Metropolis Bangkok 2012

Filipino restaurant in Bangkok

For native Filipinos and foreigners alike who wants a taste of authentic Filipino dish in Bangkok, there are two places to hit. 

Kumpleto restaurant - Pridi Banomyong Soi 40, Sukhumvit 71, Phrakanong, Bangkok, Thailand 10110. To get there, take the BTS (train) to Phrakhanong station. From there you can take a motorbike to Soi 40. 

New Mabuhay Restaurant - Phetburi Soi 19. This restaurant is very close to Platinum Mall and Pantip Plaza. The closest BTS station is Siam or Chitlom. You can also get off at Ratchathewi Station and walk from there.

Cheap English books in Bangkok

As a book lover, the very first place that I will hit whenever I feel weary is a bookstore. Most often, I go to Kinokuniya in Siam Paragon and stay there for at least three hours! The books there are quite expensive for me though. So I spend those hours reading stuff that does not require me to spend a few days to finish such as self-help books or Chicken Soup for the Soul where I just choose a few chapters to read. Those short reads are enough to fuel my energy. 

Lately, I've been wanting to read classic novels. However, in Kino, these books are a bit costly. I heard there are places that sell second hand English books like Chatuchak market but I'm not really sure if I can find them there. But luck was very kind to me. Last week, my friend brought me to Chulalongkorn Bookstore just around Siam Square. And guess what, they sell classic books for only 98THB each! Yes, that's right, only about 3USD each. I went crazy over the very low price that I ended up buying 10 of them. Isn't that so amazing?

After You Dessert Cafe: Heavenly Treats

If you are craving for a heavenly dessert at very affordable prices, After You Dessert Cafe is the place. 

I am on my 3rd day of self pampering and "me" time so I decided to meet a girl friend in Siam Paragon for an afternoon shopping. After an hour of roaming around, I felt a sudden longing for something choco-flavored and After You, located at the ground floor, was the best choice. I heard from a friend that the place is always packed with people and there's always a long queue. And guess what, the queue was indeed long! But that didn't stop us from going 'coz I was sure the wait will always be paid off by its super delicious treats. Fortunately, we didn't really wait that long and the staff were very friendly.

It was so hard to have a pick 'coz everything was so tempting. But a choco-lover as I am, I opted for Chocolate Mud Brownie and Toffee Frappe -- heavenly!

 

While munching our desserts, me and my friend tried to decipher the reason behind the name After You. I also let out my curiosity over their logo. Then she said, perhaps the cafe is after EWE, a female ram and perhaps Aries is the zodiac sign of the owner? Well, it made sense. Anyway, when I get back home, I was so thrilled to tell my friends that finally I've been to the talked-about dessert place. Can't wait for my next visit! I'm craving already :)

After You branches are located in the following:

J avenue, Thonglor13

Tel no. 0.2712.9266

Sweet hours: 9:00am - midnight (everyday)

Lavilla, Paholyotin
2 ^nd Floor
Tel no. 0.2613.0597
sweet hours: Mon - Thu 10:00am - 22:30
Fri - Sun 10:00-23:00

The Crystal Park, Phase 2
Tel no. 0.2515.0549
sweet hours: 11:00am - 22:00 (everyday)

Finding cheap apartments in Bangkok

Whether you are coming to live in Bangkok or is already living here but wants to find a cheaper apartment, here are some tips for you.

If you are coming for the first time, the best way is to book a month stay in an affordable hostel around the city. Search for hostels which are along the BTS line so you will not have a hard time going around considering its world-class traffic. Accommodations which are too close to the BTS are a bit more expensive than others so you might wanna opt for those located about 20-30 minutes walk. It can be a good way to exercise as well if you aren't settled enough yet to regularly go to the gym.

A month or so will give you enough time to explore the city and decide which area you would like most to settle. Once you sign a contract in any apartments in Bangkok, you cannot leave unless the number of months specified for you to live there is over or you will pay for those months to compensate. Hence, it's better to be sure that you will like the place before affixing your signature. 

The internet may not be the best place to search for apartments too if you really want the cheaper ones. What we did before was choose the area and devoted a whole day to visit every apartment there, inspect the place and compare the rates. The cheap ones don't usually advertise online. My friend's place for instance is located  along Rang Nam Road but his only cost 5000 THB a month!