Having "Me" Time

The weekend is always dangerous.  It's especially dangerous when I find myself in the electronics section or in the kitchen appliances area.  If I am in the Apple Store too long, I get tempted by the iPad 2, the MacBook Air or even the little accessories.  Suddenly my iPhone feels like it needs a couple more accessories. (I already have three brand new cases waiting to be used.  I'm stocking up for when iPhone 3GS cases become hard to find... :P)  At the moment, the universal dock is tempting. I can charge my phone on it at night without taking up space on my bedside table and it'll look pretty on its stand..hmm In the kitchen appliances area, I'm drawn by all the baking materials.  Yes, I enjoy being a girl and cooking although I am also a working woman.  I enjoy cooking.   For me its like I get to go on a little vacation and create a few things.  A stir here and there, pop it in the oven and suddenly you get a new creation.  At the same time, it's also relaxing

Health is a very important part of our lives and being in poor health can be detrimental to one's quality of life and affect greatly our lifestyles.  It can also affect our postures and our characters.   Imagine someone who is constantly at pain when walking or their arms and shoulders give them continued problems.  If you watch them, every now and then they'd stop walking, maybe walk crooked or suddenly rotates their shoulders in an upward movement as if some strange tick was making them move.  No matter how good looking they are, or how well dressed you are, this sudden tick of the shoulder can give the person next to you some doubts to your sanity. Shoulders used to be a big problem area for me and I realize also for my colleages.  Afterall sitting at the computer ten hours a day typing and clicking away on the computer isn't exactly what humans were designed to do.  We're supposed to be hunters and gatherers.  That's how our ancestors lived. Nowadays, we sit,

Tonight is the night I break the lucky 300th post. I therefore want to give a special note of appreciation and thanks to my dear readers. For each and everyone of you have and continue to inspire me. Your comments, your thoughts, and your support are an invaluable source of motivation for me to continue on writing. I also want to thank Alex who is always there by my side prodding me along whenever I need it. Thank you. Without your support, Having “Me” Time would most probably have been left to gather dust in a little corner and be one day labeled as “internet junk.” (Perhaps it might be so in the future, but not just yet. Not anytime soon.) I have to admit that writing out into the abyss of the internet day-in day-out can be somewhat of a daunting task. There is so much out there. The internet is a vast universe of its own and we occupy but tiny corner of it. A nano sized speck invisible to the human eye. For three hundred nights I have sat in front of my computer screen

When it rains, the soul gets soothed especially so if you are indoors listening to music.  It is even more soothing when you are indoors and playing an instrument.  It's been awhile since I've played the piano or touched my flute, but something about the rain made me want to play the piano today and so I did.  My soul was soothed. Upon playing I realized that it's been a very very long time since I've really just sat down and had some serious personal music time.  I don't know if its the same for you, but going to college somehow ended the musical phase of my life.  I didn't pursue anything musical in college, and together with classes and coursework, practicing on the piano or playing the flute was pushed aside.  It simply lost priority even though in highschool I was in the band.  Oh well, I suppose that's what happens. Then you move, pack your musical instruments away and hardly see them again.  Then more than a decade after you start working you real

If you live in Bangkok, drive, and find yourself caught in rush hour rain, then your usual simple journey back home can take on an entire new life and become an adventure of sorts. An adventure from the seat of your car. Today it took me two hours to arrive home. It usually takes me half an hour. There’s something about rain in Bangkok that just causes havoc. When it rains, it floods on certain roads. These floods cause cars to drive slowly. Slow cars means slow traffic. Then you have the crazy drivers that think they can push their cars through the traffic and end up blocking everyone else’s path, therefore causing even more road blocks. Some end up causing accidents, thereby resulting in even more traffic. I see these cars like characters in a racing game. You have the good obedient drivers that follow the rules no matter what : the perpetually calm driver . You have the usual obedient driver that suddenly realises following the rules results in being constantly over

Tonight I am a little contemplative.  I think it's perhaps because of what I first saw when I got out of the house this morning coupled with the scandals making headline news.   Usually in my usual rush to work, the focus is about getting there on time, getting things done and ignoring all what else that might come between me and my goal.  I get a little frustrated when things don't go my way.  So when you open the front gate and come face to face with "death" it can be a little silent reminder on the brevity of life. Don't worry, it wasn't someone by my front gate (if it were, I'd probably be in too much of a shock to write tonight.) The "death" I saw was that of a young little kitten.   At first glance I thought the little kitten was just having a nap by my neighbour's house, but upon closer inspection I realized that it wasn't moving, it wasn't breathing and that there was dry blood not too far from the kitten.  The little kitt

It's been a busy few days for this writer but fear not, she has not forgotten Having "Me" Time.  It's  has become a part of her life that can no longer be separated, for no matter how much there is to do, you must take time out to enjoy it a little, experience the moment, remember the little things in life.  One such way of course is to reunite with friends, chit chat, catch up on each others lives and all this while enjoying good food and good atmosphere. (Girls always like the nice ambiance)  Last weekend, I had the opportunity to explore this cafe and restaurant called " Buttercup ." The name itself is so adorable it brings me back to my childhood days when you still ran around on the grass and got your hands dirty with dirt and flowers.    We'd play with buttercups (yes the real flowers) and put them under our chin to see if its beautiful shade of yellow would reflect onto our chin.  If it did, it was supposed to mean that your wish would come

If you've been following my blog you can probably tell that my life revolve around traveling, exploring new places, finding good places to eat and then running it off.  One cannot have all the good stuff without some spending some time to exercise and take care of one's body.   One important factor to maintaining one's health is to also understand what we eat.  What goes into our bodies?  What ingredients are used to cook what?  How is a croissant different from a whole wheat bread? They are both bread aren't they? What's in a quiche and fruit tart? While baking quiche and making fruit tart over the weekend a thought hit me.  This was a wonderful way to learn and realize what really goes into our food!  Here you get to know all the ingredients! Croissant, a favorite of mine requires lots and lots of butter for it to get all those layers and soft texture.  Oh how divine it is to just sink your teeth into the buttery croissant.  Whole wheat bread, however, requi

On the day you go to visit Bang Pa-In the summer palace, you can also opt to go to the ancient capital of Ayutthaya were there are beautiful ancient temples at almost every turn.  I had been to the ancient capital in my younger days when my Thai Professor took me on a trip to learn about our culture.  I'm grateful for all she has taught me and the time she has spent.  Last time I went to Bang Pa-In I wanted to visit the temples in Ayutthaya too but since I spent too much time in Bang Pa-In absorbing its beauty I made it to only one temple, but what a magnificent and beautiful temple it is:  Wat Yai Chaimongkhon This temple predates Ayutthaya and was initially a monastry constructed by King U-Thong in the buddhist era of 1900 (B.E.) for monks who had been ordained in Ceylon.  This temple witnessed the fight between the then Kingdom of Siam and Burma over power and territory.  It was a matter or who would be King and who would reign over this vast Kingdom.  There was a particula

It's a long weekend in Bangkok and what bliss it is to have a four day weekend.  You do your errands, have family time, have time for friends and still you have time leftover for yourself.  It's a great opportunity to unwind, relax and slow down a little.  It's also a great time to travel.  If you don't want to go to the beach or to the mountains where a significant portion of Bangkok's population has escaped to, you could choose to opt for a day trip to Bang Pa-In Palace  near the ancient capital of Ayutthaya . If you have visitors from out of town, this is a great place to take them without having to drive too far.  The palace is only roughly forty-five minutes by car so you don't feel too exhausted by the time you get there. Bang Pa-In is also known as the summer palace and has a history dating back to the 17th century when King Prasart Thong first had the palace constructed.  The most beautiful building in the compound is the Thai-style pavillion cal

The other day I had a chance to go to a temple unlike others in that the monk does not simply chant the buddhist prayers during the funeral, but instead he'll spend roughly half an hour teaching us some of the philosophies in plain language for all to understand.  I think it's great and I although the journey there was long and the journey back included wading through the flood and having my car at times turn into a boat, a lot of interesting thoughts remained in mind.  So much so I thought it'd be great to share a little of it here with you today.  It's about anger. Now we humans all have emotions. We feel happiness, sadness, fear, anger, jealousy and a zillion other feelings.  Sometimes we feel more than one at the same time and cannot quite distinguish which is which.   Sometimes they get the better of us and start influencing our actions. It's how we control those emotions though that make all the difference.   The monk's example was on "Anger."

Today I'm taking a break from all the travel and want to share with you a funny story instead.  It happened to me this morning and thinking about it makes me laugh.  I do wonder though who is the culprit.  The active or the lazy me. You judge. The story goes like this.  Tuesdays being my running day, I prepare my things the night before and make a mental note before going to bed that I "must" wake up in the wee hours of the morning to get myself to the gym, run, shower, and then off to the office on time. It's a "must" because if I gave myself any excuse, I'll find myself in the vicious cycle of wake up late, no running, and sleeping late...Recipe for weight gain. So this morning as usual my iPhone alarm clock wakes me up with a lovely tune.  I reach out and turn off the sound. I get up, go to the bathroom and get dressed in my gym clothes.  Black running pants with an orange shirt today. That's my outfit.  I grab my things and I'm off to go.

There's a road in the old part of Bangkok (now often called Rattanakosin Island), that I enjoy visiting not only for the food but also for the ambiance.  This row of old shop houses has stood the test of time and now caters to a young and funkier crowd that I guess would never have crossed the original owners' mind.  Located next to Thailand's second oldest universities, and adjacent to the backpacker haven of "KhaoSan Road,"  students, artists, and those seeking an alternative atmosphere come here to dine, listen to Jazz and walk in the park. Although it has changed much over the years, some of it still remains the same.  The old shop houses most date back roughly a hundred years and the old fortress of Pra Sumen date back to time of King Rama I.   It is one of only two remaining from the original fourteen built.  It's ancient yet it stands there towering above the park and Pra Athit Road for all to see and to admire.  It's now part of the Santichaipra

Over the past few days I've been recommending the best of what ancient Bangkok has to offer in terms of sites and cultural heritage for those have only a day to spend.  Below is my recommended itinerary and one that I use when I have friends visiting :)  Hope you like it! Morning :  - Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha Lunch :  Pra Athit Road (There are so many restaurants along this road, I'll mention them in my next post) Afternoon :  - Temple of the Reclining Buddha  - Tea at "Vivi The Coffee Place"  - Cross the river to the Temple of Dawn Evening :  - Dinner at "The Deck" Arun Residence I realize I haven't  really talked about where to eat "Lunch" yet and eating is always a big deal of travel.  Somedays on trips one can spend so much time looking for good delicious food it can be a bit of a headache.  In the next post I'll give you some recommendations about restaurants along "Pra Athit" Road wh

In my previous post I took you to a little coffee shop that overlooks the river and has a majestic view of the Temple of Dawn.  If you aren't too tired after the walk around the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, I suggest you make one more stop before you journey back to rest.  If it's too hot and you have more days, come back another day to visit the Temple of Dawn.  It is indeed beautiful and one that should not be missed. I wrote about my visit to the Temple of Dawn earlier last year, so check it out if you are interested :)  ( http://havingmetime.wordpress.com/2010/05/14/the-temple-of-dawn/ )  It is a beautiful site indeed. What I didn't mention last year though was this little restaurant right opposite the Temple of Dawn called "The Deck"(which a friend kindly mentioned yesterday :) Thank you.  It is located not too far from Vivi the Coffee Place and it too is part of a boutique hotel called Arun Residence ( http://www.arunresidence.co

There is a hidden secret that was discovered by a colleage a few years back right and one that I truly enjoy visiting. Thank you na ka.  It's a little coffee shop called "Vivi The Coffee Place" located right next to the river of Kings and it is somewhere that is perfect if you want to stop by and have a little rest after a visit to the Grand Palace or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.  It gets hot and humid and having somewhere to just chill and relax by the river is ideal.  Or if you just need a little hideaway, this place too is the perfect place.  It's quiet, it has a gorgeous view of the Temple of Dawn, an ancient fortress and you can spend a good number of hours just reading away.  Away from all the crowds of people you usually find on streets and shopping malls.  Here you are at peace. The Coffee shop is part of a boutique hotel called "Aurum" which in itself is a beautiful building that makes you wonder if you are indeed in old Bangkok.  I beli

On the same day that you visit the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, I also recommend visiting the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho).  It is located right adjacent to the Grand Palace so it is within walking distance and it allows you to see some more of Bangkok.   Although this temple is less spacious I like it because it offers less shade and it is somewhere one can spend a good amount of time just walking around and taking in the atmosphere.  This is also supposedly one of Thailand's oldest Buddhist temples and dates back to the time before Bangkok was our capital.   The original temple on the site has long gone, but the current temple built in the 18th century is a restoration of the original. For lovers of Thai Traditional Massage, you might also want to know that this temple is supposedly the birthplace of the Thai Traditional Massage.  It is now also home to the school of traditional medicine and massage so if you're feeling tired, you can have

If you are visiting Bangkok or have friends visiting Bangkok, a site you cannot miss is the Grand Palace .  I always believe that to understand a city and its people you have to understand it's past.  The Grand Palace is exactly that.  It is what the old Kingdom of Siam (Thailand before we changed our name) is all about and it is indeed majestic sitting on the banks of the ChaoPhraya River or the River of Kings.  If you are a first time visitor, this should be your first stop, and if you have friends coming over, please take them to the Grand Palace.  It's an amazing site that everytime I go there, I feel like I'm transported into another era.   Bangkok is not just about shopping malls and good food. Amazingly, one can spend years and years in Bangkok living day to day life and probably never see the Grand Palace if you don't make an effort to see it. The city has expanded so much and now the economic centre is far from the Old Bangkok.  If you don't have any bus

I've been getting a lot of questions from friends lately requesting recommendations about where they can entertain guests or friends from abroad.  We want to take them somewhere that is uniquely Thai, and see things that shouldn't be missed on one's trip here.  What is there to see that is local?  Where are some good restaurants that serve great food and have good ambiance (without killing your bank account)?  Where can one go which is not confined to shopping malls and yes, more shopping malls?  How should we plan the day? Bangkok is a large city of 10 million people and there is much to see and do similar to most cosmopolitan cities that thinking of "uniquely local" things can be a daunting task.  I've therefore decided that it's time for me to compile the best of what there is to see and do in Bangkok and Day Trips to places not far off.  These are places I've taken my friends out to, places I've visited and things that I find work for those w