What do you reach for to wash down a spicy mouthful of som tam or phat kaphrao? Ice water? A cold beer? Sang Som and soda? What about a nice glass of syrah (a.k.a. shiraz)? True, wine—especially red wine—is not an obvious choice with Thai food. But our experts suggest that a happy marriage between Thai food and wine isn’t as far off as you might think.

We all learned as kids (hopefully) that, when it comes to putting out a raging inferno, not all liquids are equal. For instance, water: great for putting out a fire. In fact, it’s what the pros use. But, as we know, it’s not nearly as helpful as a ball of khao niao. And alcohol, meanwhile, can only make the situation worse. “Thai food is quite spicy and sour, so it raises the temperature of the body,” says Kim Wachtveitl, spokesperson for Monsoon Valley Wines (Siam Winery, 174/1-4 Moo 9, 02-937-0055, [email protected]). “Having wine with Thai food has always been a bit jarring because wine raises the temperature even more.”

Even though wine won’t cool your mouth, it may help relax your mind, according to Wichien Navaekmongol, beverage manager at The Oriental (48 Oriental Ave., 02-659-9000): “When you drink wine, it’s different from whisky. Your mind goes into a peaceful, romantic state.”

Can wine really complement Thai food? Yes, if you know what you’re doing! The key is balance. Don’t waste your money on wine when you’re eating food so hot that it blows out your tastebuds. For most Thai dishes, our experts suggest wines that are off-dry, with a little sweetness, medium acidity, low tannins, and a light to medium body.

Red or White?

The old “red with meat, white with fish” rule is a good starting point, but you should think about the other ingredients as well since “many wines have aroma profiles which can match the ones in the dish,” Kim explains. He also says you should think about the weight of a dish. Choose a lighter bodied wine for light dishes, such as foods that have been steamed. Food that has been grilled or given a rich sauce pairs well with a medium-bodied wine.

According to Ross Marks, general manager of international wine for Tops supermarkets (Central Food Retail, 02-937-1700), red wine is more popular than white wine in Thailand because it is considered to be more healthful and more sophisticated. But he says white wine is actually just as good for you. Most importantly, it’s a good idea to get to know whites if you don’t want to overpower a beautiful meal. Champagne or sparkling wines like Italian prosecco or Spanish cava can go well with deep fried appetizers or snacks. The bubbles clear away the oil and refresh the palate.

With spicy salads, think fruity and white. Ross likes “apple-y, lime-y, fruit-driven” wines like German standouts gewurztraminer and auslese riesling. Many gewurtztraminers have a lychee-like aroma, and floral notes are common in rieslings. Other white wines can also pair well with salads because of their freshness and fruity notes, but be sure to pick one with some acidity to stand up to the tangy lime juice and tamarind. A white wine would also pair well with barbequed seafood.

A chilled red wine goes nicely with stir-fried dishes. “Phat kaphrao muu can take a chilled red that’s soft and fruity,” says Ross. “Thai basil has a rich, anise-y flavor that goes well with the wine.” Try a Beaujolais. Kim says that most stir-fried dishes have a soy sauce base, which works with a chilled shiraz or pokdum, a Thai varietal. “The sweet plum aromas and spices found in the shiraz, or red fruits in the pokdum, pair well with spicier dishes, especially with our well-known red curries,” notes Kim.

Some westerners may cringe at being served a cold red wine, but the experts agree—reds should be refrigerated in this hot climate. “Red wines should always feel cool in the mouth,” says Ross, noting that when wine is too hot bad smells can come out and the alcohol becomes unpleasant. In general, reds should always be served at 15 to 18 degrees, whites at 8 to 10 degrees.

With Thai food in particular, red wine should be chilled. “This pushes down the tannins and brings up the fruit,” explains Ross. “Softer reds like Thai styles are best served between 13 and 14 degrees.” He adds, “When I go out to a restaurant, I sometimes put my red wine on ice.” A tannic wine will react with chilies and create an awful bitter taste.

Pretty in Pink

For phat thai, Kim recommends a dry rose with red fruit flavors. Roses get their pink color from the skin of red grapes, but they are fermented like white wines. The combination of white wine and red wine characteristics makes this wine like the friend who gets along with everybody. Perfect if you’re dining Thai style, with several dishes served together. Good dry roses often come from Spain or Southern France.

The traditional rule of thumb is to choose a red wine to go with red meat and a white wine to complement white meat or seafood. However, a new generation of wine drinkers is throwing caution to the wind, observes Wichien. They don’t bother with the old guidelines. “Whenever I am asked to make a wine recommendation,” he says, “I first ask them, ‘Do you prefer white or red?’” regardless of what they’ve chosen from the menu. He admits, though, “When you eat beef and follow it with a smooth red wine, the flavor of the beef is enhanced in your mouth.”

“With any spicy dish, alcohol is the enemy,” Ross says. “But drink what you like. If you like spice and alcohol, that’s up to you.” But beware of this combination: “Any wine containing cabernet should not be paired with shellfish because it creates an unpleasant metallic taste. It can even cause a sensation similar to biting on a piece of tin foil when you have a filling in your tooth.”

Whatever your preference, don’t worry too much about choosing the right wine. As Wichien notes, there are more important factors in your dining experience: “The taste of your wine is affected by your mood and the atmosphere, and by the people around you and the conversation.”

Learn the Lingo

Off-dry: Slightly sweet. (A dry wine lacks sweetness.)

Tannin: Causes the pucker feeling in the mouth. Comes from the skin and stems of the grapes.

Body: The feeling of the wine’s weight in the mouth—the result of the combination of flavor, alcohol, and tannin.

Acidity: A sharpness on the tongue. Too much acidity makes a wine difficult to drink; too little makes it weak.

The word has spread, and thousands of kids, teenagers and parents have visited TK Park since its opening. Looking at the tiny space, you would never imagine that it has 45,000 registered members already. That’s the reason why Thailand Knowledge Park or TK Park (8/F, Zone D, Central World Plaza, 02-250-7620. Open daily 10am-8pm. www.tkpark.or.th) has decided to expand. The new 4,200 square meter-space is fragmented into several sections including Reading Park & Mediatheque, providing over 20,000 books and magazines from around the world along with other materials. TK Music Library features over 500 Thai and international music sources; IT Library offers electronic and technology learning workshops; and TK Mini Theatre shows exclusive films. Go and experience one of the most successful projects this government has established.

After spending big baht on the latest digital music player, what do most people do? Listen to their music with stock earphones. That’s the greatest disservice you can do to your flashy gadget. Just as large-capacity players are expanding the concept of “music on the go” to “music library on the go,” having your music collection with you all the time is changing the way many people are listening to music. What are your options? There are different categories of design, typically separated into open-air phones, sealed headphones and in-canal earphones.

Burn, Baby, Burn

Really anal audiophiles “burn in” their phones. Think of it as warming up before jogging, seasoning your shoes or breaking in a new car engine. While this has not been technically proven to enhance sound quality, most audiophiles swear by it. The rule of thumb is to not judge your phones till at least one or two weeks after you start using them. That equates to approximately 100 hours of burn time. You don’t have to set aside time to do that of course, just give your phones a chance to grow into the sound.

You can go into as many details as there are audible frequencies when dissecting the qualities of phones and picking the right one for yourself. But when you shut out the audio babble like “bright,” “tinny,” “dark,” “punch,” “boom,” and the colors of the spectrum, all that matters is what works for your ears. Just make sure they’re not blocked.

Bang & Olufsen A8 Headphones, B6,500, Bang & Olufsen, 1/F, CRC Reatail Center, All Seasons Place, Wireless Rd., 02-685-3671/-3.

Leaky Ears

Open-air phones leak sound into the environment. On that note, they also let sound into your ears—convenient if you don’t want to become road kill while jogging. The unfortunate side effect is that the listener more often than not turns up the volume to compensate for external disturbances, inadvertently damaging his/her hearing.

Music sharing might be the in thing these days, but we don’t advocate sharing your music with every commuter within hearing radius. And as much as you love it, no one else is going to head bang to the stuff coming out of your ears. The culprits are commonly the aforementioned stock earphones that come with your music players. Sound quality is often tinny, bright, and you can forget about bass. Do yourself and your fellow commuters a favor: Leave the earphones sealed in the box—that’s where they belong.

Sony, B1,990, Sony Style, 3/F, Siam Paragon, 02-610-9666.

Airtight Ears

Sealed headphones are what most audiophiles go for. As the name suggests, these create seals—the ear cups completely engulf your ears. Perspiring within the confines of the ear cups is a drawback, but the seals dramatically reduce noise, giving the impression that it’s just you and your music. Sound quality is naturally better than your typical open-air phones. It’s usually fuller, richer and you can hear more. All of a sudden, bass is a palpable presence.

Walking around with sealed phones feels like you’re living in a music video—people go about their business to your chosen soundtrack. Really good sealed phones will have you forgetting about your destination.

Bose Tripod Headphones, B7,918, Bose, 2/F, Siam Paragon, 02-129-4301/-4.

In Your Ears

In-ear or in-canal earphones have become common in the past few years. Also known as ear buds, these earphones usually have soft rubber or silicon ear tips and are small enough to stick right into your ear canals. The seals created are almost airtight, and in some cases, better than sealed headphones. You get the same rich aural experience as the sealed headphones sans ear cups, headband, weight and perspiration. Sound is usually clear with deep bass, and the aural space is more defined.

A high-end variation of in-ear earphones are the in-ear monitors (IEMs). “Monitors” are reference speakers which are used to, well, monitor music. It’s what the studio wizards need for the clearest music reproduction when working their magic. IEMs have even better seals than in-ear earphones because they come with different ear tips for your individual comfort and preference. Spend more and you have the option of making ear tips custom molded to your ear canals. But be warned: The ear tips can get left behind in your ear canal if you yank out your IEMs hastily. Keep a pair of tweezers handy.

Top-of-the-line IEMs have dual drivers—one for low frequencies, another for high frequencies—and mid frequencies are shared between them. They also have crossover circuits so that frequencies are channeled to the right drivers. Listening to music with IEMs is like tunneling a set of subwoofers and tweeters into your ears—the soundstage feels like it’s inside your head.

Sony, B1,690, Sony Style, 3/F, Siam Paragon, 02-610-9666.

One of the loveliest ways to spend a lazy weekend morning is to sleep in, get up late and then head out for a good meal. Brunch is one of the best times for poring over the paper (or the latest issue of I-S) with a coffee or catching up with friends over the previous night’s shenanigans. For those who prefer not to have to walk backwards and forwards from the buffet on a Sunday morning, here are some of the better a la carte brunches in town.

Brunch

4/F Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Blvd., Marina Square, 6336-8111.
The name of this newbie really says it all. Located alfresco but not quite poolside, Brunch claims to be the only restaurant in Singapore serving brunch all day every day. The menu is a suitably expansive list of traditional breakfast items as well as soups, salads, sandwiches, grill items and pizzas. The eggs poached ($5.50), scrambled ($6) or fried ($5), Florentine ($7), Benedict ($7.50) or salmon Benedict ($9.50) all come with a long list of side order options such as a baker’s basket of brioche, muffins and croissants ($5), corn beef hash ($6) or the famous and delicious homemade Pan Pacific sausages ($3 each). The pizzas ($15 for Margherita, $1 per additional topping) are substantial, with a generous serving of toppings. The seafood in the Chef’s salad ($12) and the mixed grill ($20) is extremely fresh. A good all-rounder for those hankering for brunch mid-week, amid a quiet location. Brunch available Mon-Sat 11am-7pm; Sun 10am-7pm.

The Marmalade Pantry

#B1-08/11 Palais Renaissance, 390 Orchard Rd., 6734-2700.
The Marmalade Pantry has made a name out of satisfying hungry palates with its offer of eggs, main courses and, of course, its delectable cakes in a fashion typical of all the eateries in the Marmalade Group—consistently scrumptious. In a tribute to the anticipated Sunday morning hangover, Bloody Marys ($12) are at the top of the menu, followed closely by the lychee Bellinis ($14). Some of the most popular menu items are the eggs Benedict or Florentine ($15), as well as the hot pastrami sandwich with caramelized onions and emmenthal ($16). We also highly recommend the rib eye steak sandwich with wasabi mayonnaise ($20), which is one of the tastiest steak sandwiches in town. But one cannot really leave Marmalade without a dessert—for brunch try the fried peanut butter and banana sandwich ($9), whose melting sticky sweetness is perfect to satisfy a sweet tooth. If only they had an alfresco area, The Marmalade Pantry would be one of the best eateries in town. Brunch available Sun 10am-4pm.

The Cellar Door

610 Bukit Timah Rd., 6463-5296.
With its new New Zealand restaurant manager, The Cellar Door is planning on making some changes and improvements soon, but it seems they’re doing pretty well just as they are. It’s no wonder this place is always packed with expatriates—one can always rely on The Cellar Door for a tasty and hearty modern Antipodean meal, and weekend brunches are no exception. The latest brunch menu offers a range of pastries such as raisin brioche, pain au chocolat, raisin scones and hot cross buns ($4), dips and bread ($9 for two dips or $19 for five dips) and homemade muesli ($8). Eggs are also delicious whether scrambled with smoked salmon ($16) or traditional Benedict style ($16). Top this off with a glass of the Linduaer Brut Sparkling, the house sauvignon blanc, or the house red ($10) or any other selection from The Cellar Door’s extensive wine list, and one can’t really ask for more. Brunch available Sat-Sun 10am-3pm.

Rivercafe

41 Robertson Quay. 6733-4414.
With its riverside alfresco tables and groovy chic café interior, Rivercafe makes a nice quiet spot to muse over a long weekend meal. Its brunch menu is evocative of Sydney’s famous Bills restaurants, which sees Aussies queuing every weekend. It’s definitely worth sampling similar menu items—such as sweetcorn fritters with roast tomato, spinach and bacon ($15), and ricotta hotcakes with fresh banana and honeycomb ($15)—for an unusual but successful combination. And this is Rivercafe’s point of difference: the typically modern Australian take they have on their brunch items, such as banana porridge ($11.50), homemade toasted coconut bread ($5.50) and the use of free range eggs ($10). Homesick Aussies can even order Vegemite toast ($4.50). Brunch available Sat-Sun 9am-3pm.

PS Café

28B Harding Rd., 6479-3343.
The absolutely gorgeous PS Café may no longer be the newest kid on the block, but being surrounded by luxuriant greenery, large windows and a generous deck make this a stunning way to start the day. Try the blue cheese and caramelised onion flan ($20) or poached eggs with portobello mushroom, grilled bacon and smoked cheese ($22). For a more traditional breakfast, there’s also the coconut and caraway seed waffles ($22) with sauteed bananas, bacon and maple syrup or for a more unusual start to the day, try the Indian vegetable curry ($23). Although it’s a little inconvenient that they don’t take brunch bookings, at least the environment is conducive for sitting back and soaking it all up, rather than chowing down and rushing off. Brunch available Sat-Sun 9:30am-3pm.

Graze

4 Rochester Park, 6775-9000.
Current darling Graze offers some hearty and delicious brunch items that come in truly enormous portions. On arrival, guests can munch on toast with homemade five spice honey ($8 per bottle to take home) before their main meals arrive. Head Chef Matthew Lawdorn cooks up some amazingly light omelets ($16 with four extra ingredients) and luscious banana pancakes ($13). Particularly impressive is the cast iron pan ($18, $16 for vegetarian) of bratwurst sausage, bacon, mushrooms, tomato, fried egg, hash brown, baked beans and plum salsa—which makes for a rustic and satisfying meal. From noon, the barbecue menu is also available: they recommend either the meat platter of sirloin, pork chops, chicken and sausages ($70 for two people, $146 for four) or the Asian seafood platter ($90 for two people, $180 for four) with scallops, crab, tiger prawns, oysters and a whole banana leaf-wrapped sea bass. With its gorgeous outdoor location, this is one of the best brunch locations in town. Brunch available Sun 9am-2:30pm.

Getting bored with your current cell phone already? Breathe easy, ringtone junkie, because the big boys of mobiles have unleashed a slew of new feature-filled phones that’ll leave you with your jaw on the floor.

Of course, we understand that you’re overloaded with all the viable options, so we’re highlighting the coolest of the lot and what they have to offer to make things a little easier for you.

Now pry yourself away from your SMSs for a second and check out what could potentially be your next gadget on the go.

All in One

What It Is: The E1070 is Motorola’s latest feature-laden 3G phone.
What It’s Got: Its broadband-like connection makes for easy downloads, right there in your phone. The VGA camera allows you to have a video conference, if you feel like it. There’s also the 1.3 megapixel camera with 8x zoom and the integrated Digital Music Player. On top of that, the phone’s designed for multitasking, allowing you to download files in the background while talking on the phone.
How Much It Is: $528
The Final Word: It’s a worthy addition to Motorola’s line of 3G mobiles.
Where To Get One: hello!@ ComCentre, 31 Exeter Rd., Hotline: 1626.

Music Is My Radar

What It Is: The BenQ-Siemens E61 is a mobile phone that goes all out to please the mobile music fan.
What It’s Got: Everything for a complete mobile music experience. You’ve got a music player that’s compatible with MP3 and a few other formats. Even the phone’s design has its music functions in mind, with buttons on the upper rim to control the player.

There’s also the option to download lyrics on to the 1.8” TFT screen, so you can sing along. On top of all of that, there’s even an integrated six-band equalizer, so the tone of your favorite tunes is literally in your hands.
How Much It Is: $388.
The Final Word: Another ferocious competitor in the mobile music game, it has certainly shown that it has the chops to stake a place in this niche.
Where To Get One: M1 Shop Paragon, #B1-28/29 Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd., Hotline: 1800-843-8383.

Sweet as Chocolate

What It Is: The much talked about LG Chocolate Phone.
What It’s Got: Its features are rather simple: A 1.3 megapixel camera and video camera, an MP3 / AAC player, and 128MB of onboard memory. But it’s not the features that sell this phone.

“Stylish” seems an understatement for it. Not only is it designed to look impressively sleek, but this droolworthy phone remains completely black—until a gentle brush of its touchpad brings the phone to life.
How Much It Is: $738
The Final Word: It’s more than simply a phone, it’s a work of art.
Where To Get One: Planet Telecoms, #03-03 Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Rd., 6337-2533.

Walk This Way, Talk This Way

What It Is: The fifth model of Sony Ericsson’s popular line of Walkman phones, the W700i comes in Titanium Gold.
What’s It’s Got: We know what you’re all curious about: Does it hold a candle to its predecessor as far as its music player capabilities are concerned? Well, it most certainly does. It’s got a 256MB Memory Stick PRO Duo, which can hold up to around six CDs worth of music. Managing your tunes isn’t a hassle with the Disc2Phone software, which we found to be pretty user-friendly.

Another cool feature, as far as music is concerned, is the standard connector—which means you can use your personal earphones or headphones instead of the ones that come with the phone. The other great thing is its 2.0 megapixel camera, which is a breeze to use and provides crystal clear images.

The joystick navigation and interface are relatively easy to get used to, so even with all its features, you still won’t have a problem calling people or sending text messages.
How Much It Is: $698
The Final Word: It’s a music and mobile phone lover’s dream. Gorgeous and easy to use, this one’s going to be hot for quite a while.
Where To Get One: M1 Shop Paragon, #B1-28/29 Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd., Hotline: 1800-843-8383)

Bare Minimum

What It Is: Samsung’s SGH-E870, with a satin-finish titanium casing, has been dubbed the phone for the stylish and modern female user.
What It’s Got: Aside from a 4x zoom 1.3 megapixel camera, it also supports five different music formats (MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+ and WMA). What’s more, for the professional woman on the go, it allows you to access document files in Microsoft Office, Adobe PDF and JPEG formats.

As for its more aesthetic traits, the phone weighs a mere 80g and is available in White, Chill Blue and Valentine Pink, completing its sophisticated look.
How Much It Is: $638
The Final Word: It’s main draw is it simply looks good. This one’s more for the fashion-conscious than the feature-crazy.
Where To Get One: Samsung Mobile World, #B2-28 Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Rd., 6238-7911.

Open Up

What It Is: The Nokia 6125 is the latest model from a company that prides itself on user-friendliness.
What It’s Got: Sure, the features on this phone, by today’s standards, are a little light. You’ve got your 1.3 megapixel camera, multimedia Flash player and your built-in music player—all rather standard fare.

But its complete ease of use carries on the proud Nokia tradition. The keypad is large enough to be comfortable, but because it is a foldable phone, this doesn’t pose a problem.
The interface takes very little effort to get used to for both diehard Nokia users and non-users alike.
How Much It Is: $488
The Final Word: Looking for a phone that’s simple yet effective? This one’s for you
Where To Get One: Nokia Suntec City, #02-56/58/60 Suntec City Mall, No. 3 Temasek Blvd., 6333-1579.

After many months of anxious waiting, museum goers finally get to set their feet—and admiring eyes—on the revamped National Museum of Singapore. Besides up to date facilities, this 119-year-old building is now endowed with 10,000 sq. ft. of new exhibition space. Catch the acclaimed German art exhibition The Scenic Eye: Visual Arts and the Theatre, which marks the debut of these new digs.

Nineteen esteemed visual artists the likes of Mark Lammert, Qin Yu Fen, Thomas Schütte, Wolf Vostell, Ute Weiss-Leder and Raimund Kummer crack their brains over theater. The resultant art pieces reveal links between the director, thespian, audience and stage. It’s a spectacle—with videos, paintings, photographs and installations teasing your every sensory organ.

Wolf Vostell conceptualized The Scenic Eye 10 years ago. Ever since, the show has graced galleries around the world, such as the Christchurch Art Gallery and Center for Contemporary Art at UKMA. Goethe-Institut Singapore and the National Museum of Singapore now bring this international exhibition to our sunny island.

Why choose The Scenic Eye to be the first exhibition of the refurbished museum? “The Scenic Eye plays up the strengths of the museum’s new space. It explores human experiences through art and theater, which is very much in line with our philosophy of using different media to bring history across to the public,” explains Lee Chor Lin, director of the National Museum of Singapore.

Hop over to the National Museum of Singapore now. All class and sparkling new, this place (still smelling of fresh paint) houses a fascinating exhibition to steal your breath away.

Love isn’t all smooth sailing for the valet Figaro and chambermaid Susanna in the latest offer by Singapore Lyric Opera and Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. Set in Seville in the late 18th century, the couple tries to tie the wedding knot in The Marriage of Figaro, but finds the process fraught with difficulties.

Characters scheming to separate Figaro and Susanna include the Count Almaviva, who himself hankers after Susanna, and Marcellina, who desires Figaro. Adding to the mayhem is pageboy Cherubino, who goes after Count Almaviva’s spouse. The simple act of getting married with your lover seems complex, mind boggling and bewildering. Seems like a hilarious opera is in the works, and getting married isn’t all as lovey dovey as the Social Development Unit makes it out to be.

Its poster is already garnering much attention, and we hope The Marriage of Figaro lives up to it. “Eye-catching was the intended effect. Provocative is the bonus. We have assembled an exceptionally strong cast with an experienced artistic team. Look forward to an exciting performance,” claims Toh Weng Cheong, chairman of the Singapore Lyric Opera.

Don’t miss this aural and visual treat. This comic opera organized in conjunction with Mozart’s 250th birth anniversary might just hold you riveted from start to end—and make you rethink marriage too.

Eight-year-old indie act Tiramisu used to be all stiff and dull on stage, with only a twitch now and then from its members. Now with experience and a fairly new lineup that comprises Rizman Putra, Norazlan Misnan, Athif, Keith Su and Syed Ahmad, it’s electrifying gigs one after another.

One remembers Tiramisu for the members’ outrageous costumes on stage. So what’s the latest craze for the band? “I like old tai tai clothes. I shop for the band, and normally I’ll pick tai tai clothes for the other members too. I have a fetish for women’s swimming costumes, stockings, legwarmers and hip hop apparel also,” says Rizman Putra, the vocalist of Tiramisu.

Putra takes his pick for gig outfits from the Salvation Army a week before a show. The rest of the band members get to see the costumes only a few hours before their performances.

One reason that could account for Tiramisu’s wild gigs is that these self-confessed poseurs are in love—with themselves. “Normally we don’t really care about the crowd. We used to perform to only 15 to 20 people. The most important thing is to just have fun. Most of the time, the audience is secondary. We perform for ourselves first, then the crowd! Haha. The stage is a cathartic space where we release our hidden emotions,” says.

Tiramisu apparently enjoys what it does, and has grown much over the years. The band will play at Baybeats 2006—The Indie Alternative Music Festival of the Region next. Come dressed up too, and get set for a rocking time.

Princess Charming

Dear Diary,
It really is hard to believe how suddenly my life has changed. At the risk of sounding like a newly crowned beauty pageant princess, lolling in her enormous five-star bed with tiara still attached to her head—it’s like a dream.

I don’t have a lot in common with those pretty ladies: I don’t care for kids and I’m not concerned with world peace. After all, I’m just a street dog. But I’m a good breed, a cocker spaniel. Let me paint you a picture: I’m a five-month-old male puppy, mostly white with some brown on my face and ears. I don’t mean to brag—Thais like humble dogs as much as modest people—but there’s no avoiding the fact that I’m damn cute.

Still, life hasn’t always been easy for this cute little canine. It’s something of a Cinderella story, actually. My mom was dumped by an uncaring owner, so my three sisters and I have been raised at a place called Home For Handicapped Animals Foundation (15/1 Moo 1 Soi Pramahakarun, Tiwanon Rd., 02-584-4896, 02-961-5625. Open daily 8am-5pm)—a kind of puppy orphanage. Just this morning, as I was hanging out with my sis, a pretty girl called Khun Nu visited the foundation and adopted me. Khun Nu was like a talent scout searching for the next rising star at Siam Square—and the rising star today was me! She spotted me rolling around with my siblings and said, “Look at that cute cocker spaniel!” I stopped and looked at her, wagging my tail. Finally, somebody recognized me as the star that I am. And she even knew my breed. What a smart girl.

Excitedly,
That Cute Cocker Spaniel

A Street Dog by Any Other Name

Dear Diary,
Khun Nu took me to her big white house and let me play in the yard. She told everyone that my name was Kimchi because I’m stinky. “Besides, I think Kimchi’s a cool name,” Khun Nu told her mother, “and I want him to be trendy like me.”

“Trendy”? I wasn’t sure I liked the sound of that. As it turns out, the first step toward being trendy is taking a shower. I didn’t like the wet part much, but it was worth it afterward when Jaew, the maid, dried my fur with a hairdryer. Wow, what a great invention!

Clean and relaxed, I was just about to fall asleep when I heard Khun Nu on the phone. “Can you pick us up at 3?” she asked. “I need to take my dog to the vet.”

After that I couldn’t sleep.

Apprehensively,
Kimchi

V-Day

Dear Diary,
As promised, a dog taxi from Big Move (10 Soi Pattnakang 20, Pattanakan Rd., 02-720-0507, 06-399-9780. Mon-Fri 8am-9pm, Sat-Sun 8am-12am. www.dogstaxi.com) arrived today to pick up Khun Nu and me and take us to Thonglor Pet Hospital (205/19-21 Soi Thong Lor (between Thonglor 9 and 11), Sukhumvit Rd., 02-712-6301-4, www.thonglorpet.com. Open 24 hours). The vet there told me I was a lucky dog and very healthy, but he gave me vaccines anyway.

Did they hurt? Sure. I’m a puppy, not a robot. But I’ll soon be a big dog, and I have to be strong. As a reward for my bravery, Khun Nu bought me a little soccer uniform from the hospital’s gift shop. She put it on me right away.
Life is good with my new owner, but even with her constant company, I get lonely for other dogs. I wish I still had my siblings to play with.

Missing my friends,
Kimchi

Very Fit, Very Firm

Hello Diary,
This morning Khun Nu saw me trying to catch my own tail and realized that I needed some dog-to-dog interaction. (But I like playing with my tail!) She brought me to Dog Sport Club (777/1 Moo 11, Soi Nuanchan 36, Nuanchan Rd. (behind Kokkram police station), 02-519-3737, 01-776-3579, www.dogsportclub.com. Open daily 9am-6pm), where I can run, swim and wrestle with other dogs to my heart’s content. After a tour of the three-rai grounds, the generous Khun Nu signed me up for an annual membership (B2,500) and let me spend some time running in the “off-leash zone.” We even played this game called “fetch”: Khun Nu throws a bone, I bring it back, she says, “Good boy!” and I say “Good girl!” (The woman doesn’t have a clue what I’m saying, though.)

When I had worn her out, my master sat down to rest and I made friends with a Yorkshire terrier called Angelina. We left the sports club with Angelina and her owner and went to check out a new pet-friendly complex called Ozano (307 Sukhumvit 39, 02-259-2786. Open daily 7am-12am). While Khun Nu and her friend went to the spa, Angelina and I were pampered at the Aqua Dog Salon & Spa (307 Sukhumvit 39, 02-259-2786. Open daily 10am-9pm). Dirty after my romp at the club, I had a shower, mud treatment, haircut and massage. Angelina talked the whole time about all the other salons she had been to. “You know at The World Pet Angle (40/736 Moo 10 Soi Nuanchan, Klonglamjeak Rd., 02-509-2001, 02-509-2039. Open daily 9am-8pm), you can soak in a warm bath for half an hour. Of course I don’t stay that long, but it’s quite an experience. Every dog I know has done it—I can’t believe you’ve never been to a spa before!” she yammered. I didn’t tell her that, three days ago, I was a scrappy orphan with no owner to take me for walks, let alone to the spa.

Overwhelmed,
Kimchi

Strike a Pose

Dear Diary,
Feelin’ fine after my day of beauty and fitness, I went with Khun Nu (as if I had a choice) to Doggie Bag (370 Sukhumvit 39, 02-259-2786. Open daily 10am-9pm), a shop that sells everything a dog lover could want, from canine clothing to coffee mugs. Khun Nu chose a black tux that made me look like Johnny Depp on Oscar Night. And I had to get into it in a hurry, because Angelina was waiting for us at a pet photography studio called Buddy-Puppy (Suanlum Night Bazzar, Pet Zone next to BEC TERO Hall, 01-720-0994. Open Tue-Fri 4-11pm, Sat-Sun 1-11pm), where we posed for some portraits to commemorate the day we met.

I know I’ll sleep well tonight—after an action-packed day, I’m mellowing out to the sweet sounds of Dog Radio Thailand (01-933-8055, www.dogradiothailand.com. Online daily 8-10pm).

Sleepy and Satisfied,
Kimchi

What A Life!

Hey Diary,
What’s up? Man, I feel like a whole new dog. This morning Khun Nu woke me up to show me the package that came in the mail from eluxury.com—for me, a Louis Vuitton leash monogrammed with my new initials (B1,200), and for her, a matching sac chien—that’s “dog carrier” (B1,500).

Wanting to show off our new accessories, we headed to Pet Park (Garden Mall, next to Seacon Square and Royal Princess Srinakarin Hotel, 02-721-8222. Open daily 10am-8pm), where I played at the pet playground. When I had to answer nature’s call, Khun Nu and Jaew were ready to clean up after me with plastic bags provided by the park. Of all the new experiences I’ve had over the last few days, this has to be one of the strangest. When I see humans picking up their dogs’ poop I wonder if I’ve misunderstood the hierarchy of the master-pet relationship.

I worked up a good appetite running at the park, and I guess the humans were able to forget the poop-scooping incident, because they ate a lot, too. We had a nice lunch at Chom Suan (Sukhumvit 16, 02-663-2169. Open Mon-Sat 11am-3:30pm), a pet-friendly restaurant owned by the singer P’Pu Anchalee, who walked around with her own dog while we were there. Just as I was thinking about how skinny she was, Khun Nu must have read my mind because she said that P’Pu spends a lot of time exercising. I wonder if she goes to the Pet Park?

Curiously,
Kimchi

A Day at the Beach

Hello there,
This weekend Khun Nu is taking me to Cha-Am beach. I’m so excited! I’ve never been to the beach before. Khun Nu says we can take walks on the sand and even go swimming in the ocean. But we won’t be leaving behind the luxuries I’ve grown accustomed to over the past week; while Khun Nu stays at the hotel building, I’m staying at the Pet Resort (Regent Cha-Am, 849/21 Petchkasem Rd., Cha-Am, Petchburi. 032-451 240-9). Room service!

Hungrily,
Kimchi

Small Screen, Here I Come!

Dearest Diary,
Today I was watching TV and I saw a commercial for dog food and thought, I could act better than that silly shih tzu! (Shit tzu!) Maybe I should try my hand (paw) at acting. After all, I have some free time now that Khun Nu is back to work. Who knows, I might be bigger than Lassie.

Hopefully,
The Artist Formerly Known as Kimchi

Doggy Language

Veternarian Dr. Thitiporn Pliansamai explains what your pet means when (s)he…

barks and steps backward = feels insecure or threatened
barks and steps forward = feels angry and confident, as when facing an intruder
barks and wags its tail = happy or looking for attention; possibly sick
bites your hand lightly = looking for attention
drops its tail = surrender
howls after hearing other dogs howl = wants to mate or communicate with other dogs
howls when alone = feels lonely and wants your attention
growls and/or bares teeth = ready to fight or chase away an intruder
rubs itself against you = soliciting friendship, attention or possibly a good scratch
paws at you with front legs = wants attention or to play
scratches floor or door = wants to get out
tries to lick you on the mouth = saying hello or looking for food

Hunka Bunka Comes To BKK

We’re en route to becoming the region’s fashion hub (or so TAT tells us), and that’s why we need more fashion design training programs. Though there are already a fair number of fashion institutions (BIFA, Chanapatana, Raffles, Taxila and many courses available in universities), yet another option is brewing. Originating in Japan, Bunka Fashion Academy [pronounced “boon-ka”] (16/F, United Center Bldg., 323 Silom Rd., 02-235-8240. Open Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 8am-5pm. www.bunkafashion.com) might be new to Thais but this is where Kenzo and Yohji Yamamoto graduated—so expect those cutting edge styles. Both short (up to 30 hours) and full courses (two years) are available and are led by skilled professionals.

Live Creative, Do Creative

Creative Living magazine (B90) has just been launched, filling space in design/architecture/lifestyle shelves with their sleek contemporary pages. Compared to those big boys on the shelf, Creative Living is not as international as Wallpaper* but still younger than Baan Lae Suan. It has several pages about Steve Jobs of Apple and how creative thinking leads to success. Also, it has a huge travel section (that they claimed they did it themselves) and is collated thematically: The first issue was New York and the second was Paris. Let’s see what city they pick next…

Work Out in Style

Have you noticed the blue/purple neon lights on the ground floor of that very NYC-looking building at Asok junction? That’s the headquarters for a Singapore-based fitness operator’s newest branch in Bangkok. True Fitness (1/F, Exchange Tower, Asok, 02-02-663-4999) covers 6,000 sq.m of the “Batman building,” and is decked out in a funky, futuristic style with a wide range of classes every week. From yoga to aerobics to spinning and free weights, this fitness center will get you worked up in a sweat in no time at all, no matter how you like to do it. Equipped with 70 showers, 1,400 lockers as well as steam rooms, True also houses a café, a nursery for the kiddies and a retail store selling fitness apparel and accessories. Look out, California!

Old Leng, New Leng

A long-running vintage watch retailer has recently opened a new shop. The new Leng Watch (a.k.a. Leng Nalika; Petchaburi Rd., opp. First Hotel, 02-629-2997. Open daily 10am-7:45pm. www.lwg.co.th) offers a rich line-up of vintage watches for every collector, from rare Audemars Piquet or Patek Philippe to more popular Rolex models. You can also make trades here.