caffe bene

caffe bene - such a cute name !

Date: 3.1.2014,
Location: Solaris Mont Kiara

Wikipedia says that "caffe bene is a coffeehouse chain based in Seoul, South Korea. Founded in year 2008 by Sun-Kwon Kim, the current CEO of caffe bene. LARGEST coffeehouse in South Korea in terms of number of stores" WOW!

BENE in italian means "GOOD"

Being a cheapskates (no spending power after my Bangkok trip) I only ordered 2 items i.e.:-

1. Caffe Latte for RM10.50 (regular). Lovely white mug that has the words "wake up" and Korean words in the mug that says "wake up your mum is watching you". Haha. How cute. I had asked a Korean girl who sat behind me for the meaning. I would buy the mug if it is made available. I would rate it 7/10 for the for taste.
2. Opera Cake for RM10.80. Layered cake consisting of chocolate, coffee and sponge cake. I would rate it 9/10. Hubby liked the cake too.

Reasonably priced. Total of RM22.60 inclusive tax. They gave a free calender too.

Ambiance peaceful, comfortable, spacious and bright. Service good. 

Being of a clean freak, I will rate the restroom 7/10.

It offers a range of bakery, non-alcoholic cocktail, yogurt smoothie, tea etc. 

My next trip there I'll order MISUGARU which consists if black sesame seeds, black bean, black and brown rice and barley. A sort of health drink but non-alchoholic.

Here are some pictures.

BANGKOK IN DECEMBER DAY 6 (29.12.2014)

DAY 6 (29.12.2014)

Last day of the trip. Had the luxury to sleep in for a while. Hubby and I walked to Burger King for breaky. Just had to have the pork burger. 

Since, we started the day late, we rushed to Tesco by taxi located near ON NUT station.

Here, we bought 3 boxes of Thai instant noodles and snacks. Souvenirs from Bangkok and of course for own consumption. Yummy!

Rushed to Terminal 21 for BOOTS!

Rushed back to hotel. Rushed to Don Mueng Airport. 

A very rushed day indeed.

SUMMARY

1. Pre-planned your trip. You don't have to follow as per scheduled. It works as a guide. Do some research on the places of interest. It helps heaps!
2. Go with a budget. I have exchanged BHT15000 for shopping, food and transport. Sufficient for a 6 days 5 nights trip (excluding hotel and flight tix). 
3. Travel light as my hubby advised. This time, I listened to him. Haha. Because I was submissive, my luggage was just enough to store the items I have bought. It was exactly 17kg. Just wear the clothes you have bought!
4. Bring a journal. Logged in your entries daily. It helps to keep an account of your spending, places of interest, relevant name cards etc which will be helpful in the near future.
5. We appointed one of our friends as a treasurer. Daily, we will deposit with her BHT1000 each for food and transport. This ensure we have cash for food and transport on a daily basis. 
6. Ensure you keep your passport in the safety box. Do not carry your passport around. Important to check whether your hotel has a safety box. Just bring along your ID if you want to exchange money.
7. Don't carry all your cash with you. 
8. Be vigilant and alert. When you are on the tuk-tuk, take good care of your camera, bag pack, handbags and sling bags. Do not be an open prey to snatch thieves.
9. Check in your luggage online. If unable to do so, please be at the airport 2 hours before flight. You do not want to rush like I did on the last day.

Tata.. for now!

BANGKOK IN DECEMBER DAY 5 (28.12.2014)

DAY FIVE (28.12.2014)

Oh My Gosh ! More shopping ! Going CRAZY ! Lazy sheep is super hardworking in spending money ! Oh well, at the end of the day, I have left BHT350 which is equivalent to MYR35.

Where did I went crazy? Of course none other that PLATINUM FASHION MALL ! 

Three hours ain't enough I tell you. Ain't enough. But due to budget constraint, it was done for the day. No money no talk buddy. So sad! 

Started off with breakfast at Platinum' Food Court. So far the best Pat Thai is found in this food court. It's only BHT50!  And of course, a must have Mango Sticky Rice.

Here is the simple Mall Directory to Part 2 of the Mall. We had no time to go scouting in Part 1 of the Mall.

Unlike Chatuchak, shops are easily found if you decide to go back to your original shop or favourite outlet. You won't get lost. 

This is the ideal mall for cheapskates like me. 

Further, there are numerous prayer altars located around the shopping malls like the one below.

We headed to Central Mall by foot thereafter, none of which I can afford. Haha. For upmarket shoppers. However, food court serves decent food like to one below. Yummy!

How it looks like outside.

On a side note, for those who are in Bangkok for the first time and you decide to eat at a food court, always get your "card" or "token" from the counter. It works like a debit card. If you have leftover balance in the said "card" or "token", go to the same counter to obtain your $$$.

CHILLI CULTURE

Headed to Chilli Culture for an authentic Thai Dinner ! No more food court!

Yummy Tom Ka Gai, Green Curry and Pineapple Rice! Located at Sukhumvit Soi 11. Although pricey but heck, it was our last night in Bangkok! Why not go for authentic Thai Food.

More reviews here:- http://www.tripadvisor.com.my/Restaurant_Review-g293916-d1223114-Reviews-Chilli_Culture_Thai_Kitchen-Bangkok.html

BANGKOK IN DECEMBER DAY 4 (27.12.2014)

DAY FOUR (27.12.2014)

It's CHATUCHAK day!

Yes ! CHATUCHAK!

A must go destination. Just take a cab. Highly lightly taxi will drop you at main entrance i.e. GATE C.

Try to get your bearings right because if you don't, you will be overwhelmed by the shops and crowd and the heat and most of the time, you cannot locate the first shop you wanted to visit. 

No such thing as turning back. No such thing as price comparison. If you like what you want to purchase, just get it. Otherwise, you will regret big time. Haha. Just bargain a little. Never try to bargain to a ridiculous price. 

Oh, before I forget. PLEASE bring a portable fan. It's hot.

We started off with breaky at the stall below. There was a large crowd in the said stall. So we assume food must be great and cheap despite the fact that price of food wasn't displayed. Much to our displeasure, we were charged BHT300 for a bowl of tom yum soup. BHT150 for a bowl of beef soup and BHT300 for two plates of omelette rice. Two iced coffee for BHT50 each. Total sum came up to BHT850! 

Mistake, mistake, mistake! We should have asked for the price of the said meal. I felt cheated as other stall offered a much cheaper price and also much more tasty. Never again will I visit this eatery nor recommend to my friends.

To my dear Muslim friends, please asked for price before ordering as I know this may be the only halal eatery available.
  

I didn't take much pics as I was really busy shopping. Below is a pic taken inside JJ Mall, Level 2. This is THE place to get your aroma therapy oil and all sorts of oil. They operate like a clinic.

Remember, Hong Huat is the place. Haha.

More pics here i.e. on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.722456841115049.1073741829.110775885616484&type=3

The only pic I took at Chatuchak. 

We spent nearly 8 hours here. 

We headed to MBK Mall / Mabukong Mall for dinner at the foodcourt. It closes at 930pm. Even the McDonalds at MBK closes at 930pm.

Overall rating for MBK Mall = Zero. Not worth going IMHO.

BANGKOK IN DECEMBER DAY 3 (26.12.2014)

DAY THREE (26.12.2014)

Day 3 is called a day of excursion out of Bangkok. We traveled for 2 hours up north heading towards Saraburi to catch the SUNFLOWERS

Journey took longer than expected as locals were also heading home to their hometown in conjunction with the New Year's break (4 days of public holidays).

We started our journey pretty late i.e. from 9am. Thankfully, we managed to catch the sunflower albeit not in FULL bloom as the sun is still HOT. If you want to catch the sunflowers in full bloom, please start your journey by 7am. 

I was expecting acres and acres of Sunflower Farm but it was rather disappointing that we managed to catch a few. I had a friend who proceeded to a site near the dam where there were plenty of sunflowers. We hesitated when asked by the taxi driver whether we wanted to go to the dam site but decline as we came for the sunflowers and not for dam site-seeing.

I should have done more research on the area. Our taxi driver said that we were between Lopburi and Saraburi. Anyways, I thank God that the sunflowers were waiting for me literally so that I can take some really gorgeous pics of them!

The map below shows how far we traveled from Bangkok to Saraburi / Lopburi.

Here is an excerpt taken from the website below :-http://thailand.sawadee.com/lopburi/attractions.html

Sunflower Field
Location: Phatthana Nikhom District

Lopburi Province is the BEST and LARGEST places to see sunflower fields in Thailand. The beautiful sunflower blossom field covering an area of 1,400 rai are waiting for you to see at KHAO JEAN LAE, PHATTHANA NIKHOM DISTRICT. The panoramic sunflower field has become Lopburi's major tourist attraction especially during NOVEMBER to JANUARY when they are in FULL BLOOM. On weekends, thousands of tourists from Bangkok will take one day trip to visit the sunflower fields for picture taking.

How to get there

1. By Car - From Bangkok, drive along the Lopburi - Saraburi Road for approximately 30 kilometers, then turn left into Highway No. 21 and proceed for another 15 kilometers. Traveling from Lopburi town center, the sunflower field is located approximately 45 kilometers from the town.
2. By Train - From Hua Lamphong Railway Station, Bangkok, trains heading south toward Ayutthaya (1 hour) and Bangkok leave throughout the day, roughly every hour between 05:00 am. and 09:00 pm. Rapid and express trains between Lopburi and Bangkok take about three hours, while ordinary trains take about 4 hours.

Hope the above information helps. I would have asked the taxi driver to drive us to Lopburi as mentioned above if I have done proper research. 

Chocolate Ville
http://www.chocolateville.net/

After Sunflower Field we headed down south to Chocolate Ville. It took us about 1 hour plus to reach the place due to heavy traffic.

Kids would love it here, as well as some adults like me.

Some of you may like Chocolate Ville and some of you may not. As for me, I love places that is pleasing to the eye and it reminded me of Sovereign Hill in Ballarat where I spent 8 hours there.

Chocolate Ville is not a chocolate factory. It's just has the same theme as Sovereign Hill, just a smaller scale in comparison.

It opens daily from 4pm to 12am.  

Please remember to book the restaurant as there is only one available restaurant and only limited seats. You may book them via their Facebook page. If you arrive later than what you have booked for, the seats will not be kept for you and you do not want to be placed on the waiting list, trust me.

Here are some pictures. 

IMHO I prefer the daylight pictures compared to the night ones.

On a side note, please book your taxi to get you a ride home as well as there isn't any public transport and BTS available near the area.

Our fare amounted to BHT4000 for Sunflower and Chocolate Ville, It was rather pricey. My taxi driver on arrival at the hotel requested for an extra BHT500 from the original price of BHT3500. 

I will not used him anymore for excursion such as these save and except to and from from Airport which I think it is reasonable.

BUN SHOP

I need to mentioned that we we stopped over a eatery and a bakery prior to Sunflower Field. It is not a bakery per say as it sold sweet cakes instead. YUMMY ok. BUT expensive.

I didn't know how to read Thai, so I assume they sold a box for BHT50. LOL! It wasn't! We spent BHT500 for 3 boxes. 

The name of the shop is called MILK CAKE BAAN SUAN

BANGKOK IN DECEMBER DAY 2 (25.12.2014)

DAY TWO (25.12.2014)

We wanted to get 2 SIM card from 7-11. The trigger to my temper as we waited for 1 hour and 15 minutes for the staff to 'assist' us in connecting to the internet. A waste of our precious time. I am not as patient as my hubby. There was some drama mama which I regretted. Never again will we get any SIM card from any 7-11. I advise that you get the same from a valid telecommunications outlet. There is one in Terminal 21. 

WARNING: DO NOT GET THIS SIM CARD. IT IS USELESS. 
(Disclaimer: Perhaps it was due to the incompatibility of our phone and the SIM card)

After painfully waiting for 1 hour and 15 minutes, a friend of ours managed to get it connected. My hubby managed to obtain a full refund after I made it clear that I am unable to wait any longer. Hubby, if you are reading this, I want to apologize again for 'misbehaving' during our holiday. 

Ok. Enough of complaining. 

Next stop was MASSAGE! Now let me tell you what the locals tells us. Even the taxi drivers and our tailor recommended us this place for a PROPER massage.

It is call HEALTH LAND. A healing centre to our weary muscles and joints. No regrets. I will visit Health Land for the next trip. 

Plus Point

1. Good Service. Staffs will attend to you immediately upon arrival. 
2. Clean
3. Cosy and Confortable
4. There is a lounge area 
5. Opens till 12 midnight
6. Strategically located

Some pictures below.

They have a total of 9 branches. 

http://www.healthlandspa.com/home.html

I had a 2 hours of Therapeutic Massage. I spent BHT700 for 2 hours. Those who have specific muscle sores on your body, I highly recommend this type of massage for you. Further, if you are pregnant, this is the ONLY MASSAGE for you. Other types of massage for a pregnant lady is a NO NO.

This massage is painful. I thought my spine would break into pieces. Haha. My feet felt so good thereafter as I have flat feet syndrome and the massage has assisted me for the next 4 days. If you have a history of spine injuries, I advised you to consult your doctor prior to choosing Therapeutic Massage.

ASIATIQUE

Asiatique has changed in the past year. Perhaps it was because there is more stalls and it is much crowded. I reckon as it is because it is December. 

We didn't shop much as we were saving up for Chatuchak. Yes please save! It's cheaper to shop at Chatuckak.

How to get there?. Please see the link below.
http://www.thaiasiatique.com/index.php/en/view/page/getting-here

Last year hubby and I took a ferry to Asiatique. Just stop at Saphan Taksin Silom Line and walk a distance to the jetty. It's free and ferry less crowded. 

This year we decided to hop into a taxi from Sukhumvit for BHT200. We decided not to go home via ferry as the queue unbelieving long and ferry was IMHO way too crowded. We decided to hail a cab from the opposite lane to go home to beat the queue. We paid BHT300 for the four of us. 

Please be advised that Asiatique closes at 12 midnight. Hence, if you are rushing for time, do plan early. Advisable to leave way before 12 midnight, otherwise you will have to queue for ferry or taxi. Aged parents and kids can't stand that long. 

Didn't take any pictures as I was tired. 

On a side note, most eateries are crowded and pricey. I would advise if you have your early dinner elsewhere. Thereafter, if stomachs start growling, have supper outside of Asiatique. By the way, Christmas is NOT a public holiday in Bangkok unlike other countries. So, traffic is bad during peak hours.

I have been to Asiatique twice and since it has since been so packed and crowded this year and moreover it closes at 12am and the queue so long, I will skip Asiatique in the near future and spend time at Chinatown.

Unfortunately, we had to skip Chinatown during our trip due to time and budget constrain. I reckon Chinatown itself need proper planning as IMHO it is huge. I want to have seafood in Chinatown in my next trip. 

We called it a day after some yummy Thai instant noodles and yogurt drink and snacks that we purchased on our way home via hotel tuk-tuk.

BANGKOK IN DECEMBER DAY 1 (24.12.2014)

Essentials

1. A Map
2. A Journal
3. i-Pad / Camera / Phone

DAY ONE (24.12.2014)

It's true. Bangkok is December is perfect for vacationers. First is the weather. It's cooler than other months. Second is the fact that we are 'celebrating' Christmas in Bangkok. The atmosphere here makes is more of a celebratory mood compared to the mood back home.

We wanted to take Day 1 free and easy since we took an early flight and arrived in Don Mueng around 1130 am. We had earlier booked a taxi and he charges us BHT600. So it's BHT150 per person for the four of us. Worth it!

View from the plane. 

Checked into Citadines located strategically at Sukhumvit Soi 8. Hotel was kind enough to allow us to check in to one room to enable us to place our luggage and even to wash up.

More info on hotel via link below.

http://www.citadines.com/en/thailand/bangkok/sukhumvit_8.html

We booked our rooms online. Hubby accidentally booked 3 rooms instead of 2. Hotel officer for the Global Reservations by the name of Kamol assisted us in cancelling the extra room swiftly when we e-mailed the hotel on the day it self. Efficient and friendly. You can check more reviews posted on http://www.tripadvisor.com.my/Hotel_Review-g293916-d1110622-Reviews-Citadines_Sukhumvit_8_Bangkok-Bangkok.html

Plus point 

1. Free Tuk-tuk service to and fro from hotel to main road
2. Fee wifi
3. Friendly hotel staff
4. Quiet
5. Two 7-11 along the road
6. Street food along the road
7. Safe
8. Pantry together with cooking utensils available
9. Near Nana Metro MRT station.
10. Near Terminal 21 mall (just stop at Asok Metro MRT station)

We stayed in Room 608. Smells and feels fresh. The only complain that I may have is that the housekeeping doesn't keep the floor clean i.e. the floor still feel 'dusty' as I am a clean freak. Would appreciate if they furnished body shampoo and hair shampoo separately. My hair was as dry as a broom after 6 days. Haha. My fault. Lazy to buy shampoo. Hehe. In fact, only when we checked out, we notice that the hotel provided the washroom kit, only upon request.

However, room 615 smells of dampness. My friends had to open the window for a while each day for good ventilation.

Street Food along Sukhumvit Soi 8

Along Sukhumvit Soi 8 there are plenty of street vendors. In the event you are too tired, you can have street food. However, on a side note, the street vendors are 'expensive'. BHT60 per plate. You can get the same dish at Terminal 21 Food Court for much cheaper, with air-conditioner and it's tastier. Hehe. But no harm trying street food! 

Terminal 21

Wanna know more about Terminal 21? Here you go. http://www.terminal21.co.th/main

It's one of my favourite malls. Affordable for shoppers. Food court is great. Each floor has different themes. Eg. "Istanbul Departure", "Rome Departure", "Paris Departure" and many more.

You can walk from Nana Metro MRT to Asok to get to Terminal 21. 

Food court is called PIER 21 - vast array of choices! http://www.terminal21.co.th/main/store_content/30

You can get a booklet from the information counter that may assist you on your shopping experience.

Jesse & Sons Tailor

My hubby used to tailor make his shirts at Ravi Seghal. However, one of our friends spotted Jesse & Sons on the way to Health Land, the infamous massage centre.

Website and Directions available here. http://www.jesseandson.com/
Located at Sukhumvit Soi 19, Asoke. Very very strategically located to where we are staying. 

Plus point

1. Comfortable and Cosy outlet
2. Mr Jesse and his son Manop are friendly and professional
3. Affordable
4. Quality in product
5. Free beverage for customers

Hubby was a happy camper with his tailor made shirt. Last year we were at Ah Song Tailor but it was inconvenient for us to get there. Ah Song Tailor is another highly recommended tailor that you should get you shirt made. Ah Song tailor is located at Charoen Krung Road, Sathorn.

Above 11

We hoped to catch Bangkok's sunset on a rooftop bar located at 33rd Floor of the Fraser Suites Sukhumvit Soi 11. Unfortunately, we were late. The atmosphere is great. Booking needed to be made to get a seat. Here is how the rooftop bar looks like. Get ready to splurge a little on the food and drinks. No point trying to save $$$ while dining at a rooftop bar. There is a dress code. Please read link below for more info. 
http://www.aboveeleven.com/

Below are the layout FYI. U wanna have the best view? Book early. Try to arrive before sunset.

Hope you find the above an easy read and informative.