Client Spot Dec 2019
Fah Lanna Massage by the Night Bazaar 10th Anniversary Fah Lanna Massage by the Night Bazaar has recently undergone a complete transformation. This original branch of the award-winning Fah Lanna brand first opened 10 years ago with just six massage beds and four massage chairs. And just in time to mark this special anniversary, the branch was rebuilt from the ground and has almost tripled in size. … Continued
Citylife Garden Fair will be helping these great projects
Since 2005, when Citylife joined the Charity Rooftop Parties organised by Steve Yarnold to raise funds for the victims of Thailand’s tsunami, we have held annual or biannual Citylife Garden Fair events raising millions of baht for local charity. This year, our Citylife Garden Fair has once again asked a team of dedicated independent volunteers, led by Dr. Joanne Robinson, who have received applica … Continued
Go Green
Jing Jai Farmers Market A favourite market for thousands of locals with a loyal crowd who spend their weekend mornings here, not just to shop, but to support the growing – excuse the pun – organic community, this is Chiang Mai’s first organic market, and they have come far since the opening six years ago. Owned by Central Group, this is an initiative to support and promote sustainable society thro … Continued
7 Unique First Dates around Chiang Mai
The idea of seven first dates is enough to wilt the smoothest dater. Citylife is here to help, with this list of unique and memorable first dates that should take some of the anxiety out of impressing. Whether or not they actually look like their profile pics is entirely up to chance; sorry, can’t help you there! Start on the right foot with these fun date locations.
Your Essential Christmas Checklist for Chiang Mai
Christmas in the tropics can be an odd experience for many people used to snowy window ledges, steaming mulled wine, last minute Christmas shopping in the cold and constant in-your-face Christmas songs and décor. So this year we help you to get into the Christmas spirit with all things Christmassy in Chiang Mai so that you are not rushing around on Christmas morning begging for spare crackers from your friends. Whether it’s where to find the perfectly festive wrapping paper, ideas for stocking fillers, where to get a turkey, who makes the best chestnut puree or where to get a Christmas tree…we’ve got you.
Vintage Toys for Old Boys
Troops of perfect condition Tetsujin 28 robots line the walls as original Japanese versions of Power Rangers sit in corners — some caught in a permanent state of mid-transformation, just like the cartoons. This bizarre shop is the only place in Chiang Mai that both collectors and toy enthusiasts can now come and experience some of the region’s rarest toys.
Häfele
Häfele is an international company providing hardware and fittings for kitchens, homes, bathrooms and offices. With stores across the globe, they have grown over the last century to join the ranks of the world’s premium brands, known for the high quality and exacting standards of each and every product they offer.
Jumbo Sized Fun for the Family
Earlier this year funkily coloured elephants were seen all over our city. From Tha Pae Gate to Nimmanhaemin, Wat Gate to Chang Klan, it seemed that for nearly two months, wherever we looked, there was a pretty statue of an elephant. It was the Elephant Parade’s ten year anniversary and nearly 100 elephants, many painted by local artists and celebrities, were back on their home turf, raising awareness about elephant conservation, promoting the arts and generally prettying up our fair city.
Citylife Garden Fair 2018
By all accounts, the Citylife Garden Fair 2018 was a great success and we look forward to many more years of this event to come. Thank you very much to all of you who helped, who worked, who donated, who bid, who came, and who were a part of it all. ***Booth Booking Now Closed*** ***Please contact wichuda@chiangmaicitylife.com for more information*** Book your stall now! Suggest a charity for our donations (last year we raised over 400,000 for three charities). And donate deep! We are asking you to donate anything we can use in our auction or tombola, all proceeds will go to charity. This will be a fun and fantastic day out and we can’t wait to see you all again.
Monkeypod Asia: Northern Thailand’s Go To Wood Furniture Sourcing Agent
Monkeypod Asia is Chiang Mai’s leading professional wholesale buying and sourcing agent, specialised in wooden furniture, wood carvings, and handicraft exports in Northern Thailand. With years of experience in the local market, Monkeypod Asia can source almost any product you are looking for within their specifications which focus on selective suppliers who produce products of high quality and unique styles.
Be Inspired at the 3rd Northern Digital Expo
The great leaps in digital technology can be utterly bewildering to the average person, as we grapple to keep up with latest devices, trends, gadgets and their seemingly endless possibilities. Wares, both soft and hard, may be simpler to use, but for many, difficult to master and command. Social and new media may feed us, but they also consume us, as we struggle to keep up.
Our Book Culture’s Bright Future
Walking into Chiang Mai’s oldest bookshop, Suriwong Book Centre, on Sridonchai Road, you’ll find a spacious, modern building, brightly lit and filled with rows upon rows of books and stationery. Suriwong Book Centre has come a long way from its beginnings; what began in 1955 as a small bookshop in the basement of the Suriwong Cinema, it has now become one of the largest bookstores in Chiang Mai. Trasvin Jittidecharak, publisher of Silkworm Press whose mother founded Suriwong, recalls her early years in her family’s shop: “Growing up in a bookstore was a blessing. Have you ever read The Neverending Story by Michael Ende? It’s that experience. It’s a place to find an answer. It used to be the place you go to satisfy your curiosity. Now, information is at your fingertips. Groceries will be delivered by drones. You would wonder whether a bookstore has any role in our lives at all, but isn’t Amazon just bringing back brick-and-mortar bookstores? Who knows?”
Welcome to our new neighbourhood!
Citylife has moved offices! We are no longer Wat Gaters, but Meechokers and the first order of business, as it would be for any self-respecting Thai, was to check out the neighbourhood for places to eat. We now have a townhouse in Fifth Avenue just across the road from Meechok Plaza, and have decided to share our findings of exciting businesses that have caught our eyes with you all — cafes, restaurants, schools and more. If you ever pay any of these places a visit, feel free to pop in and see us, pick up a mag or just say hi!
Introducing Ricola: A world of herbs
Citylife was invited to participate in the Ricola event “Taste, explore, play” in Bangkok to explore the exciting flavours and learn about the incredible history and health benefits of their lozenges. Who better to send than our very own Spoon&Fork editor, Auntie Spoon.
The Tea Wolf
According to legend and lore, an emperor in 2737 BCE, who happened to have been a herbalist, was given his preferred refreshment, a cup of boiling water, which had had a tea leaf blown into it from a nearby bush — et voila! Tea was born. According to literature, some kind of leaf was used as infusion as early as the 3rd century BCE, as was noted in a Chinese dictionary at that time. Whatever the source, it has become common belief that it was the Emperors of China who discovered and cultivated the use of tea.
New Old Prince Royal’s Flea Markets
We at Citylife have had more than a handful of emails of late asking us where the popular Prince Royal’s College Flea Market has disappeared to. This weekly flea market, held every Saturday for as long as I remember, was like a walk down nostalgia lane, with its stalls lining both sides of the shady streets selling all sorts of flea items such as clothes, shoes, books, jewellery, old CDs, old tapes, gramophones and much more.
Announcement for Foundations and Charities – Citylife Garden Fair
Citylife Garden Fair donates all of its profits each year to two or three deserving charitable foundations from within the Chiang Mai area. As the Citylife Garden Fair grows, so do its financial donations to the nominated causes. Last year we raised a staggering 250,000 baht. To make the process more transparent this year, we call on all foundations within the Chiang Mai region to submit a proposal as to why they should be one of the lucky recipients.
Let’s Talk About Democracy Book Re:public Owner Rodjareag wins US State Department Award for Bookshop
I walk into Book Re:public, escaping the noisy road and sticky June heat in exchange for air conditioning and stark quiet that matches the neat, whitewashed paint and angular shelves against the walls. This isn’t how I expected it to look—the bookshop that is.
Most Important Finishes in a Home
Whether you have been keeping up with the trends of home buying, the do-it-yourself television shows regarding renovations and rehabs, or just the fact of the matter that people are always looking for a new home to come in and make their own, you have to know what is important. When it comes to housing, there are more than enough opportunities to actually purchase and secure a home, but if you want it to be your own, then you need to consider the following as the top finishes and items in a given house for both personal comfort and tangible resale value.