It has been a great year at Shangri-La’s Dhala Restaurant, with a parade of Michelin starred chefs flying in to set up pop up kitchens to wow us with their culinary skills. From Hong Kong to London, Rome to Paris, one and two stared chefs have delighted us and expanded our palates with world-class cuisine, all at friendly Chiang Mai prices.

Following the trail of white hats which have graced Shangri-La’s Dhala Restaurant’s pop up culinary events this year, comes another highly acclaimed chef from Taormina, Italy, Chef Pietro D’Agostino of one Michelin star restaurant La Capinera.

There has been a lot of talk about leaving. By those who can, that is. The rest of us – those with commitments and constraints like jobs, families, finance, or locals who simply have nowhere else to go to – feel almost left out.

In May this year I sat down with Michael Shafer, a humanitarian, academic and someone known for his ethos of getting on with the job. Since 2008 Michael has run Warm Heart Foundation with his wife Everlind.

It’s easy to scoff at all the nonsense found on Facebook, but then you would miss out on the absolute gem that is Chiang Mai Memories.

With over three million visitors per year, Wat Rong Khun, or The White Temple, is one of the North’s most acclaimed attractions. Conceptualised and crafted by national artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, this extraordinary piece of art will be turned, for one month only, into a kaleidoscopic fiesta of light.

A woman lies prostrate at the centre of a deep, red, rectangular recess carved into the Gallery Seescape floor. Surrounding her are a ring of posts that blend into the painted walls and floors.

Modern medicine has saved countless lives, yet more and more medical professionals world-wide are beginning to turn towards integrative medicine as a way to preempt patients from becoming, well, patients, and with an eye to finding longer term solutions to mitigate ailments and illnesses, and prolonging good health.

“The world we live in today is incredibly interconnected and through all manner of media, students have access to and engage with all kinds of complex world issues,” said Rachel Keys, Prem Tinsulanonda International School’s new Head of School.

As Chiang Mai’s food lovers’ palates become more sophisticated and discerning, the mark of a successful restaurant is in its refusal to rest on its laurels. And Le Meridien’s award-winning Favola Italian Restaurant continues to evolve and position itself to engage and draw Chiang Mai’s resident as well as visiting diners.

“The Old City needs to be activated,” Dr Stanley Quek told Citylife from his office down a tiny soi woven into the labyrinth of Old City sois.”