Bangkok Shopping

I was quite overwhelmed when I arrived in Bangkok - it was akin to travelling 50 years into the future of Cambodia (with the exception of 3G coverage).  Needless to say, I was more willing to eat street food and go barefoot in our hotel without the fear of contracting foot-fungus.  And the shopping!  Deprived I was indeed as you probably came to the conclusion from Wednesday's loot shoot.  As alluded to in that post, this (barely) literary offering highlights some of my favourite shopping haunts in the Siam & Ratchaprasong districts on our week-long sojourn in Bangkok.  Pictures first then ramblings later:

Siam Paragon (photo 1)

Brands, brands, and more luxury brands.  Plus there's Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo.  Not to mention, an aquarium and a cineplex to visit as well if you get tired of shopping here.  Simon and I visited this shopping mall for almost a week straight - definitely a place to hit up if you're in the money and willing to spend it.

Siam Center (photos 2-8)

This was my favourite shopping centre; just next door to Siam Paragon, it hosts a menagerie of kitschy stores and local designers.  With a price point that's more affordable than Siam Paragon, it is also a great place to pick up unique gifts (for yourself included).  

Siam Square (photos 9-13)

This is located just across the road from Siam Paragon & Siam Center.  It is a rat-maze of independent boutiques and tiny shops, spread over about five streets, and is even cheaper still.  You have to hunt a little harder to sort the goods from the crap, but there are plenty of bargains and icecream to feast on when you get hot and bothered.  A notable shop to visit if you're a raging hipster on international mecca of all things alternative and five-panelled is the Swagshop - tucked away up some stairs at the end of Soi 9 & 10.   

Central World

This giant shopping mall features a larger range of mid-range brands than Siam Paragon, such as Furla (regretting now not stocking up on plastic-fantasticness) & Kate Spade.

Gaysorn

Another collection of luxury designers - this time including my beloved Celine, as well as Dior, Loewe, Fendi, and yet another Louis Vuitton store.  This mall is considerably smaller, and can be covered in a morning.  It probably can be skipped too in favour of other malls (e.g. Erawan across the road, which has Lanvin), but is a quieter and more civil alternative.

There you go, travel-bug-shopping-addicts!  A couple of districts in Bangkok which you could definitely sink a day or two in.  Note that luxury goods aren't as cheap in Bangkok as expected (most items are quite expensive compared to other Asian countries eg. Singapore & Malaysia), but the local designers offer up plenty of goods which are great souvenirs as well as wardrobe additions.  

xx T

Holiday Loot

Well well well, we haven't done one of these in a while have we?  Not since last holiday!  Well S & I both know that you all like looking at photos of pretty things, especially involving items acquired on international looting missions.  And I sure did my share of looting - both in store and online thanks to a shopping itch in Cambodia that needed to be scratched (with the aid of My-Wardrobe.com).  Although I have to admit, there was a major drop in the sheer volume of purchases as our "quality over quantity" mantra kicked constantly to save me from myself.  

The end result?  A more refined and satisfying collection of loot with definite staying power.  Plenty of complementing pieces that go hand-in-hand with my existing pared-down wardrobe! :)

Behold: T's (somewhat mindless) Wednesday loot-shoot!

1. LV Speedy 25 (courtesy of Simon) & Celine holographic clutch (to me, love from me).  Went ape this holiday.
2. Sneak peek of outfit to come next week.  Eek!
3. Zara skirt & Mango pumps (the new black heel workhorse of my shoe collection)
4. Grand Scheme five-panel.  Channeling that inner hipster (I blame my little brother)
5. Bloch pumps & patent flats (yeah, more shoes.  Shoot me.)
6. iPad mini - technically post-trip loot, but this is my most useful purchase to date
7. ♥


xx T

Phnom Penh: Where to Eat

I've been home from Cambodia & Bangkok for a week today, so I guess it's high time I get my act together and put up some more travel posts.  But looking back at my photos from Cambodia has revealed that what we really did for the 6 weeks we were there was eat our way around our end of town...  Also I have a lot of food photos because I'm Asian and am obliged to document everything I eat.

We ate local food at the hospital, but at night time we'd usually go sooth our home-sick bellies with non-Khmer cuisine, which was surprisingly very good and varied in Phnom Penh.  So here's a round-up of our favourite haunts for those who plan to visit!  Stay tuned this week for a Bangkok shopping post for you shopaholic travel-bugs.

Happa

Number 17, Street 278, Phnom Penh
Photo 1

Happa markets itself as a Japanese restaurant, and in this aspect it's not a winner.  However, the food (call it "fusion" if you will) tastes good and is all reasonably priced - we payed a grand $3 each for about 5 small dishes shared between 6 of us, with rice and drinks.  The place is also quite clean, which is a bonus!  Make sure you order the teppanyaki mushrooms.

David's Handmade Noodles

Preah Ang Eng, Phnom Penh

This restaurant has delicious Chinese-style noodles which are hand-made fresh in front of you.  We love the pork dumplings or the duck, which are only an extra 50c to a dollar more than the usual $2.  The owner gives some of his proceeds towards a school in his hometown, and will give you a lecture informative talk about it if the place isn't busy.

Topaz

Number 182, Norodom Blvd, Sangkat Tonle Basak, Phnom Penh

Photos 2-5

Save up those pennies; this place isn't cheap, but it sure is fancy and the French food is absolutely divine.  We had naughty foie gras and the house red and white, which were both lovely.  Make sure you order the chocolate fondant for dessert!    

Taqueria Corona 

Number 14E, Street 51, Phnom Penh

Best. Mexican. In. Town.  (not that we tried any other, but it was damn good)

The chef/owner hails from California, so you know it's being done right.  

Recommended: all good - chicken fajitas are a smart choice (enough for two people).  And frozen margaritas come by the jug!

Luna d'Autunno

Number 6C, Street 29, Phnom Penh

This quelled our pizza-cravings after our initial horror experience at dodgy pizza joint.  Luna serves wood-fired pizzas with traditional and gourmet toppings, as well as the usual Italian cuisine.  The servings are also quite generous, so share a pizza so you can save space for dessert.  

Sovanna 

Street 21, Phnom Penh

Super cheap Khmer BBQ - tasty tasty meat, with a mean marinade and DIY-sauce (salt + Kampot pepper + sugar + lime, plus garlic and chilli to taste).  Our favourite is the grilled pork, but beware, if you order different meats don't expect them to come out all at the same time.  The fried corn, the egg fried rice, and the chips were definitely good enough to bring us back on a regular basis.  

Hope that made you all hungry!

xx T (with the help of Claire)

Style Crawl at Claremont Quarter

Hey all, it's T with a quick pre-post hello message!  Sorry for the absolute radio-silence since I left Cambodia - I was rather busy shopping up a storm in Bangkok and getting engaged.  Yes, you heard right, engaged!  Anyway, excuses aside, we're planning on coming back with a bang (or a "!" for any calculus nerds out there).

Let's start with with #StyleCrawlatCQ - an event hosted by Claremont Quarter on Thursday.  Stylist Elizabeth Clarke chauffeured us (a bevvy of stylists and media) between shops which featured a preview of the retailers' AW13 collections.  Key looks were modelled by models (of Amazonian proportions) & running commentary was given by each shop manager or designer.  

The crawl started at Zara Bryson, which I think was a very dangerous decision.  I now have a wishlist longer than my to do list.  (Read: very long.)

The bomber is huge for this Winter season & a perfect choice for Perth girls who have no need for heavy outerwear.

Father - a place to drag your male counterpart if he's still decked out in his old rags from 2001.

Sambag debuted their eco-friendly jeans and stunning range of new season ballet flats - the perfect addition for the French girl at heart.  The flats above are also crafted in salmon skin!  Sustainable (not to mention, tasty) and a beautiful alternative to snakeskin.  


Adam Heath, the CQ hub of designer goodies tempted us with fresh 3.1 Phillip Lim stock.  As you might already know, S & I are obsessed with Phillip Lim... and this 31-Hour bag is no exception to the obsessive personalities we harbour.  It's on the wish-list for my next life since I spent all my money in Bangkok...


Rose-gold pendants hanging from dainty chains was de rigueur at Thomas Sabo; good for getting that sixties vibe which is on trend for the upcoming season.  Poppy Delevigne is also the face of Thomas Sabo - what's not to love??


A quick stop at Morgan Marks revealed some solid layering pieces (things I wish I had when I was freezing my toes off on the plane last week).  More drinkies were served, but the P-plater half of our LF duo was stuck on H2O only.



I've got to say, we're always impressed by the clean lines and simple tailoring at local heavyweights Morrison, and the upcoming season does not disappoint.  With a Lisa Ho-esque leaf print and lightweight natural-fibre pieces, you won't be leaving Summer behind if you visit Morrison for AW'13.  The same can be said for Tigerlily, which conjures up memories of Summer holidays with geo-prints and generous lashings of colour.  However if you insist on a prim and proper Winter, Alannah Hill has you sorted with her gilded girly creations.  Do you feel a little "Daisy Buchanan" coming on?


Lorna Jane and Seafolly succeeded in making us feel like we should get off our butts more.



And what other way to get a girl's attention than with roses, diamonds, and cheesecake?  Rosendorffs had us figured out.

Steve from the Duchess Bar had us fed and watered throughout the night, and we were treated to a round of paella by Beluga - both restaurants worth a visit.

A round-up post of AW'13 trends is on the cards for me once I check out the new collections, but for now, we hope our little commentary has whet your appetite!
A big thanks to Claremont Quarter for letting us be part of the inaugural Style Crawl!

xx T & S