stumbling upon the good life – savoring food, discovering wine, and exploring places
From the monthly archives:
Enjoy a cocktail at sunset overlooking the former residence of the Chinese Emperor
The Yin Bar at the Emperor’s Hotel might just be the best rooftop bar in the city of Beijing. The hotel itself is one of the Design Hotels of the World, a list we often respect when we are hotel hunting in a new or familiar city. It usually stands for cool, hip, well-located, boutique hotels in exciting cities. [keep reading…]
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Thai food favourites in a lovely and classic Thai setting overlooking the Erawan shrine
I discovered the Erawan Tea Room when a Thai friend suggested it. I had been in Thailand about 3 months and was still feeling my way around, everything was new to me. And over the months some places fell away as I discovered favourites and others, like the classic Erawan Tea House, stayed in my repertoire for as long as I was in Bangkok. And now it is one of my favourite places to visit when I return, particularly as a place to take visitors as it embodies that classic and elegant Thai style that is so distinctive…yet somehow fading in Bangkok as more international trendy, mod options proliferate. [keep reading…]
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Transplanted from the younger, more modern, and hipper Siam Square, It’s Happened to be a Closet brings its kitschy style and cozy cafe environment to the luxury malls of Bangkok. Can something so artsy, design oriented, and in your face work in a mall littered with high-end shops like Prada, Hermes, Gucci, etc? [keep reading…]
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Tacos and Salsa joins Sunrise Tacos and Coyote Sukhumvit on foreigner friendly Sukhumvit road. I’ve only visited once, but already I’m thinking this could be the best (authentic) Mexican food in Bangkok.
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An elaborate tasting menu makes for a decadent fusion dining experience
We were delighted to be in Beijing…an unexpected detour on an extended business trip brought us to the former 2008 Olympic city. Immediately Paul, I and a colleague (Andy) set out to find the most distinctive of culinary experiences, and so it was that Blu Lobster emerged on our radars. The Spanish chef, Jordi Villegas Serra, had come from a distinctive background including a 2-starred Michelin restaurant in Barcelona and a 3-starred Michelin restaurant in Paris. Rumour has it Chef Serra is now after his own Michelin star. We heard that tasting menu was not to be missed, and so notebook and camera in hand, we set off to the Shangri La Hotel to try for ourselves. [keep reading…]
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Glorious cheese is the star in this Tokyo restaurant
As much as I absolutely adore Japanese food, we took a break from our much loved Yakitori and Katsudon to try an interesting concept in casual dining. A restaurant entirely based around creamy, fresh mozzarella flown in daily from the Paestum and the Agro Pontino areas of Italy (how extravagant!). [keep reading…]
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I will never forget where I was when I heard the story of the third biggest pumpkin in North Carolina
Great video for the fall holiday season.
Paul
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I’ve previously documented my wonderful experiences at Cayen in a three part series (pt 1, pt2, pt3). And so we were so excited that Cayen’s owner Carol is taking on a new project – Dolce Diva.
The launch event is Wed, 4 Nov and sounds like tons of fun for our female readers. Called Looking Good and Feeling Great it will celebrate beauty, wellness and fashion – at the Fusionopolis Sky Lounge. Along with makeovers, free flow drinks, canapes and great advice, the event features a Cayen fashion show which will have some wonderful new designs with the focus on looking your very best, whether you are working or playing. And it’ll have Jaymee Ong as gorgeous Diva MC! [keep reading…]
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Know the difference between apéritif and digestif? Know which one comes at what point in a meal? Ok, the picture above probably gives away the answer to the second question. Why do we have these drinks? Do they really work?
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This will be the last of my recipes from the Blue Elephant Cooking School in Bangkok, Thailand. This recipe blew me away, and completing this dish gave me new confidence in the kitchen. It seems difficult due to the number of steps and for some reason fish has always seemed harder to me… but the finished product is a complex fish that would wow any dinner party guest who ever visited your home. [keep reading…]
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