Design Idea
Lance Kostrobala Interior Designer, Floral Designer, Special Event Designer Owner, COSMOS . . . where all good things begin 25 Nimmanhaemin Road Soi 3 lance@cosmosbegins.com, www.facebook.com/cosmoswhereallgoodthingsbegin 087 577 3118 Over the years my partner and I have surrounded ourselves with collections of lovely items – some unusual and others not so unusual. Fine crystal, rare china, … Continued
Holiday Gift Ideas
Thai, American, Italian Marisa Marchitelli is ridiculously prolific; she is a travel writer, photographer, filmmaker and now bespoke tour guide based here in Chiang Mai. If you are into shopping, get in touch for a private tour of some of Chiang Mai’s best kept secrets – outlets, boutique shops, and of course yummy places to eat to keep the energy going while credit cards get depleted. If you want … Continued
Christmas Cheer in Chiang Mai, Without the Sprouts!
I say we hand the job of celebrating Christmas in Thailand over to whatever genius committee or quango came up with Loy Krathong and Songkran. Just imagine what the Thais would do if the baby Jesus has been Buddhist. Unfortunately, in a nation that does festivals centred on blowing stuff up and chucking water at each other so very well, the celebration of a baby being born in a shed with a donkey, … Continued
Special Scoop: Rimping Supermarket
Phairoj Phatsorpinyosakul of Rimping Supermarket Talks Veggies and Values An interview with Phairoj Phatsorpinyosakul, Chief Executive Officer of Rimping Supermarket, Chiang Mai, about expanding a well-known local brand without losing sight of core values. ————————————– Citylife: Rimping has long held its customers in high esteem, which is evident from the way t … Continued
Special Scoop: Chez Marco
When you’re looking for a seriously delicious meal in Chiang Mai, you needn’t look much further than Chez Marco.A taste of the French Riviera in the middle of Loi Kroh Road, the restaurant is known for its fun and lively atmosphere, its “handsome chef and beautiful staff,” and of course, it’s fabulous food! Developed by the friendly French-Japanese chef Marco and his Japanese father Tsuneo (a.k.a. … Continued
Design Idea
Ormkwan Sanasen Project Manager Property and Investment Central Group of Companies I am a firm believer that good design should always follow function. Designs that I like are usually things that I can use in real life; they have to be practical and beautiful at the same time. The “Chateau Arm Chair” (pictured) by Sophie Roumeliotis (www.CreationTamarine.com) for me defines what my home should be, … Continued
Out on the Town with Pimmy & Praewa
Meet Pimmy, 21, and Praewa, 22, students of education at Rajabhat University. They both work part time at Sangdee Gallery and sell cosmetics online. Since Citylife’s editor is getting a bit long in the tooth, we have decided to invite these two girls-about-town to be your monthly guide into what’s cool, hot, new, hip, trending and going viral in our fair city. Between the two of them, they h … Continued
Music Box
The Avett Brothers – Magpie and the Dandelion Seth and Scott Avett have perfected their feel-good roots-rock sound over the course of their seven albums and are riding as high as ever. Hailing from the Appalachians of North Carolina, they’re perfectly equipped to add touches of bluegrass, folk and country to what is essentially a 70s classic rock formula. With ballads like “Bring Your Love to … Continued
Design Ideas
Thaiwijit Puangkasemsomboon The abstract artist was born in 1959 in Pattani Province. He graduated from The Fine Arts Department, Silpakorn University and was a visiting instructor at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Chiang Mai University between 1987 – 1989. He has lived in Chiang Mai for eight years now. www.rama9art.org/thaiwijit Design in Chiang Mai is often both traditional and co … Continued
Music Box
Janelle Mon?e – The Electric Lady The uber-creative Janelle Monae continues her upward trajectory with suites IV and V of the Metropolis series of sci-fi concept albums. Loaded with guest artists, orchestral interludes, skits, and numerous nods to classic soul, rock, disco and hip-hop, The Electric Lady initially comes off as wanting to be a big album. It kicks off with the one-two punch of Prince … Continued
Design Idea
The Chiang Mai Creative City’s Creative Design Awards has announced the winners for this year, the second year this award has been running. A group of volunteer judges spent six months scouring Chiang Mai for the most creative designs coming out of our city to showcase to the world. Here are the six recipients of the awards in the architecture category. Promenada (Design Concept & Architecture … Continued
What’s Luck Got to Do With It?
I never used to believe in things like chronic bad luck – I didn’t think coincidental intangibles could be chronic. But beliefs can change just as quickly as luck can, and even faster when you (and by you, I mean me) wake up one day realising you’re unluckier than the number thirteen. For me, this realisation occurred not long after I arrived in the good old Land of Smiles. Before that, I’d retain … Continued
Dam Awesome
There have been houseboats on Mae Ngad Dam for over 30 years, since the days of Kingfishers’ Cottage (if you are old enough to remember!) but nothing even comes close in sheer awesomeness to the new Mountain Float, which has been open for only a couple of months and is already booked up every weekend until nearly the end of the year. Less than an hour’s drive from the city centre, upon arrival at … Continued
Design Ideas
Richard Garst Artist and Guest Instructor (Graphic Arts and Print Making), Faculty of Fine Arts, Chiang Mai University “I like designs that have used traditional elements, but are more contemporary. I like Khun Somluk Pantiboon in Chiang Rai. I’m really impressed with his work. He does traditional Thai ceramics but he was trained in Japan so his work has a really Japanese feel to it. He makes real … Continued
Tubing Down the Ping
Tubing has been dubbed by ibackpackers.com as a near-sacred “rite of passage” for the thousands of travellers who, since the new millennium, have been reeled in by the prospect of a boozy odyssey down the Mekong in all manner of exciting (and, ahem, dangerous!) ways. Since the turn of the 21st century, the hallowed Vang Vieng of Laos has been a crucial stop along the well-worn backpacker’s party t … Continued
Design Idea
Supamit KitjapipatManaging Director of Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa, ChiangMaiThis Thai-run resort has only been open for 2 years, but hasalready gained fame for its friendly, five-star service, with the kind ofgentle and generous style typical of the Lanna region. It has even been namedone of Trip Advisor’s top 25 hotels in Thailand.For managing director Supamit, “the details are importa … Continued
Special Scoop: The Nimmana Chiang Mai
The Nimana by Keystar A rare opportunity for most: you’ve finally taken the plunge and decided to move to Chiang Mai, a city at the pinnacle of beauty in northern Thailand. But as tourism and business industries flourish, capitalising on property can be an extremely fastidious and nerve-wracking process, especially for those new to Thailand. As luck may have it, you need look no further tha … Continued
The Transient 20-Somethings
“I still have absolutely no idea what I’m doing with my life,” a good friend of mine, age 20-something, said as we sat sweating it out over 40 baht bowls of spicy curry on a particularly stifling Chiang Mai afternoon. “That scares the shit out of me. But it’s also exciting, I guess. I’m here now, but I have no idea where I’ll be in a year, or even a few months. I could still be here, or I could be … Continued
Design Ideas
Marisa Marchitelli For the past year I’ve been working on Handmade Chiangmai as the project’s creative director. Searching for a wide-ranging showcase of the richness and variety of craftsmanship in Chiang Mai, I’ve visited makers and designers working in different mediums with an array of techniques. These are some products I love. To see more visit www.handmade-chiangmai.com. For more informatio … Continued
Destination Fitness: Chiang Mai’s Coolest Workouts Revealed
We’ve all heard it before, the benefits of working out: more energy, better endurance, reduced stress and anxiety levels, better overall health and, of course, the chance to look better naked! Chiang Mai’s sticky heat and crazy traffic make it tough to run or cycle much inside the city (and plus, that stuff can get a little boring on the best of days), so, I set out on a mission to find out what e … Continued
Forget the Furby, Pass the Prints!
Amidst the ancient temples and modern souvenir stalls, Chiang Mai is a city on the rise, growing ripe with youthful culture and a broad mix of people coming here to travel and live. Walking down any given street you’ll see a hodgepodge of fashion choices, from backpackers wearing the ubiquitous printed harem pants and Chang singlets (come on guys, it’s not a uniform!) to local teens sporting the latest version of anime character Arale’s winged trucker hat, to chic young co-eds in gauzy tops and patterned leggings (regardless of temperature). While diverse and interesting, the city’s fashion palette does show a preponderance of trends, with various pockets of culture looking as though they all called each other the night before to coordinate their outfits.
Milk Bag Magic
Every afternoon for six months, I heard the same thing from twenty four tiny faces punctuated with shiny black eyes, whining in unison: “Teachuuuuur.” It was like a mantra, delivered in a way that only Prathom Four students can really get away with – dorable and, as a result, terribly, terribly manipulative. “Teacher…gin nom?” Milk. They wanted to drink milk during class, just like they did eve … Continued
Music Box
Bombino – Nomad Guitarist, singer and songwriter Omara ‘Bombino’ Moctar is a member of a Taureg tribe, a nomadic people found throughout Saharan Africa. After growing up in Niger, Algeria and Libya, then working as a herder in Tripoli, he began honing his craft by playing with local bands and watching videos of Jimi Hendrix and Mark Knopfler. His desert blues music earned him notoriety in the regi … Continued
Clients’s Spot
DINE IN STYLE Special occasion? In the mood for something a bit more upscale? Don’t miss these posh spots. El Patio Aptly named, this sophisticated little wine bar will transport you to the courtyard of an Andalusian tavern, where hot summer nights are accompanied by a chilled glass of tinto de verano, notes of guitar drift in the breeze and the proprietor’s home-cured jamon is served tapas style. … Continued
Team Songkran!
For some, Songkran is a once in a lifetime experience; for others Songkran is a please-make-this-just-a once in a lifetime experience. As has been the case for many years, thousands of you will be heading out of dodge to avoid the mayhem, grid-locked traffic, brown klong water soaked clothes and the general revelry that chokes and soaks the city annually. But there will also be thousands who are a … Continued
Special Scoop: Mix Restaurant
Mix lives up to its name. This bold restaurant takes cuisine by the horns and mixes up food from different cultures, countries, and at times even courses, to create a unique menu that screams Mix. Colours clash and complement in a kaleidoscope of creativity; starters are enhanced into mains, elements of desserts are fused into appetisers and soups are deconstructed into entre’es. One is never quit … Continued
Rules of the Game: An Interview with Chiang Mai FC Star Toure Ousmane Kader
Toure Ousmane Kader is the famous 23-year-old midfielder who scored seven goals for the Chiang Mai FC last season. Coming from the Ivory Coast, he’s one of only four foreigners playing on the team, and he already has a world of experience playing football in various clubs abroad. A month into the new season, Citylife decided to pay him a visit at the Lanna Tigers Academy. Citylife: What did you … Continued
Clients’s Spot
Open for less than a year, River Market has already earned its place as one of Chiang Mai’s most beloved dining establishments. The huge Thai-Burmese colonial-style building, located on the shores of the Ping River just next to the iconic Iron Bridge, was built from 95% recycled wood using traditional construction methods, with a huge open garden in the front and a green space in the back by the r … Continued
Music Box
Matmos – The Marriage of True Minds This experimental electronic duo is a new discovery for me, and I’m wondering where I’ve been since they formed in San Francisco in the mid ‘90s. The sounds found on this record and previous ones are not of the pre-loaded synthesizer variety, but instead derived from recordings of various pulses, plinks, clicks, and clacks found in nature and everyday objects. W … Continued
Special Scoop: Chiang Mai International School
Imagine a school where students come from all over the world yet they cannot see the differences among each other. That is the general atmosphere at the Chiang Mai International School (CMIS), which prides itself on inclusion and acceptance of all foreign identities, along with continued excellence in education. CMIS is a private school that teaches students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. Loca … Continued
Special Scoop: Elephant Parade House
Thailand is proud of its millennia-long association with the elephant. Its kings won battles on the backs of elephants, their victories celebrated in history books today; these gentle grey giants are used in PR and marketing to promote Thailand’s tourism worldwide; an elephant used to grace the national flag before being replaced with a more westernised design; one of Thailand’s most famous beers … Continued