With a small film festival coming up this Jun 6 at Speedy Grandma, we take the opportunity to explore what’s new in the area’s burgeoning arts community.

BIKE-TRENDY

Officially opened on May 15, Saddle and Bun is a very chic addition to the Charoenkrung area by some of the people behind Soulbar and Soy Sauce Factory. While it looks like a nice vintage bike cafe during the day, offering decently priced coffee and bicycles for hire, it also works as a bar/restaurant at night, selling Western comfort food and a selection of cocktails and ciders. It’s also conveniently connected to the friendly Old Town Hostel, if you’re ever in need of a place to crash.
1052-1054 Charoenkrung Soi 26, 061-835-6834. MRT Hua Lamphong
 

INTIMATE SCREENING

Enter the world of Portuguese cinematography at Speedy Grandma this Jun 6 with the official opening of Lusophone Film Fest Bangkok, with support from the French, Brazilian and Portuguese Embassies. The festival celebrates largely unknown and unrecognized films from eight Portuguese-speaking countries across four continents. The opening features Portuguese animation The Giant (2012) and East Timor’s award-winning film Beatriz’s War (2013). If you’re there earlier in the day, check out the interactive art installation by Tuangkamol Thongborisute, titled Are You Going to the Living Room.
672/50-52 Charoenkrung Soi 28. 092-115-8696. MRT Hua Lamphong
 

OLD BANGKOK

If you made it to the Chinatown jumble sale a few weeks back, you’ll have noticed this new establishment in Soi Nana. Tep Bar officially opened at the end of May, and has a pretty interesting range of home-infused ya-dong (traditional herbal Thai white spirit) for you to try, as well as a selection of Thai dishes. Drop by between 7-10pm to catch their live xylophone band.
Room 69-71, Soi Nana, 098-467-2944. MRT Hua Lamphong
 

THE NEW BAR 23

One of the city's latest art spaces, 23 Bar & Gallery, isn’t fancy but makes for a nice place in the middle of Chinatown to watch the city go by. They’ve got their next exhibition coming up this Jun 12 titled Queers of Bangkok, with Go Grrrls’ guest DJ Mae Happyair playing on the opening night. Save the date.
Soi Nana 92, 080-264-4471. MRT Hua Lamphong
 

ALSO IN THE HOOD

If you’ve got more time, move further down towards Taksin Pier for the new exhibition at Bridge, which runs through Jun 21 as a part of La Fete 2015. It showcases the work of Thai student Kanjana Chonsiri and French student Alexandre Poisson created during their three-month residencies in an exchange program between Silpakorn and Beaux-arts de Paris.
Charoenkrung Soi 51, 086-986-9421. BTS Saphan Taksin

 

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