Sui Sian

The Landmark Bangkok, 138 Sukhumvit Rd., 02-254-0404. BTS Nana. Dim sum available daily 11:30am-2pm.
The dark wood décor with deep red accents sets a elegant baseline to your Chinese New Year, which may be just what you’re looking for, instead of the usual, bustling insanity. Your urge to speak in hushed tones in this serene atmosphere will dissipate quickly when enjoying their fantastic dim sum deals which cover all the classics and accompanying rice, noodles or soup. Their year-round all-you-can-eat option (B420) covers 20 classic choices at lunchtime, and for the holiday, Feb 3-4, they’re doing an extra special set at B888 per person that also includes soup, noodles and a Peking duck for the table.

Man Ho

JW Marriott, 4 Sukhumvit Soi 2, 02-656-7700. Dim sum available daily 11:30am-2pm.
This will be a popular hangout for Sukhumvit hi-so family get-togethers this Chinese New Year, thanks to its elegant décor (wood paneling, large round tables and waitresses in quipao/cheongsam) and enormous, bright windows with views over Sukhumvit Road. They do two options: a B490 all-you-can-eat dim sum during the week, and a slightly fancier set for B720 (all week) that includes roast duck and shark’s fin soup (boo!). They also specialize in abalone and bird’s nest dishes.

Maria

50-52 Ratchadamnoen Klang Road, 02-221-5211. Dim sum available daily 11am-2pm.
Maria is like an old relative you see once a year for Chinese New Year. The rest of the time, you wonder if he’s dead: the doors hidden behind lotto sellers are always closed, but Maria is ever ready to welcome visitors. Step inside and find yourself in a large space decked out with simple 70s-style décor that can accommodate more than a hundred people all at once. The experience is old school and comforting, with lots of dim sum trucks and waving and pointing. A can’t-miss dish is the kha muu mantou (stewed pork knuckle served with steam Chinese buns). No set menus, but dim sum starts at a mere B40.

Silver Palace

4 Silom Soi 3 (Soi Phiphat), 02-235-5118. BTS Sala Daeng. Dim sum available daily 11:00am-14:00pm, 18:00pm-22:00pm
A two decade-old institution, Silver Palace is conveniently located in the heart of Silom, which also means that it’s crazy busy, thanks in part to its affordable prices. The vibe is of a laid-back and boisterous food hall, typical of this type of establishment: a large room, lots of round tables and maroon table clothes. We’re a little sad that they don’t do their B299 dim sum buffett anymore, but individual baskets range from B50-80, so no big deal. On Feb 2, spend over B2,000, and you get a 50% dining voucher for your next visit.

China House

48 Oriental Avenue, 02-659-9000. Dim sum available daily 11:30am-2:30pm
If you don’t mind having a slightly belated Chinese New Year celebration, consider spending Sunday afternoon at the atmospheric and fancy China House, where the dim sum brunch at B1,154 (or B1,650 with booze) is one of the more affordable offerings. If you want to celebrate with a date rather than grandma and grandpa, you’ll love the Wong Kar Wai-esque, smoking den feel of this place. As for the food, the dim sum are solid and fresh, being prepared a la minute, and there is an array of other Hong Kong-style dishes and Chinese classics. Get all you can eat from Mon-Sat for B888 (no drinks included). But for their legendary shrimps in wasabi mayonnaise, you’ll have to order a la carte.

Liu

Conrad Bangkok, All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Rd.,
02-690-9999. Dim sums available Sunday 11:30am-2:30pm.
Unlike the vast sprawling spaces and starched tablecloths of many dimsum halls, Lui has a low-ceilinged cozy feeling and a colorful décor with delicate traditional furniture and lots of red accents and table settings, all of which work to make it feel more like a standalone than a hotel restaurant. The dim sum set lunch isn’t pricey either. For B980, you get all-you-can-eat privileges for dim sum and lots of table toppers like braised shark’s fine with crab meat, garoupa fish with shredded taro and fried Shanghai yellow noodles with duck. For B1,180, you can get a slight upgrade with more seafood-heavy dishes.

Ahyat Abalone

Ramada Plaza Maenam Riverside Bangkok, Charoenkrung Rd., 02-291-7781/3. Dim sum available daily 11am-2:30pm.
This Bangkok franchise of Hong Kong’s Michelin star-studded restaurant never fails to pack in hordes of dim sum lovers on a daily basis. While its décor could do with some updates (think noisy and chaotic air-con room with big round tables), the restaurant itself is lauded for cooking up abalones to perfection and an impressive selection of Hong Kong-style dim sum, which comes in 30 varieties. The highlights include steamed scallop dumpling (B86), baked char-siew (BBQ pork) bun (B74), baked egg tarts (B68), deep-fried crispy flour wrapped in rice noodle (B80) and steamed bun with custard (B64). If that’s too much to shell out for dumplings, go there on during lunch for a 50% discount off the dim sum menu. Booking is a must.

Crystal Jade

G/F, Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd., 02-129-4343.
For more branches, go to www.crystaljade.com. Dim sum available daily 10:30am-6pm
They may be a chain, but Crystal Jade is a hot favorite when it comes to democratic (haha) Chinese in our fair city. Not only do they do dim sum daily from 10:30-6pm, they’re also one of the few places in town you can get xiao long bao, those soup and meat-filled dumplings from Shanghai. And the Paragon branch is the least chain-y and most festive of the bunch, with its columns, dark wood and banquet style eating—perfect for a New Year’s brunch with your parents.

Xinn Tien Di

3/F, Gaysorn, 999 Ploenchit Rd., 02-656-2114. Dim sum served daily noon-2pm.
It’s hidden away on the top floor of Gaysorn, which means it’s often less than full, but it does come with the requisite high ceilings and a brigade of efficient waitstaff and knowledgable captain. We’re fans of the dim sum service here, as their light dumplings are delicately-made with thin skins and juicy flavors that avoid being too pork fatty. The chef also has a deft hand at seafood and their speciality Peking duck, which comes with light pancakes that are green with the addition of tea leaves. Dim sum ranges from B50-100.

1. Remington, B2,095.
2. Philips, B8,020.
3. Braun, B4,690.
4. Panasonic, B2,990.

Essentials

5/F, Central Chidlom, Ploenchit Rd., tel 02-793-7777.

We speak to expert Mr. Paisarn Sornphrom, of The Barber Shop (G/F, The P&L Club, Conrad Bangkok, 87, Wireless Rd., 02-685-3898).

1. Before and after applying the shaving cream, use a hot towel to heat up the shaving area for 3-4 minutes. It opens your pores and swells up the hairs, making shaving easier and preventing bleeding.

2.  Pull the skin tight with one finger and shave in small increments without putting too much pressure on the
blade.

3.  When finished, use aftershave to close up the pores and reduce skin irritation.

4.  While applying aftershave, also massage your face for

Selecting the winners for Reader’s Choice Awards is really, really simple. Readers vote online, we count the votes, we publish the results. And yet, we’re constantly approached by skeptics who ask if we fudged things this way or that. What can we say? This year, we did our drinking mainly at WTF and Soul Food—neither of which won a mention here. And that’s the point. This isn’t about BK’s writers, it’s about our readers. And here’s what they (you) thought were the best places to chill out, party on, feel great or just escape from it all.

Chill Out

Favorite Wine Store: Wine Connection
New category, new face, stunning win. With nearly three times as many votes as its closest rival (Central Wine Cellar), Wine Connection clinches the title.
Favorite Mall: CentralWorld
Maybe it’s post-protest sympathy, or B80 movies on Wednesdays, or the new ice-skating rink, but CentralWorld managed to stay fresh enough to keep its crown for another year.
Favorite Coffee Shop/Dessert place: Starbucks
Will you be terribly surprised if we tell you Starbucks won—again! (And by a long way.)
Favorite Phone: iPhone
Favorite Automobile: BMW
Favorite Credit Card: Citibank

Party On

Favorite Bar: Bed Supperclub
Bed wins comfortably. What’s interesting is how close Iron Fairies and Hyde & Seek came to runner-up Q Bar.
Favorite New Bar: Hyde & Seek
As you might have guessed from the above, Hyde & Seek wins by a narrow margin. Runners-up: Iron Fairies, Funky Villa, Fat Gutz. That’s two bars (Iron Fairies and Fat Gutz) in the top four from the same owner: Kudos to Ash Sutton.
Favorite Venue for Live music: Saxophone
Favorite Jazz bar: Saxophone
Why Saxophone suddenly plummeted in the charts last year, we’ll never understand. This year, they’re back at the top, pushing Brown Sugar to second place. In the Jazz Bar category, near identical results.
Favorite Venue for DJs: Bed Supperclub
It’s Bed again, with a comfortable lead over Q Bar.
Favorite Beer: Heineken
Heineken beats Singha. Then comes Hoegaarden and Asahi. My, how posh you guys are. Ever heard of Chang, Cheers and Leo?
Favorite Spirit: Absolut
Sweden’s Absolut gets more than twice as many votes as France’s Grey Goose. Sacre bleu!
Cutest Staff: Bed Supperclub
Most Overrated Bar: Bed Supperclub
Again, two sets of near-identical results with wins for Bed followed by Q Bar and Hyde & Seek. Which allows us to present you with this theory: can one equate having hot staff with being overrated? That would make BK Magazine very, very overrated.

Feel Great

Favorite Spa: Health Land
Clean and professional, the chain beats the five-star hotels thanks to its pocket-friendly prices.
Favorite Fitness Club: Fitness First
Fitness First barely beat True Fitness last year. What a difference a year makes. It’s a clear win for 2011, and California Wow is back from third place to runner-up. True is now a distant third.
Favorite Yoga/Pilates Studio: Absolute Yoga
Favorite Hospital: Bumrungrad
Favote Beauty Clinic: Romrawin Skin & Beauty Clinic

Get Away

Favorite Airline for Travel within Southeast Asia (domestic and regional): Air Asia
Air Asia wins yet again but there’s lot of change from year to year in the runner-ups. Bangkok Airways nearly clinched the title in 2010, but has toppled in the charts since. THAI, on the other-hand, makes a strong comeback, and was within five votes of a win!
Favorite Airline for Travel Outside Southeast Asia: THAI Airways
Favorite hotel (outside Bangkok): Let’s Sea
A lot of you voted for chains (in that sense, Sheraton is the combined winner), but when it comes to picking one individual property, Hua Hin’s Let’s Sea is still your top choice.

EATING OUT

Favorite New Restaurant: Hyde & Seek
Favorite Steak Place: New York Steak House
Favorite Buffet: JW Marriott (Marriott Cafe)
Favorite Sunday Brunch: Four Seasons
Most Overrated Restaurant: Sirocco
Favorite Western Restaurant: Sizzler
Favorite Restaurant: Fuji
Favorite Asian Restaurant: Fuji

1. A set of offerings for people with incompatible signs to avoid ripping each others throats out. B139 from Tesco Lotus

2. A red glass candlestand. B2,450 from Central Chidlom

3. A gold-colored rabbit  to scare away bad luck. And children. B99 from Tesco Lotus

4. They say the print is European but we think this palette, lip gloss and mascara from Milly for Clinique are perfect for Chinese-looking girls getting ready to be the prettiest for Valentine’s next week. B3,250 from Clinique

5. Add a festive feel to your wrist with My Rabbit Story special Chinese New Year collection. B2,000 from Swatch

6. A red and gold envelope (ang pao) to give a couple hundred to your security guard or a couple million to your local police chief (if you own a bar). B12 each from Tesco Lotus, B30 from Central. And a greeting card, B45 from B2S.

7. A set of Chinese paint brushes and ink for Chinese calligraphy. B995 from Central Chidlom

8. A jewelry box made from Chinese silk. B1,500 from Central Chidlom

9. A set of small drawers made from Chinese silk. B1,500 from Central Chidlom

BK: What brought you to Bangkok?
Michael: My daughter was going to live here with her grandparents, so I came here to be near her and ended up finding work as a teacher.

BK: What does HOPE do?
Michael: HOPE Worldwide (Thailand) (www.HOPEwwthailand.org) runs programs at Nontapum Home for disabled orphans and girls rescued from trafficking, teaching them basic computer skills. It’s not much. They basically have nothing and they are trying to do great things, so I wanted to help them get more funds and sponsors.

BK: What gave you the idea for the Walk of Hope?
Michael: The idea behind the walk was simply to promote awareness of HOPE’s projects, raise funds and get some sponsors. The walk from Bangkok to Chang Mai is 730kms long. It was my first time, and I had no idea what I was doing.

BK: How many kilometers did you walk a day?
Michael: Only about 30 because we set up stands and reached out to the local community to teach them about what we are doing along the way. People have been amazing; 90% of the time we stayed for free at schools, temples, and even some resorts.

BK: What is your source of inspiration?
Michael: I read this quote every day of my walk: “When you seek happiness for yourself it will always elude you; when you seek happiness for others you will find it for yourself.”

BK: Did you succeed?
TK: Yes. We’ve not only made lots of people aware of HOPE, we even got quite a few big-name sponsors, like Adidas, Air Asia and Toyota on board.

BK: Do you plan to do this again?
TK: No, my knees are not very good, and I may even need surgery on them. I still want to help, but I need to find other ways to do it, so I am always thinking of other projects.

BK: How can others help?
TK: I think you know yourself when or how you can help. There comes a time when you think, “I can help, I should be doing this,” and as soon as you have this feeling, act on it. Don’t think, don’t try, just do. Carissa Devine

Donations can be made to HOPE Worldwide (Thailand) via Kasikorn Bank, Rangnam Branch, Account no. 052-2-7800-2.

“Oh Mr. De Niro...it hurts to see you like this.” Bob Grimm, Tucson Weekly

“Even by the franchise’s own declining standards, Fockers is a wince-a-thon of crude gag sausage-making.” Gary Thompson, Philadelphia Daily News

“Schindler’s List was funnier than this.” Anders Wotzke, Cut Print Review

“If Lesbian Vampire Killers and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians taught us anything, it’s that you should never base an entire film’s plot and existence around a title.” Matt Risley, Sky Movies

“Just when you think things can’t stoop any lower, Owen Wilson performs acrobatics in blue lycra.” Jason Goodyer, Little White Lies

“I’m guessing there will be a fourth and a fifth Meet the Parents sequel: Stepfockers, and Tween Fockers or maybe even As Long as She’s Your Second Cousin, You Can Still Focker. Who knows, or cares.” Mike Ward, Richmond.com