Having "Me" Time

The other day I read an interesting book called “I Moved Your Cheese.” It’s a book that follows on the famous “Who Moved My Cheese?” and I find it interesting for it tells a story of three mice in a maze that challenged the maze in which they lived. It’s fascinating. The story is simple and you could finish the book in one night, yet it makes one think. It is a reflection of what life should be. The three mice in the story were not like the other mice for they thought outside the box. They questioned the fact that “cheese” was indeed important for everyone and if they should in fact pursue this “cheese” just because everyone else is pursuing it. Follow the cheese and find it. Adapt so that one can consume this cheese. To put things short, the story basically teaches us to do some self reflection. Think about what this “cheese” is for us. To some, it may mean getting that limited edition bag, to others it could mean going on a trip, or for some it could just mean sitting...

I love it when friends take me to off the beaten track eateries. Little treasures that just make you wonder what other secrets lay hidden waiting to be discovered. This latest discovery came quite unexpected for it was a chance meeting and we took the opportunity to go grab a bite to eat. In search of somewhere not too far from Silom, Narathiwat and the Rama IV area my friend navigated me to this little japanese eatery called “Sendai Ramen Mokkori Silom.” Don’t ask me what the name means. I only know “Ramen” and “Silom”(road name.) It’s one of those eateries you find in the least expected places. It’s at the base of an old-fashioned condominium at Narathiwat Soi 1. It seems to have been around for quite some time and probably well-known to those who go to that area, but for me it was an area I hardly go to and a street I’ve never driven into. What’s surprising is that walking out of the condominium parking (you can get your parking ticket validated at the eatery) you do not...

It’s almost the end of January, I have a zillion things to do yet right now all I am thinking about are socks. Yes, you read it right. Socks. Those soft cushy things you put on your feet to keep warm and wear with shoes. What? Are you serious? Yes, I am. I am very serious. I have to confess, I have actually been thinking about socks for a few days now so it’s about time I wrote about it. It all started when I resumed my running schedule after a few weeks of rest. Most days, running is a bore and I do it just so that I can eat and have that delicant piece of sinful chocolate that melts in your mouth. However, one day a week or so again, I ran and ran and for the first time in a long time, I felt that running was enjoyable. It was fun, relaxing and I enjoyed feeling my feet pacing up and down on the treadmill. I felt bouncy and my feet were happy. I could run more than I had for awhile. I wondered if it was runner’s high, but it wasn’t. I thought that maybe it was because I had...

The vegetarian festival is coming up soon in Bangkok and so if you are looking for somewhere that serves delicious vegetarian food, I recommend this little restaurant called "Thamna".  This literally translates to "farming" in Thai.   It's a lovely little eatery that opened up roughly two years ago and is very close to my office, so close that I had not written about it.  It is, however, one of my all time favorites and somewhere where you can go have a healthy meal. It's a tiny little shop with a cosy ambiance and soft music playing in the background.  Paintings line the walls and it has a somewhat artistic feel to it.  It has roughly 6 tables so I recommend making a reservation if you plan to go there during the peak hours of noon.  Office workers from nearby go to this shop during the lunch break. What kind of food do they serve?  It's a vegetarian restaurant so no meat is served here, only vegetables and lots and lots of mush...

Finally the weekend is here and what else is there to think about other than good food and good company?  (I, however, will be home resting since the flu has caught up on me and going around with my sore throat and stuffy nose is just not good).    Although my tastebuds are currently tasteless from the flu, I do have some craving for some sphaghetti and hamburgers which reminded me of this place I went to a few weekends ago.  It's called "Wine I Love You" and is located at the CDC also known as Crystal Design Centre.   I have to admit, the last time I went to CDC was when it was just newly opened with few shops and hardly any people.  Now on weekends, it's bustling and full of activity. Absolutely amazing.  With shops, comes restaurants and wanting to try something new, Alex and I decided to try out "Wine I Love You." The decor has a bistro kind of feel to it, and it reminds me of a wonderful hamburger place I went to in D.C.  I fe...

It's Friday evening and the weekend lies ahead.  When I get tired, when I need a holiday sometimes all it takes is a little day trip to revitalize the soul.  Just an hour outside of Bangkok and already it can make one feel relaxed. I see the big open sky high above me and somehow it dissolves away the hassles and tiredness of everyday life.  If you are wondering what to do this weekend, perhaps you can take a little trip to Bang pu (Bangpoo).  It's actually only around 45 minutes away and a good place to just go have a good lunch and come back refreshed. Bang pu is adjacent to Bangkok in Samut Prakarn province and lies southeast of Bangkok.  It borders on the Gulf of Thailand and that's where its charm lies.  You can go have a nice meal by the gulf and it's only an hour's drive away.  A good place to escape the hassle and bustle of modern Bangkok.  A restaurant Alex and I tried and have since gone back is called "Rabiengta- Le" which li...

This past weekend, my friends and I went to try out a new restaurant.  Thanks to one of my dearest friends, who always seeks out wonderful new places, we get to try out new restaurants and eateries which aren't located in hotels and department stores.  Those are left for the days when you need a safe option.   This weekend we went to a Restaurant and Winebar on Sukhumvit  Soi 33 called "The Horse Says Mooo0." It's a strange name that really catches your attention and has everyone asking "What is the name again?" the first time they hear it.  That was certainly my reaction.  It is also a name that once you've heard it and been, it's hard to forget.  I definitely won't be forgetting it anytime soon (which I suppose is what the owners must want.) We went there for brunch, but they are also serve wine and beer and have live music along so the atmosphere must be quite different.  It seems to be ...

Talking to a Japanese friend about Japanese food and ramen, I cannot but think about taking you to this ramen place I've been going to since I was young called "Ramentei."  If you live in Bangkok, I'm sure many of you have heard about this place and have been to it.  They have a couple branches, with the original one being near Villa Supermarket on Sukhumvit 33.  There's another one next to Thaniya Plaza where one goes to see golf materials, and there is also one between Suriwong and Silom roads. What I love about it, is that it's simple, serves good food fast and you know what to expect.  Delicious ramen, served efficiently and in a relatively clean restaurant.   Some locations are older than others, but overall, it's clean and good.   You can choose between sitting in the Japanese style tables, or on regular tables.  I personally prefer regular tables since I always think they're more comfortable and don't require my pushing myse...

I love Japanese food. I can eat it everyday and still not get bored with it.  Tonight I feel like having some Japanese Oban Yaki (which are Japanese pancakes with some fillings) so to curve my craving,  I will tell you instead about it.  It's incredibly delicious and satisfying.  It's comfort food that beats all the other comfort foods. (For me anyways) I've never had this pancake anywhere else other than at the Isetan Store at Central World in Bangkok so I cannot tell you if it's the best one, but even then I find it scrumptious.  I can feel my eyes sparkle and already my mouth curving into a grin just thinking about this pancake hot off the stove with gooey fillings.  I like the one with the hot chocolate filling, but the creamy custard or the red bean are also just as good.   The chocolate is hot and gooey to the right consistency, not too sweet nor too bitter.  I can imagine myself biting into the warm hot choco...

Sundays are usually days I have to relax and contemplate a little. This past Sunday I watched a movie called "Never Let Me Go" and it is indeed an emotionally touching movie. I had tears in my eyes as I watched it on my computer screen, I suppose if I were watching it on a big screen it would be even emotional. It's a heartbreaking for it raises questions about the morality of cloning humans for organ donations. I remember debating the morality of all this in highschool.  Afterall, this was during the era when Dolly the Sheep became the first success story of a clone from an adult cell.  This was a scientific breakthrough, but was this moral?  Was this the right thing to do? To what extent is technology to be used for one's on good? "Never Let Me Go" addresses this question by showing us kids growing up in a seemingly normal English boarding school.  The only difference was that they were clones.  They took lessons, played rugby, and had emotions just l...

 Since my good friends are out eating at Taling Ping today (which I have to skip due to a bad stomach)  I thought I'd write about this restaurant that is a great place to take guests from out of town or a place to have little reunions over authentic Thai food.  The great thing about this restaurant is that it has expanded from it's original location on Silom's Pun Road to the convenience of Siam Paragon and Central World Shopping Malls.  All within BTS access.  Wonderful if you are meeting friends who are coming from different parts of Bangkok. Taling Ping is somewhere I always take my guests from out-of-town for a relaxing dinner combined with some shopping.  It serves traditional Thai cuisine with a good ambiance and good service.  Make sure you get there early for the seats fill up quite quickly.  Their food is reliable and the taste is consistent no matter where or when you go.  There are a few favorites of mine at the restaurant....

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 wis...