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mArch 2010
Style& Designaward-winning travel classics, from cars to cultural spaces
Singapore Sg$7.90 ● Hong Kong HK$43THailand THB175 ● indoneSia idr50,000MalaySia Myr17● VieTnaM Vnd85,000Macau Mop44 ● pHilippineS pHp240 BurMa MMK35 ● caMBodia KHr22,000 Brunei Bnd7.90 ● laoS laK52,000
Trave l a n d Le i s u re A s i a .co m
SKY-HIGH DININGIN HONG KONG
PluS: ASIA’S mOSt excluSIve DeAlS
17
SPecIAl
First look at Krabi’s hottest new resort
t+l StYle excluSIve!
essential guide to the city’s music boom
Beijing Rocks
trendsetter tips that you’ll love
Bangkok Glam
Where art and architecture are
taking hold
las vegas
Insider tips from top
designers
20*
30 M A R C H 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M
insider | newsfl ash
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T E C H
iPhone users now have Southeast Asia at their fi ngertips thanks to
applications like the Lonely Planet’s City Guides series (lonelyplanet.com;
US$15.99), which includes several major cities in the region. Loaded with
maps and reviews, you can access what’s in the area by tapping the
“nearby” button on the screen. DK Eyewitnesses’ Top 10 Bangkok and
Top 10 Hong Kong (traveldk.com; US$7.99) provide recommendations,
photos, and city and subway maps that are available offl ine, while the
currency converters are a plus. Aimed at independent travelers, Angkor by
Travelfi sh.org (travelfi sh.org; US$7.99) features a walking tour, bookable
accommodation and personalized maps. Speak Thai with iPoodThai
(ipoodthai.com; US$2.99), a talking phrasebook that can give directions, order
food, book a room and even bargain for you. But with only 500 words and
phrases, it’s purely survival Thai.—M O N S I C H A H O O N S U WA N
Asia by iPhoneTokyo is a magnet for design fi ends, and now you can get your fi x at über-hip Hotel Claska’s fi rst branch of its Zen-like gallery and shop, Do, located in the basement of Parco department store in stylish Shibuya (15-1-B1F, Shibuya Parco, Udagawa-chou, Shibuya-ku; 81-3/5456-2833; claska.com). Curated by the hotel’s design guru Takeo Okuma, Do’s selection includes exquisitely crafted clothes, stationery, home wares and more by emerging designers such as ceramist Taichi Azuma. There’s also a small gallery space where regularly rotating exhibitions are held.
DESIGN NATION
S H O P
Street SmartsDon’t look at Take Away (€35; amazon.fr), a book by
Jean-François Mallet, on an empty stomach. Traveling
from Argentina to Australia, the photographer documents
street eats in 26 countries in this 500-photo paean to authentic
fast food. There are plenty of shots from our region—pho in
Hanoi, grilled fi sh in Bangkok—as well as less familiar ones of
African stews, Armenian fl atbreads and empanadas from
Nueva York. Interspersed are recipes. Be warned: they’re in
French, so grab a dictionary and head to the kitchen.
J
B O OK S
32 M A R C H 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M
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Dining on the CheapFoodies sharpen your knives: Restaurant Week—seven days of fi ne prix-fi xe meals at rock-bottom prices—will be held in Singapore from March 22–28 (restaurantweek.sg). During that week, top-fl ight restaurants such as Fiftythree, Absinthe and Garibaldi will be offering S$35 three-course dinners and S$25 three-course lunches. Seats are limited, so book now.
EAT
From top: Black Cod from The Cliff; inside Garibaldi.
Gadgets on the GoPack extra-light with space-saving gear perfect for frequent travelers. By MELANIE LEE
T E C H
Where the Wild Things Are Up-and-coming fashion designers in Bangkok now
have a permanent home: Mob.F (4th fl oor, Siam Center,
979 Rama 1 Rd.; mob-f.com) is a 400-square-meter,
atmospherically lit space devoted to 42 new talents who can’t afford
their own retail outlets. Fashions tilt more towards youth: think faux
pearl–embellished metal band T-shirts and furry, studded
wristbands. But their slinky cocktail dresses and stripy bow ties work
well for any age. Make sure to check out Zabede’s handmade bags
and shirts. Natta offers limited-edition handmade accessories, while
Curated features statement necklaces made of silicone and
tongue-in-cheek Coca-Cola charms.— M . H .
FA S H I O N
OrigAudio’s Speakers
Made out of recycled cardboard, these
8-centimeter, 1-watt box speakers can be folded fl at and plugged into any device that has a headphone jack.
Check out the funky, limited-edition designs.
origaudio.com; US$16 per pair.
Powermat’s Portable Mat
The days of lugging around an unwieldy tangle of power cords are over with this sleek black mat that folds up into the size of a coaster.
Using electromagnetic technology, it can simultaneously charge up to
three enabled devices wirelessly, and has an additional USB port to boot.
powermat.com; US$99.
3M’s MPro150
This 1GB pocket projector packs all the punches.
Able to display Microsoft Offi ce and Adobe
applications, it also comes with integrated speakers, and can project images up
to 127 centimeters. 3m.com; US$395.
M A R C H 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M48
insider | local lore
Modern Masterpieces. Soi Ekamai in Bangkok is a treasure trove for Midcentury furniture mavens, whether you’re after replicas or the real thing. By JENNIFER CHEN
THAILAND
Hawaii Five-O displays originals that can be copied.
Photographed by CHRISTOPHER WISE
■ JOE’S BEAUTIFUL OBJECTS A trained architect, Sangkorn “Joe”
Soonthornkasemsuk began by
importing authentic pieces from
Scandinavia, but later moved into
reproductions as originals became
scarcer. Located in his 1970’s
bungalow, the brightly lit, crammed
showroom features skillfully made
replicas of designs by such Modernist
heavyweights as Hans Wegner and
Finn Juhl, two of Joe’s design heroes.
Every item is customizable; there’s
dozens of swatches to choose from, but
make sure to ask Joe about the retro
fabrics that he buys off eBay. The
showroom is only open in the
afternoons, so best to call before you
make the trek. 284/2 Ekamai 18,
Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/711-5780; joe_
bo50@yahoo.com; shipping available.
■ Y50 Looking for the real thing?
This packed-to-the-gills retro
emporium is the place. Owner Pramet
Srithongkul developed an affi nity
towards streamlined Scandinavian
design during stopovers in Copenhagen
while working for Thai Airways. “They
use a lot of teakwood—maybe that
reminded me of Thailand,” he says.
Pramet sources original pieces by
Midcentury masters from auctions held
in Europe; printouts of his recent
acquisitions are taped on the wall by
the door for reference. A self-taught
furniture expert, he’s happy to consult
one of his many design books—retro
fi nds themselves—to tell you a piece’s
exact provenance. Take your time to
comb through the jumble: patient,
eagle-eyed shoppers will be rewarded
with vintage crocodile bags and rare
1960’s ceramics from Denmark. If you
can’t fi nd what you’re looking for,
Pramet can direct you to his
warehouse, about 15 kilometers away
on Ram Intra Road. Before you go, fl ip
through the photo albums cataloging
his inventory. Upstairs is a bar popular
with the neighborhood’s bright young
things, should you need a stiff drink
before dropping Bt40,000 on a genuine
49
Vintage Street From top: A retro lamp from Hawaii Five-O; Y50 sells more than just furniture; Khun Joe of Joe’s Beautiful Objects.
Wegner chair. 24 Ekamai Soi 21,
Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/711-5629;
shipping available.
■ HAWAII FIVE-O Kitty-cornered
from Y50, this plain-looking store
churns out well-made replicas at
reasonable prices; chairs run between
Bt6,000 to Bt18,000. Owner and
antique enthusiast Satit
Thammapapkul has fi lled the store
with originals by the likes of George
Nelson and Eero Saarinen; customers
are encouraged to test out chairs before
making a decision. 34 Ekamai 21,
Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/711-6415;
hawaii50bkk.com; shipping available.
—With reporting by M O N S I C H A
H O O N S U WA N. ✚
T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M | M A R C H 2 0 1 0
Chatuchak Weekend Market
66
stylish traveler | street corner
M A R C H 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M
BANGKOK GLAM
■ CHUTIKARN NGAMTHURA STUDENT“I’m a regular at Rotsaniyom [Section 2, Soi 40, Chatuchak Weekend Market; 66/813-042-198] — which you can tell from the bag I’m carrying — because of its vintage, earth-tone collections that suit my comfort-loving style. Art dictates how I mix and match my clothes. I own a plethora of bandanas, mostly from Chatuchak, but this one I’m wearing now is my favorite because it can easily match the rest of my outfi t.”
■ KITTASAK KITRUNGROT INTERIOR DESIGNER“I often go to various art galleries. There is one near MBKcalled Jamjuree Art Gallery [Jamjuree Building 8, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Rd.; 66-2/218-3709] where amazing exhibitions are held. I also love hanging out at The Roof Restaurant [25th fl oor, Siam@Siam Design Hotel & Spa, 865 Rama 1 Rd.; 66-2/217-3070; siamatsiam.com; drinks for two Bt300] because it possesses a strong art-gallery ambience.”
THAILAND
T+L asks eight trendsetters in the City of Angels for their shopping tips and more. Photographed by CHRISTOPHER WISE
B ACK IN 2003, EX-PRIME MINISTER THAKSIN
Shinawatra declared he wanted to make Bangkok a
fashion capital on par with Paris and Milan. That
plan, like his reign in power, fi zzled, but with homegrown
labels such as Sretsis, Disaya and Headquarter gaining
followings overseas, the city’s fashion scene is going strong
without the need of offi cial backing. One weekend, we
trawled Siam Square and Chatuchak Market, the stomping
grounds of up-and-coming designers and local hipsters
(called dek naew in Thai), where we found looks ranging from
nerd chic to glam rock.—WA S I N E E C H A N TA KO R N and
M O N S I C H A H O O N S U WA N
■ WATCHAREE PENGJAM OFFICE WORKER“Korean pop groups are big in Thailand, and Watcharee admits to being under the spell of all things Korean. “There’s a restaurant named Ko Si Rae [99/97 Soi Thonglor, Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/714-8683; dinner for two Bt700] in Thonglor that I like.”
■ SARUNYA SIRIYAMUN HAIR STYLIST “I frequently stop by Angel Shoes [292/8 Siam Square, Soi 4; 66-2/658-3863] for designs ... I love Slim [29/22-32 RCA Block S, Rama 9 Rd.; 66-2/242-4499] for its variety of music.” ■ KITTIPHAT KUMDUANG HAIR STYLIST “I’m a small guy, so occasionally I get my clothes from female’s stores. There’s Oh My God [3rd fl oor, Platinum Fashion Mall, Phetchaburi Rd.; no telephone], which features its own designs — right now they have bright, colorful pants.”
■ WONGSATHORN YINDEEPHOLCHAROEN STUDENTGlass Shoes [Ayuthaya Soi 3, Suan Lum Night Bazaar; no telephone] is one of his favorite shops.■ TANYAPORN KANCHANAHOTI STUDENT “I can dress any style, depending on my mood and the place I’m going,” says 19-year-old Tanyaporn, who hangs out at the Moroccan-themed Al Majlis [Praduu Spa Club, 83/8 Soi Ekamai 12, Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/392-2345; drinks for two Bt300].
■ TANATIP SOMTONG COMPUTER SPECIALIST “Skinny jeans are the only kind I wear; when I see them, I buy them — mostly at CHAPS [various locations; chapsclothing.com] because of their well-designed patterns and perfect shape. Finding shirts is diffi cult for guys with big torsos like me, but I got this one from my friend’s roadside stand at Chatuchak. After shopping, I never forget to stop by Som Tum Fun Ta Lop [Section 26, Soi 1, Chatuchak Weekend Market; no telephone] for an order of the scrumptious guay jab yuan [Bt30].” �
Siam Square
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