Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Day 2 - Ultimate STASHING Experience @ Chatuchak Weekend Market

All crafter friends will love this....

Chatuchak Weekend Market is a MUST GO PLACE for all crafter friends... Even how humid, hot & smelly the place is, it's a worthy place to go!!!

I was well-prepared, I wore a sleeveless T-shirt with short pants & a pair of slippers to Chatuchak (A.K.A JJ market to the Thais)... Getting off from Mok Chi station, I went to hunt for money changer.. It was so convenient, you will find one money changer in every BTS Station... The rate was pretty good too...

When I was in the market, I went to look for a map... This time, it was more convenient compared to last time, every store will keep maps of JJ market.. You just ask them for one, they are obliged to give to you... The map was very very informative and colorful... All stores were categorized by numbers and colors... Stores selling crafting materials & supplies were found from row 17 - 19... You can find number coding on every store. So, you'll not get lost easily.. But I did get lost la, maybe too tired... :p

I was so excited when I saw sooo many interesting crafting supplies... You can find colorful craft papers for scrap books... Miniature items for decoration & charms... Ribbons & fake flowers, fabrics, and lots, lots, more!!!!

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Miniature plants for decoration

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Miniature dishes for decoration & charms

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Paper flowers & ribbons supply store...

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Store that sells patch works & dolls..

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Store that sells phone charm & key charm...

I bought a lot of thing from the market... I've bought few packets of paper flowers, packaging material, souvenirs & gifts for friends, nice fabrics, bags & shirts... I had spend whole day in JJ....

Day 2 - BIG KNIT CAFE

Big Knit cafe is a casual meeting place for everyone who wants to learn and share their passion in crochet & knitting... This concept is what most of my crafter friends and myself dream to have...

Betsy was the one who encouraged me to find out more about Big Knit, cos we had intention to open such shop in Singapore. The day before I asked the hotel staffs, they told me that this place is very far from hotel. It's better to take train than taxi... The nearest BTS is Thong Lor. I was contemplating to go or not to go since it's so far and my time was limited too...

I woke up very early on the 2nd day. After having my breakfast, I finally decided to explore BIG KNIT... Before taking BTS @ Chi Lom station, I made a phone call to check what time they open. Nobody pick up my call.. Started to get worry, not sure whether they have opened or not. Heck care, I just took BTS to Thong Lor... Alighted at Thong Lor, I showed the map to an officer. He told me that it was quite far inside and I might need to take a cab.

Then I took this small little lorry where you can sit behind the lorry... Something like a tuk-tuk car... The driver charged 20 bahts for the ride (which less than S$2)...

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WOW! Apparently, BIG KNIT cafe is located in the middle of a PRIME AREA! Something like River Valley or Holland Village in Singapore... There were many interesting shops along the way and big mansions & classy condos too... Finally, I had reached BIG KNIT cafe. THANK GOD THE CAFE WAS OPENED!

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BIG KNIT cafe occupied two units of shop. Quite a big and spacious place... I saw few people chit chatting & knitting... Then I was greeted by this lovely lady called Yin. She seems to be the person in-charge of the cafe. But she's not the owner... Thank GOD, she could speak fluent English... Unfortunately, the owners were not around. They were overseas sourcing for new yarns. So, I asked her few questions about the cafe... More than willing she told me most of what I wanted to know...

Something about Big Knit Cafe:

It was opened by a middle aged lady and passed down to her daughter, who just turn 24 this year. Both mother and daughter LOVE to knit & crochet... Few years ago they set up a yarn shop on 3rd floor that occupied only one small unit, their customer base grew bigger and they also started to stay longer in the shop... As a result the shop was always very crowded. Then, they decided to shift down to ground floor and took up 2 units... Besides that, they also had an intention to change mind set of most people about knitting and crochet that crochet & knitting are not for elderly people only (your ang ma and auntie).... I TOTALLY AGREED!!

They had put in a huge one-time investment in this new set up which combined cafe, workshop & yarn supply into one... The new concept had portrayed an image of modern & funky, cosy & homely feeling to people. Hence, they attracts quite a large group of youngsters, young adults and executives.

Well, as most business, they didn't make any profit for the first few months... But after awhile, thing started to pick up especially after, they did some publicity on national TV and paper too.. Create more awareness...

Note: Picture contributed by Nice, the owner of Big Knit Cafe

All their yarns are imported because local yarns are quite limited. The yarns are range from 170 bahts (S$7) - 680 bahts (S$30)... Huge variety of yarns... I bought three types of yarns, yarns that cannot be found in Singapore... According to Yin, next month, they will be bringing in few 100 types of yarns from over the place...

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This is Yin... I think she's the store manager...

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Besides that, they do sell crochet needles, books & finished products... They also conduct workshops and they invite a Japanese lady who knows how to speak Thai to teach in their workshops too... So, they have a pool of Japanese customers...

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If any of you will like to visit Big Knit Cafe @ Bangkok, please visit this site: http://www.bigknit49.com... It opens at 9am everyday... The nearest BTS will be Thong Lor... In few months time, they will open a spa next door for their customer to relax after long hours of knitting and crocheting... COOL RITE!?

After my visit at Big Knit cafe, I made my way to Chatuchak... To be continued.....

Day 2 - Discovering the Ultimate SHOPPING EXPERIENCE!

After I had checked in to the hotel, I took a 10 mins walk down to the PLATINUM with the help of a map...

While walking, I came across two crafting shops... Very old and run down crafting shops that were selling mostly buttons, threads & also yarns... I had problem communicating with the shop's assistants as they don't really speak English... :( They were selling mostly local yarns and were very cheap!! One ball of acrylic 50g yarn cost from S$.80 to S$1.20! But the quality of the yarns was very bad! It's something like ORION yarn... I only bought a few to show to my crafting friends...

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Finally, I reached Platinum!!! GOSH!! HUGE Shopping Complex with 7 floors of shops!!!

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Shopping in Platinum was an experience! They were selling almost everything, from t-shirt to dress, office wear to shoes, accessories to bags & etc, etc, etc....

Whenever I asked: "How much"...

The shop-keeper would say "XXX bahts"....

Then I would frowned and asked: "Cheaper?"

Followed by her saying, "How many you want? If you buy many many, then I give your YYY bahts"

"But I only want to buy one"

She would think for awhile and offered, "for you special, at ZZZ bahts"....

But I would bargain for a bit more, knowing the whole-sell price was YYY bahts. So, I'll tell them that I wanted to bring sample back and if my buyers like, I'll buy more... Normally, they would ask a little bit higher than whole-sell but definitely lower than retail pricing.... Done deal....

I prefer bargaining @ shopping ctr than market... Cos, at the market, they would start with a ridiculous price and lowered down to a bargain price... My bargaining power is very bad and I don't like to be offended or offend them either... So, normally I would not ask unless I wanted to buy...

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Shops in the Platinum....

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Shop that sells T-shirts in a container...

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Shop that sells phone charms such as Voodo Dolls....

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Shop that sells beads supply

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Shop that sells accessories

However, this shopping centre closed @ 7pm.... I started my shopping spree @ 2pm and barely covered 5 floors!! Each floor has over 100 units of shops.... I saw a lot of youngsters & some S'poreans dragging huge canvas bags to fill up supplies!

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Bangkok Trip - Day 2

The next day, I shifted from 5 stars hotel to a boutique hotel... Due to cost... =P By the way, for the next three days, I was travelling alone... Bangkok is really safe... :)

I shifted to Bayoke Boutique Hotel, where I've paid USD90 for 2 nights... GOOD deal... and I booked from www.agoda.com. The hotel was very clean & funky looking... The hotel staffs were very very friendly... =D The room that I was staying is quite clean too... =D

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The only disadvantage of staying in this hotel is the location.... It is located in an alley BEHIND Bayoke Sky Hotel, the tallest hotel in Bangkok.

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Then, the nearest BTS (Sky train service) will be Moh Chit station and you need to walk at least 15 to 20 mins to the station... The hotel do provide shuttle services to SIAM centre... So, not so bad... :) I took the cab to the BTS and only cost me around 50 bahts. If you want to walk, you can see a lot of shops & stores along the street through-out the whole walking journey... Cos, there are two Markets just outside the hotel, Bayoke Market just opposite the hotel & Pratunam Market (connecting to the Platinum)... Besides that, there are shopping centres, called Indra Square & Bayoke Garment Complex... Enough for you to shop for hours...

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Indra Square

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Bayoke Market....

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Things I've bought from Indra Square..

Bangkok Trip - Suan Lum Night Market

After the Top's wedding cocktail, Tim (one of my biz partners from S'pore) and I went for a walk along PatPong Night Market , cos the hotel is very near to PatPong Night market. ... BAD BAD place... Too sleezy.... And we were chased away by a lady boy... I saw a 'fake' Tiffany bracelet... Very nice... and I asked him-her how much, and he-she said 1,200 bahts (equivalent to S$57). Then I rejected and walked away... He-she pulled me back and offered me 600 bahts... But I was not interested anymore and walked away, he-she chased from behind again, asking me how much I want, then he-she offered me 50 bahts... Then, I said OK.. Guess what! He-She gave me an empty pouch!!! I was sooo shocked and asked for the bracelet... He-She threw the money back to me saying, 50 bahts can only buy an empty pouch... TERRIBLE RITE!??

Then Tim suggested we go to another night market called Suan Lum Night Market, the nearest BTS station will be Lumpini station... Opens from 4pm till midnight. I love that market... Clean & Tidy.... And, you can find mostly stores open by young local artists... Something like MAAD in S'pore...

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I bought 2 lamps from this shop. This guy handmade the lamp himself... Very unique... I haven't had the time to fix the lamp yet... Will take a picture to show...

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My trip to Bangkok - TOP & TAP Wedding...

I was in Bangkok to attend my friend's wedding. My last trip to Bangkok was 5 years ago with my hubby, then boyfriend... I was travelling alone this time and looking forward to my trip...

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It was my first time attending a Thai's wedding ceremony... Kinda excited... Well, Kamolwan (A.K.A Top) is my friend who was getting married on that day. Like most of the wedding ceremony, she woke up very early that day for make-up (think the make up artist came at 3:30am). I stayed with her the night before at the hotel....

Then her sisters came to help... I was wearing their Thai traditional gown on that day too... Very simple, just a linen white blouse and 'sarong'...

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The Chinese customary in Thai is a bit different from the one in S'pore... In Thai, number 9 is an auspicious number... So, the groom came at 9 sharp with 4 brothers. In Singapore, we usually make things very difficult for the groom and his brothers to get the bride... In Thai, well, things are too easy for the groom... They don't have to sing, or eat those gross stuffs.... All they need to is to enter 'gate' that is formed by gold chain string that is held by two sisters and they have to give ang pao to enter ... There were three 'gates' on that morning.... I was holding one... When they reached my 'gate', I've tried to make thing difficult for him, HEHEHEHE.... I asked him to say I LOVE YOU loudly so that Top could hear from the room... Well, IT'S TOO EASY RITE?... Then I asked for more ang paos.... THAT'S ALL!!!

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Then, their customary wedding ceremony was blessed by 9 monks... Then photo taking session and tea-ceremony....

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Before the wedding cocktail at night, the sisters were helping to decorate the place...

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Then, the sisters had spend almost 3 hours to dress up for the cocktail. They purposely tailored a gown for that night and all the 7 of them look stunningly beautiful :) It's not like our Chinese banquet, where everyone sits on the round table... It's more like finger food buffet and mingling around with other guests.... Quite unique...

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It was a great experience and thanks to TOP & TAP for inviting me to their wedding...