonkrung Road and we can expereice shopping, dining, and architecture at the same place, the old port of the East Asiatique Company, from 5 pm to midnight. However, most of the shops are still in work in progress stage and the best part of it, I might have to go there again to enjoy newest shopping experience. 

Koh Samui - Chaweng beach

Koh Samui (เกาะสมุย), the third largest island after Phuket ( ภูเก็ต) and Koh Chang (เกาะช้าง) is situated in the southern province of Surat Thani in Thailand. I was there a week ago and I have to admit felling in love with that particular beach, namely, Chaweng beach, situated on the island’s northeast coast. It is a beautiful, fairly clean, white sandy beach surrounded by a bunch of coconut trees.  We didn’t go for any day trips like we did in Phuket or Krabi as I didn't want to experience the motion sickness again and the place we stayed have everything we could possibly need during our days at the beach: Jacuzzi, swimming pools, spa, water bar, restaurants and the beach is just a minute away. Though I don’t forget my sunscreen, my skin turns to dark chocolate color as opposed to caramel, and though I promised myself not to crave food, I gained a few kilos by eating a lot of food, lol!!!  

BIFF & BIL 2011 - Ika Butoni

I have no extraordinary skills to explicitly describe how great and fabulous the fabric, the design, the accessories were of the designer Ika Butoni from BIFF & BIL 2011 ASEAN Integration. I have nothing but some pictures of that day and hope it could ease my impulse to posting with "no guilt" even though it is nothing that myself and my friends from blogosphere really need or enjoy.

Jim Thompson

There is nothing classified my friend as shopaholic but she is, indeed, in love with shopping. This time around, her interest in fabric passes from Naraya to Jim Thompson. So we spent a few hours looking around Jim Thompson shops in Siam Paragon, Central World and Isetan Branches but, for no apparent reason, I suggested her to shop around for same products @ Jim Thompson Outlet at 153, Soi Sukhumvit 93. I called the shop for detailed direction and took a taxi to go there. Of course, the price are generally cheaper, the staffs are amicable and plus foreigners can claim Value Added Tax (VAT). As it was already lunchtime when we reached there, we decided to have lunch @ the café first and do the shopping later. She ordered stir-fried flat rice noodle with chicken and I had my favorite Raad Naa Kung (shrimp and vegetable gravy flat rice noodle). With drinks, our lunch costs 15 US$ and I thank my friend of this delicious meal. She got a blouse, a tie, cushion covers, handkerchiefs but couldn’t find the purse she liked. By the way, the crunchy muesli cookie and almond cookie from the café taste great and it has been snacks of the month for me. Overall it was a nice shopping day without sweat.

9$ Lunch

No, no, no, I didn’t cook all those yummy Thai dishes and I strongly believe this dear friend can cook those dishes in her sleep. It was simply what we had for lunch during my friend’s shopping spree at weekend market. Rather than bore everyone with the details of how we shop till we drop, I would annoy my friends with how much we spent for those delicious meals at Chatuchak market. We ordered 2 bamboo shoot salads, 1 crispy catfish with mango salad, 1 fried chicken, 1 fried Chaing Mai sausage, and 2 sticky rice and all of that costs only 270 Bahts or 9$. 

End of the Journey

My James Bond Island tour finished after visiting two islands, namely, Koh Panyee ( เกาะปันหยี ) and Koh Khao Phing Kan (เขาพิงกัน). Ever since I have watched the advertisement campaign from TMB Bank, I am excited to visit Koh Panyee or Fishing Village in Phang Nga Province. We went there by long-tailed boat: the weather was not on our side as it started raining. As you know for certain, I was scared but intended to go according to tour plan and finally arrived to the island.

We stayed there about 45 minutes and continued our journey to Koh Khao Phing Kan, also known as James Bond Island, after 1974 movie flick “The man with the Golden Gun”. We had 30 minutes to view the famous island and the islet, Koh Khao Tapu ( เขาตะปู ), situated around 40 meters from the shore. I didn’t try to go near this mushroom-like islet, as it was muddy due to changing pattern of the tides. At the end of the day, I couldn’t express how pleased I was to be able to stand still on the ground. 

Some of my friends from blogosphere may have seen them million time but if you ask me, I have never ever seen those shell rock formation in my life and thus I wanted to keep in my web journal.