Plum position

Speaking of tamarind, I'm also so, so, SO into this Tamarind mixed with Plum that Mark gave us.

As both a tamarind and plum guy, this is a winning combiantion.

Ive been eating it non-stop. Which isn't a good idea since they don't have it here in MNL.

Next time I'm in BKK, I'm going to hoard this!

Denim & White: Belated Bangkok

Thanks to this series on denim and white tops, I'm reminded of this fabulous BKK find that hasn't been posted yet.

So, here's today's Denim & White outfit.

The top is from Pratunam, and it's a white polo with a graphic print of 2 paws holding a flower. The cool thing about this is the fact that the flower is 3D! It can be removed, too.

Because the top is already so ornate and eye-catching, the classic dark denim jeans sets it off perfectly.

Better late than never!

City of confusion

Had to go back and look at this frame from an online video that passed through my feed.

Had to look at it again, then screenshot it just to be sure.

After much examination, my hunch is correct. The city that they identified as "Bangkok" is actually Hong Kong! Having lived there for 4 years, those neon signs jutting out from office buildings are quintessential HKG.

The editor must've been confused.

Packaging is everything

As someone in the creative field, one admirable thing about Thailand is how nicely they package their products.

Check out this bottled water:

Yes, water is a commodity, but with the right packaging, it can turn into something chic and unique.

Wish we could do that here, too.

One skirt, two ways: Doing denim

There's this denim skirt from Regatta that's been in the stash for almost a month. Couldn't find the right top for it, so it couldn't get dispatched yet.

Thanks to my recent BKK trip, that skirt will not only be dispatched, but there are 2 ways to wear it.

First is this Ines dela Fressange knit top from Uniqlo. The relaxed silhouette and colour gives the whole ensemble a fashionable ease.

Second is this mixed denim top from Pratunam. The denim parts complement the skirt's hue, making this a perfect pair.

With the right top, this denim skirt became two chic!

Rock the Boots

This weekend trip to BKK made me realise how much I've missed Boots!

This store was my go-to gift shopping place way back during my HKG days. We'd often have meetings and shoots in BKK, and I'd spend my time at Boot's, hoarding shower gels, hand creams and other beauty products.

And that's still the case up until now. It only took one visit to the Boot's across our hotel, and my shopping spree commenced.

Boot's rocks!

Salad Days

If there's one thing that I've been eating every day and with every meal in BKK, it's this:

Som Tam!

This is my all-time fave Thai food. It's papaya salad with the right combination of sweet, savoury, sour and spicy.

I can eat this every day! (Oh wait, I already did!)

Ain't it Grand?

While the chic, modern and streamlined hotels are aesthetically eye-catching, I'm still partial to old-school hotels. Ones with big pillars, made with a mix of marble and wood. It gives off a vibe of grandeur that a modern hotel lacks.

That's why Arnoma Grand Hotel in BKK is one of my go-to hotels in Thailand.

Most people find the style old and retro, which it is. But it does it in a way that feels classic and nostalgic, which just further adds to its charm.

And the fact that it's at the centre of a number of malls - including Platinum Mall - makes it an even better choice.

Designer insects?

My first thought that it might be a knock-off brand. But since it was in Central World, it had to be legit.

Turns out, it's just a misspelling. The name on the logo is correct, and it was the name on the directory that was wrong.

Wonder how Guy Laroche would feel if he found out that his brand was turned into a reviled insect.

Proofreader please!

Cha Chance

Back when I'd frequent BKK - both for work and leisure trips - there were a few local places that were on my to-go-to list.

No matter how short or long my stay was, these were places that were not to be missed. It was a combination of malls like MBK, souvenir shops like Naraya, and Thai tea places like Cha Tra Mue.

It was at Cha Tra Mue where my appreciation for Thai Milk Tea started. And while there are stores in MNL that carried Thai Milk Tea, the original would always still be the best.

So, imagine my joy when they finally opened a Cha Tra Mue store in MNL! Not only that, they have Plum Green Tea in their menu.

Finally! No need to fly to BKK to get a chance to drink my fave Thai teas!

Thai-ming

If you can't go to BKK, let BKK come to you.

Every trip to BKK, one of the first things on my agenda is to visit their 7-11 or groceries to get local snacks. Among them, the local version and local flavours of Lay's Potato Chips.

Recently, in one of my "Mexican Moms try..." binge-watching days, I came across their feature on Thai chips:

This made me crave for those snacks so bad!

Thankfully, there's a Thai Mart online, and was able to order this from them.

Yes! Lay's Truffle Potato Chips.

This is perfect timing! I might not be able to go back to BKK yet, but at least my taste buds can.

Thai High

It was back in the 90s when I first encountered Maepranom Sweet Chilli Sauce.

During a visit to BKK, my friend and I ate at a street side restaurant at the infamous Khao San Road, and each table had a bottle of this bright red sauce that was filled with chilli peppers and chilli seeds.

Now, I'm used to Bicolano food, so spice doesn't faze me. After pouring the sauce over everything I ordered, it was like an epiphany for my taste buds. This sweet chilli sauce was all that. And more! I was on a sweet chilli high because of Maepranom.

Since then, each trip to BKK would include a search for a restaurant that had Maepranom on the table. Which was a lot, considering that this sauce is part and parcel of Thai culture. Heck, it was even there during my infamous backpacking adventure around Thailand!

When I lived in HKG in 2005, we would go to this hole-in-the-wall (literally) Thai restaurant which we fondly called "Thai Bedroom." The owner, a cheerful Thai lady, had a small store inside her flat and yes, she sold Maepranom. My 2 Thai colleagues - Prem and Golf - were surprised that I knew about the sauce. And even more surprised at how I'd hoard bottles of it. That's how much I craved for it!

So, what brought about this lengthy post about a small bottle of Thai sweet chilli sauce? It's the fact that it's available in the on-line supermarket that I frequent! And that's the reason why we now have bottles of these in our kitchen, and some more bottles about to arrive.

It feels like BKK in the 90s all over again!