Home Citylife CityNews CityNow!
CityLife Logo
Spoon and Fork Logo

A Timeless Teahouse

I stepped through the doorway, took off my shoes and slid into a pair of Chinese slippers. The floor was of varnished mahogany, the furniture inside the teahouse similarly polished to a high sheen, with quintessential Chinese designs finely engraved into every nook and cranny. In the far corner stood a man, dressed in traditional clothing – of which tradition it was hard to tell – with a silver teapot in his hand and a serene smile on his face.

Editorial: December 2015

I’m a glass half full kind of girl. Always have been. And while my Pollyannish outlook has often led me into all sorts of trouble, I believe optimism makes me a happier person. That isn’t to say that I don’t treasure my cynicism. Cynicism is a healthy state, it makes us question the world around us and challenge status quos. Which leads us to search for solutions to make things better, which brings us right back to that brimming glass. So my cynicism is in fact most sunny in its disposition.

Going Back: The Part Nobody Warns You About

The last few days were rough. Rob and I both got food poisoning from an ill-conceived late night hot dog binge, and spent our final hours taking turns packing and puking. Farewells were a fever dream; my nausea felt like a premonition – leaving Chiang Mai literally made me sick.

The Great Escape

We consider ourselves a fairly intelligent bunch here at Citylife; I mean, we write things that people read and all. To be fair, I don’t know many people who wouldn’t describe themselves as intelligent, so I suppose our opinions of our own gray matter are neither here nor there. But when we heard about the soon to be opened Escape Hunt, we reckoned we would get a team together and go along to show off our smarts and come back feeling smug in our intellect.

Holiday Season in Chiang Mai Means Parties, Parties, Parties!

So the holidays are upon us and, for me at least, I never quite get in the same spirit of the season as I did when I lived in the States. Maybe it’s the weather or lack of Christmas overtones breathing down my neck everywhere I go. Either way, Chiang Mai does liven up around this time of year with parties and events every weekend. While the streets may not be lined with Christmas trees and snowmen (something I am actually thankful for) there is still plenty going on in the city this season that will bring joy into your hearts.

Improve Yourself

For everyone, it is important to look your best, feel your best and just take good care of our bodies and our brains. For some that could involve a two week detox at a spa in the mountains or a heavy workout to get the blood pumping, for others it could be a little of nip and tuck to feel younger again. So however you wish to improve yourself, ether inside or out, here are three places just for you to book into and begin the transformation.

A Chiang Mai Success Story: Buonissimo’s Sergio Canale

Succeeding as a foreign entrepreneur in Chiang Mai, or anywhere else in Thailand for that matter, is not easy. Expats who’ve been here for some years will vouch for that. Foreign owned restaurants, for instance, come and go as regularly as the three Thai seasons. There are however a handful of entrepreneurs who came to Chiang Mai for a holiday, like so many of us, and ended up taking a bright idea and turning it into a remarkable business.

Tastes of Three Continents

Chiang Mai has a wide range of menus across the city, from Italian to Japanese, Thai to American. For anyone living here or even just visiting, the options are endless. If you can’t decide what menu to try tonight, why not try one of these new restaurants?

Raks Mae Ping-The “Whistle Blower” of Chiang Mai

Who doesn’t love Chiang Mai? We all say we do, but do any of us actually take care of our so called love? In the past it was frustrating for the average citizen lacking a voice or the power to affect change, but with today’s social media, we can all speak up. And amazingly, we are being heard, and even listened to! The more of us shouting together, the louder the message will be received by those who are hindering or can help.

A Minister for Christmas

What with turkeys in the US coming down with a touch of the avian sniffles causing a ban on imports of the feathered gobblers to Thailand, a rampant war on booze and a disgraceful lack of real evergreen conifers, Christmas is in danger of being a bit of a damp squib this year.

10 Years of Citylife Garden Fair

This was the 10th year of our Citylife Garden Fair, and was by a long shot the most spectacular affair to date. It all started when a few of our readers came to ask to use our old Citylife garden to organise a small fair to raise money to help the victims of the 2004 tsunami. We invited friends, clients and anyone who cared to join in and had about thirty or forty stalls selling goods to the few hundred readers who turned up. It was such a lovely day that we decided to do it twice a year (choosing two to three beneficiary charities per event), which we did until the whole thing simply got too big so we pulled it back to an annual event.

Escape the City

For those of us who get caught up in the inner-city lifestyle, it is hard sometimes to escape the concrete walls and venture into the nature which surrounds Chiang Mai. Here are three places that help you formulate that perfect excuse to escape town, be it to enjoy the views of the mountains with a fresh coffee in hand, or to do a bit of unique shopping at an organic garden market.

More From Citylife

Truck crash leaves one dead, power infrastructure severely damaged

Wed 10th Sep

A pickup truck lost control and crashed into high-voltage power poles on Nong Ho Road in Chang Phueak, resulting in 52 power poles collapse in a row. Among them, 24 poles carried 115 kilovolts. The damage extended over approximately one kilometer, affecting around 20 houses. Fortunately, no residents in the area were injured. However, both passengers in the pickup truck were seriously injured. Res … Continued

Flash flood hit Mae Rim

Wed 10th Sep

Heavy rainfall in Mae Rim caused flash floods from the highlands of Doi Suthep-Pui National Park to overflow onto Chotana Road in front of the Pack Squadron. The poor drainage systems led to traffic congestion, and several vehicles had engine damage while driving through floodwaters. As of 11 am, water levels have dropped. However, further rainfall could lead to flash flooding. In response, Don Ka … Continued

Shops stocking up in anticipation of impending half-half policy 

Tue 9th Sep

Retail shops across Chiang Mai are beginning to stock up on more goods, especially household items and daily necessities in anticipation of the upcoming “Half-Half” co-payment scheme, prepared to launch this October under Anutin’s government. Vendors at Siriwattana Market expressed hope that the program will roll out as soon as possible, noting that it provides benefits for both local businesses a … Continued

Miss International Queen 2025 officially kicks off in Chiang Mai

Tue 9th Sep

The Miss International Queen 2025 competition has officially launched in Chiang Mai, reinforcing Thailand’s status as a premier cultural tourism destination and enhancing the country’s soft power on the global stage. This year, 23 stunning contestants from 23 nations received a heartfelt Lanna-style welcome as they embark on a series of pre-pageant activities designed to immerse them in Thailand’s … Continued

New Chiang Mai Governor seeks blessings for a good start

Tue 9th Sep

Thotsapol Phueanudom, the newly appointed 42nd Governor of Chiang Mai Province, and his wife paid their respects to sacred objects inside the Chiang Mai Provincial Hall to seek blessings for good fortune. The worship began at the Singh Monument, regarded as the city’s lion, and continued to the Chiang Mai Provincial Government Center, where they paid homage to the royal monument of King Chulalongk … Continued

Nurse daughter joins pilot father in first flight as a volunteer Sky Doctor 

Tue 9th Sep

Lt. Col. Yongyuth Sawangthong, commander of the Pha Muang Task Force, and his daughter, Thachaphan “Khaimook” Sawangthong, a nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Nakhon Ping Hospital, proudly serve together as part of the Thai Sky Doctor team. On her very first mission, Thachaphan joined her father who piloted the helicopter to safely transport a patient by air. Working side by side, they … Continued

Car crash brings down power lines, injures two

Tue 9th Sep

A pickup truck accident occurred when it lost control and crashed into a roadside electric pole in front of Him Kong Restaurant on Nong Ho Road in Chang Phueak, causing over 10 large high-voltage power poles to collapse across nearly one kilometer. The fallen poles damaged nearby houses and shops and blocked traffic. A fire also broke out at Him Kong Restaurant shortly after the crash. Two men, bo … Continued

Infinity Star Language School Opens New Branch at Kad Farang, Hang Dong

Tue 9th Sep

Infinity Star Language School is proud to announce the grand opening of its newest branch on the 2nd floor of the Kad Farang Village in Hang Dong, located inside the Rimping Supermarket building. The school is dedicated to helping students of all ages build strong language foundations for a brighter future. Approved by the Ministry of Education, Infinity Star Language School is led by School Direc … Continued

Maejo University develops eco-friendly artificial stones for sustainable landscaping

Mon 8th Sep

Maejo University has developed an innovative and eco-friendly artificial stone made from recycled materials to replace natural stone in landscaping. The Faculty of Architecture at Maejo University, in collaboration with architecture students and interested parties, has developed lightweight and environmentally friendly artificial stones made from recycled materials, including fabric scraps, foam, … Continued

Many Buddhists complain about lazy monks who won’t walk to receive alms

Mon 8th Sep

In the early morning at Chiang Mai Gate Market, Buddhist monks can be seen standing and waiting for people to offer them food, instead of walking on alms rounds as is customary. Each monk remains in place until his alms bowl is full, then transfers the food into a bag and continues standing until late. Local residents reported that monks have been collecting alms at Chiang Mai Gate Market for many … Continued

Citylife
Chiang Mai
  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Mailing List
  • Contact Us

Copyright 2019 Citylife Group .Co . Ltd. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced using any storage medium without prior written permission of the publisher.
Opinions expressed in Citylife Chiang Mai are not necessarily those of the publisher.