Ei8ht Quarterly

www.8thonglor.com

VOL. 1 ISSUE 3

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2014

C U LT U R E | P E O P L E | D E S I G N | M U S I C | F O O D

SHOPPING BANGKOK'S INFATUATION WITH ALL THINGS VINTAGE ABOUT TO REACH FEVER PITCH LEISURE ARDINGLY IS THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH FOR VINTAGE SHOPPING STYLE POEM BRINGS A SENSE OF GLAMOUR TO THE THAI FASHION SCENE

FOOD MASALA ART SERVES THE BEST INDIAN FOOD IN THONGLOR CYCLING TEDDY BIKE CAFE HAS ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES FOR YOUR BIKE

L IVING

BACK TO THE FUTURE vintage fashion has leapt from fading photographs to take ultramodern bangkok by surprise, with speciality stores opening right across town and drawing high volumes of shoppers in need of a little nostlgia fix. a whiff of musty memories won’t get you there, but fear not: we’ve made a map!

WHERE THE VINTAGE IS

SIAM SQUARE

STORY MANOJ TRIPATHI PHOTOGRAPHS SAMATCHA APAISUWAN

THONGLOR AREA

EKAMAI AREA

1. Vintage Corner

2. Sky Rocketz

1. Thonglor Art Village

2.The Vintage Store Bangkok

Penney on her vintage

By far the most popular vintage source in Siam Square, with its extensive collection of highly affordable goods, Owner Khun Sairung stocks not just the knockout vintage dresses from Europe and elsewhere, but also classic wedding gowns, which a slew of Bangkok brides have been wearing for their “old-fashioned” weddings lately.

Floral lace and flashing sequins are everywhere, and, if you’re not sure what suits you best, Sairung has a reputation as a knowledgeable and helpful personal stylist.

Former graphic designer Khun Ploy collected so much vintage stuff that she had to find a way to share it, and her customers are the beneficiares.

What began as an online venture bloomed, thanks to overwhelming demand, into an actual retail stall that can be the launch pad for your rocket into the past. It’s full of hats, jewelry, bags and other accessories from around the world.

Thonglor Art Village boasts an extensive collection of vintage clothing, brand-name handbags and ornaments selected from its owner’s private collection of more than 10,000 items. The store stocks plenty of stunning lace and sequined dresses, designer clutches and classic jewelry.

S o i T h o n g l o r ’s b e s t - k n o w n destination for cool gear, the Vintage Store mines its treasures both locally and overseas. Owner Khun Tik says everything is at least 20 years old and some items much older. This is the place to buy a unique piece of history. On the racks are clothes, designer handbags, ornaments, suitcases and other fashion accessories that have lost none of their original luster over the years – they’re invariably still in great condition.

Penneyonhervintage is a repository of classic frocks alight with elegant embroidery and lace, many items harking back to the hippie era.

Check out your fellow browsers because they might be celebrities, such as regular customers Oh Futon, Gene Kasidit and Moo Eyewear.

Location: Lido, Siam Square Hours: Daily noon to 9pm Instagram/Line: Vintagecorner Facebook: Vintagecorner53 WhatsApp: +6681 828 2410

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Location: Siam Square Soi 3 Hours: Daily 11am to 8pm Instagram/Facebook: skyrocketzvintage Line: skyrocketz Phone: (089) 464 4936

Location: Between Thonglor Soi 17 and Soi 19 Hours: Daily 10am to 9pm Instagram: thonglorartvillage Line: 3412233 Phone: (085) 145 4691

Location: Ground floor, Eight Thonglor mall Hours: Daily 10.30am to 8pm Instagram/Facebook: thevintagestore Phone: (02) 713 8548

Location: Ekamai Soi 10 Hours: Daily 11am to 7pm Instagram/Facebook: penneyonhervintage Phone: (087) 910 0207

It’s old – what’s the difference?

The terms “vintage”, “retro” and “antique” are always being bandied about among collectors and fashion gurus, not to mention keen shoppers, but it might come as a surprise to many that there’s a difference in meaning to those words.

VINTAGE refers to a certain style and period, and you can see at a glance that the design is completely outmoded. The folks who know most about these things agree that an item has to be at least 20 years old to be considered “vintage”.

RETRO designates a combination of classic and modern styles.

These are the items being made now that incorporate traditional styles for a faux-nostalgic appeal.

ANTIQUE, in the Merriam Webster dictionary, means “a work of art, piece of furniture or decorative object made at an earlier period and according to the various customs and laws of at least 100 years ago.”

CHATUCHAK MARKET

ASIATIQUE THE RIVERFRONT

1. P Ped

4. What’s Vintage

Kenya

Every follower of fashion knows this place, especially those who have in mind evening gowns of lace, sequins and embroidery.

It’s a magnet for shoppers every weekend and, interestingly, offers wholesale as well as retail deals.

Here’s a truly eclectic mix of brica-brac, from handbags and hats to reproductions of vintage swimwear.

There’s quite an array of English bone china as well.

One of the city’s original sources for marvels from the past, Kenya is on all the fashion gurus’ shopping itineraries. The choice is wonderful in handbags, jewelry, dolls and wristwatches, with reproductions also available if you prefer the new. There are also branches at Chatuchak Market and, for wholesale buyers and importers, at Baiyoke Tower I.

Location: Chatuchak Market, Section 5, Soi 3

Location: Chatuchak Market, Section 5, Soi 2, No 088 Hours: Weekends 9am to 7pm Instagram/Line: whatsvintage Facebook: whatsvintageshop Phone: (081) 743 0282

Location: Room 8001, Kodung 8, Trok 9 Hours: Daily 5pm to 11pm Facebook: kenyashop Phone: (081) 844 8696

editor ’ s note The best memories of all Welcome to the third issue of the Eight Quarterly!

No doubt most of you have been keeping your fingers on the pulse of Bangkok’s thriving vintagefashion scene for some time now. The city’s enjoying a boom in sales of items that hark back to times we remember fondly, and there are now numerous specialty “memory lane” stores across town, from Chatuchak to Thonglor.

That’s why we’ve devoted this issue to the joy of collecting vintage treasures – to make sure you know where to get amazing deals with hardly any fuss. From classic Japanese bicycles to retro sunglasses and 1950s-style wedding dresses, the choices are plentiful.

Fashion-wise, it’s quite easy and affordable these days to give yourself a “new” look – by adapting a little of the “old” – without worrying that you might end up looking like a starving street pooch. Just count on the sheer range of shops and the price tags that will suit every budget.

Now, Bangkok rules when it comes to vintage shopping, but, if you’re the travelling type, we also recommend a few overseas destinations in these pages.

Style isn’t something money can buy, of course, so, if you’re not sure what’s best for you, see our center-spread, consult the storekeepers, or e-mail me – and I’ll try my best to be honest!

Manoj Tripathi

LAT PHRAO ROAD

2. Rocking Doll Vintage Style & Brand Name This is a treasure trove of vintage brand-name bags that look different in terms of style and design from anything else you see in the malls.

The store owner is very friendly – and the price tags too.

Location: Chatuchak Market, Section 5, Soi 2, No 097 Hours: Weekends 9am to 7pm Instagram: rockingdollshop Line: toyletshop Phone: (087) 686 3701

5. Peace My Mind If you hanker to get that funky, earthy look that popular singer Palmy wears so well, Peace My Mind is a veritable heaven. This is a top destination for the hippie and boho styles.

Location: Chatuchak Market, Section 5, Soi 3, No 023 Hours: Weekends 9am to 7pm Instagram: peace_my_mind Line: sao15sao15 Phone: (086) 393 1544

KLONGTHOM MARKET

Papaya Papaya started out selling Scandinavian furniture on Ratchadamri Road before relocating to its current location. It stocks more than 10,000 choices in vintage home decor.

Location: Soi Chokchai 4, Lat Phrao Soi 55/1 Hours: Daily 10 am to 6pm Phone: (081) 622 2200

AND THE VINTAGE OVERSEAS...

ENGLAND

3. Anyarin Vintage Bag If you need something with a little venerable chic to tote your valuables, make a point of visiting Anyarin. The handbags are in all sorts of sizes and shapes and there are a few delightfully outlandish designs, too. Think outside the box-shaped bags and grab one that’s appealingly round for an absolutely cool fashion statement.

Cleverly designed hat bags and hand luggage are also occasionally available.

Location: Chatuchak Market, Section 5, Soi 2, No 094 Hours: Weekends 9am to 7pm Instagram: anyarin_vintagebag Line: anyarinbags Facebook: Anyarinvintagebag Phone: (081) 430 0234

The vintage offerings at this market are concentrated on Soi Thanakarn Krungthep (also known as Soi Bangkok Bank), just off Suapa Road near Klang Hospital. And you’ll find everything under the sun: Thai-style teak kitchen cupboards, kerosene storm lamps, English porcelain, portraits of Their Majesties the King and Queen in younger years, calendars from the 1960s and ’70s, bicycles, coins and all manner of other knick-knacks. Take a flashlight if you go at night!

Location: Suapa Road Hours: Saturdays 10am to midnight, Sundays 10am to 5pm

Portobello Road Market, London Rellik, Golborne Road, just next to Portobello Road The Ardingly International Antiques & Collectors Fair, West Sussex FRANCE Didier Ludot, Galerie Montpensier, Paris USA Decades, Melrose Ave, LA Heritage Auctions, Park Ave (near 57th Street), New York Coquette atelier, Bergdorf Goodman, Fifth Ave, New York

editor: manoj tripathi art director: chanut husbumrer photographer: samatcha apaisuwan fyi company limited copy editor: paul dorsey translator: thaweenun suksawat project director: kullaya kassakul fyi company limited tel: (02) 637-8877-8 email: fyi@fyibangkok.com eight quarterly is published by eight thonglor ei8ht thonglor bldg 88/36 sukhumvit 55 (soi thonglor) klongton nua, wattana bangkok 10110 tel: (02) 714-9515 Advertising email: info@8thonglor.com tel: (02) 714-8942 www.8thonglor.com printed and bound in bangkok by phongphanich co., ltd. tel: (02) 428-2428-9 email: sujinda@phongphanich.com ®2014. all rights reserved. no part of this periodical may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means –electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise – unless the permission of the publisher has been obtained beforehand.

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L IF E & ST YL E

ADVENTURES IN COLLECTING

A passion long brewed

Perhaps tea tastes best in an English teacup. Dao Hatairat calls it the best china in all the world STORY MANOJ TRIPATHI PHOTOGRAPHS HATAIRAT ESTRELLA MONTIEN

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as far as hatairat estrella Montien is concerned, when it comes to shopping for classy or cheerful items from bygone times, there’s no place in Europe as well-stocked as England. Judging by the wonderful English tea sets she sells in her store, Strella’s Vintage tea party, she might well be right.

The venerable porcelain treasures in the shop have been accumulated on her annual visits to England, specifically at two of the country’s best sources for items that have aged well: Portobello Road Market in West London and the Ardingly International Antiques & Collectors Fair in West Sussex.

Portobello Road has been a shopper’s magnet for centuries and is now mainly famous for the British antiques of offer, while the fair in Ardingly, due south from London, is known for high-quality decorative items from continental Europe. There’s a lot to see in both places, but Dao – as Hatairat’s friends call her – is only interested in the tea sets, as much for her store as her private collection.

Strella’s Vintage tea party is located in the market just behind Thai Airways headquarters on VibhavadiRangsit Road, ( online store: www.facebook.com/vintageteapartybangkok ) “England is a land of vintage treasures, from furniture to porcelain, all very beautiful,” she says.

“You must buy these things in England, but I tend to be drawn to the porcelain teacups and teapots.

Also, since every porcelain factory there has its own history and its own style, collecting these things gives me the opportunity to learn about English (design) culture too.”

Dao’s love affair with knick-knacks from another era began long before she opened her shop. The avidness awakened in her teens while she was accompanying 4

her father on his hunts for time-worn Buddha tablets and amulets.

A degree in art history from Silpakorn University only deepened Dao’s interest in the world of well-kept collectibles, and the passion fully blossomed during her stint at the Amsterdam School of Arts’ Reinwardt Academy from 2002 to 2004. While pursuing a master’s degree in museum studies, Dao expanded her collection with kitsch from the Dutch city’s vibrant vintage scene, everything from posters and prints to art books and, yes, porcelain.

Somehow, though, it was those English tea sets that ultimately seized her attention.

“When I got back to Thailand I started ordering vintage tea sets from Holland and England via friends who were based there, and over time the shipments just kept getting bigger, from five to 10 kilograms. So my friend asked why I didn’t open a shop selling tea sets to finance my hobby.

That’s how Strella’s Vintage tea party came along last year.”

Of course it might not be quite as much fun running a store if it weren’t for those great shopping trips overseas, and they’ve only become more frequent since the shop opened. Right from the start, Dao was in her element rummaging through the wares along Portobello Road, all the charming ceramics and other bric-a-brac. Then one day the kindly “auntie” in charge of an antiques boutique there told her about the fair of vintage goods held every two months in Ardingly. Off she went, soon enough to fall in love all over again.

The fair hosts up to 1,700 stalls, both indoors and out, proffering thousands of items – from fine antique furniture to ornately crafted porcelain. Its reputation as one of Britain’s best places to buy top-quality

hatairat estrella montien Owner of Stellar Vintage

European décor certainly preceded Dao’s first enthusiastic glimpse. “The fair is even bigger than Portobello,” she says. “All kinds of antiques, vintage treasures and lots of porcelain are available.”

If you share her joy in the delicate allure of tea sets, Dao says, there’s no better place in the world to shop than England. Clearly many Bangkok residents do share her keenness: There’s a boom in English porcelain here at the moment, and Dao can’t wait to return to Ardingly to replenish her stock.

Meanwhile there’s more to Strella’s Vintage Tea Party than being able to track down great bargains and sharing her discoveries, she says. “The business has brought me into contact with lots of lovely people with whom I wouldn’t normally cross paths.”

ส�ำหรับหทัยรัตน์ “เอสเตลล่า” มณเฑียร หรือคุณดาว คงไม่มที ี่ ใดในยุโรปจะเหมาะกับค�ำว่า “สวรรค์ของคนรักของเก่า” มากกว่า ประเทศอังกฤษ เห็นได้จากชุดน�้ำชาวินเทจสุดหรูที่โชว์อยู่ในร้าน Strella’s Vintage Tea Party ซึ่งรวมถึงจ�ำหน่ายให้แก่คนรักชุด น�ำ้ ชาวินเทจ ซึง่ แต่ละชิน้ ล้วนแสดงถึงคุณค่าและความงดงามอย่าง ยากจะหาได้ในผลงานยุคใหม่ คุณดาวเล่าว่าคอลเล็กชัน่ ถ้วยชาในร้านส่วนใหญ่มาจาก 2 แหล่ง ในอังกฤษ คือ ย่าน Portobello ในลอนดอนซึ่งเป็นย่านช็อปปิ้งที่ เป็นที่รู้จักมากว่าร้อยปี และ Ardingly International Antiques & Collectors Fair ในซัสเซ็กส์ตะวันตก ซึ่งเป็นงานออกร้านที่ จัดขึ้นทุกสองเดือน มีชื่อเสียงมากในฐานะแหล่งรวมของตกแต่ง คุณภาพเยี่ยมจากยุโรปกว่า 1,700 ร้าน “อังกฤษเป็นเหมือนขุมทรัพย์ของเก่าทีม่ ที กุ อย่างตัง้ แต่เฟอร์นเิ จอร์ ไปจนถึงพอร์ซเลน การสะสมของเหล่านีช้ ว่ ยให้ได้เรียนรูว้ ฒ ั นธรรม งานออกแบบของอังกฤษไปในตัว”

STY L E

Chavanon’s ode to glamour

chavanon caisiri Founder and designer, Poem

plain tangsaereemangkong Director of marketing, Poem

The fashion house Poem is his homage to a bygone era and to the dressmaker’s meticulous skill – as best embodied by his beloved mother

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STORY MANOJ TRIPATHI PHOTOGRAPHS SAMATCHA APAISUWAN

havanon caisiri set out to revive the tradition in French dressmaking in which his mother was always so deeply involved by giving it a touch of “modern glamour”. The result is Poem, the renowned Thai fashion house that marries style to refinement.

Poem is like the contemporary face of the boutique that his mother Orasri has run for decades on Surawongse Road. Orasri came out of Bangkok’s most famous French dressmaking school, Pornsri, about 40 years ago to open the boutique. The business flourished. Chavanon grew up as witness to a world of sartorial elegance, even if he was too young then to appreciate the subtle craftsmanship that made it all possible.

He appreciates it now. The Pornsri school, he says, gave Thailand “haute couture and the hourglass form”.

The realization came while he was pursuing a degree in architecture at Chulalongkorn University. He needed dressmakers to do the costumes for a faculty stage play, and his mom proved to be the best around.

Chavanon set up Poem in 2006 as a monument to her talent – and to bring glamour back to the Thai fashion scene. He believes it vanished amid the minimalism of the 1990s, when austerity chased off the audacity of the decade that came before. All the color and edginess faded in favor of a dreary plainness recycled from earlier times.

“What was lacking in the clothes my mom was making was glamour,” he says. “She seemed to be doing clothes for the elderly. It was all in the name

of image, not fashion. As I got older I realized how talented and knowledgeable she was as a dressmaker. When I set up shop in 2006 I planned on bringing back that glamour.”

Inspired by the leading ladies of Hollywood’s golden age, from Marlene Dietrich and Ava Gardner to Audrey Hepburn, Chavanon advocates a return to the ultra-feminine appeal of Christian Dior’s “New Look”, while being at the same time practical and thoroughly modern.

The look he now pursues as a designer in his own right exhibits the pronounced refinement that can only be attained through the artisan’s craft and knowhow. “You can’t have refinement without craftsmanship,” he says. “Otherwise you end up creating ‘fast fashion’, something that’s merely trendy.”

Given his mother’s skills, Chavanon was sure to keep her close. Orasri now supervises the sewing team at Poem. She’s in charge of production.

Chavanon quickly discovered he had a knack for utilizing craftsmanship to create a proper Thai brand.

He’s never had training in fashion, instead learning the dressmaker’s art from his mom. But the training he did get in school, in architecture, has been a boon to his trade. You can see it in the way he first studies the big picture in every new undertaking before considering the finer details, and in the geometric lines and shapes that adorn his ready-to-wear outfits.

His clients include celebrities and socialites, among them emcee Sawitree “June” Rojanaphruek, actress Panisara “Opal” Arayasakul. How to dress them – or any customer – is approached in abstract terms.

“Looking good is a combination of a positive attitude and refinement,” Chavanon says. “Young people like to dress to impress the opposite sex, but a refined sense of style can make even a single

lady in her 40s look fabulous and in top form. Look at Suquan Bulakul and Dita Von Teese: They’re urban goddesses who look great in whatever they wear.”

We should then all be glad that the age of glamour has returned.

อาจเพราะเติบโตในร้านตัดเสื้อของคุณแม่ ชวนล ไคศิริ หรือ ฌอน บัณฑิตหนุ่มจากคณะสถาปัตยกรรมศาสตร์ จุฬาลงกรณ์ มหาวิทยาลัย จึงผันตัวจากการออกแบบอาคารสู่การออกแบบ เสื้อผ้า พร้อมความมุ่งมั่นที่จะน�ำความหรูหรา สง่างาม และการ ตัดเย็บอย่างประณีตตามสไตล์ฝรั่งเศสกลับสู่วงการแฟชั่นของ ไทย ผลคือการถือก�ำเนิดของ “Poem” แบรนด์เสื้อผ้าที่น�ำสไตล์ กับคัตติ้งสุดเนี้ยบมาผสมผสานกันอย่างลงตัว นอกจากซึมซับสไตล์การตัดเย็บแบบห้องเสื้อฝรั่งเศสชั้นสูง จากคุณแม่ งานดีไซน์ของคุณฌอนยังได้รับแรงบันดาลใจจาก แฟชั่นไอคอนในยุคทองของฮอลลีวูด อาทิ มาร์ลีน ดีทริช, เอวา การ์ดเนอร์ และออเดรย์ เฮปเบิร์น ซึ่งคุณฌอนตั้งใจน�ำความเป็น เฟมินนี และการตัดเย็บทีเ่ น้นรูปร่างของผูห้ ญิงตามสไตล์คริสเตียน ดิออร์กลับมาอีกครัง้ ในขณะเดียวกันก็เน้นให้มคี วามทันสมัยและ ใช้งานได้จริง “ผู้หญิงมักแต่งตัวเพื่อเอาใจเพศตรงข้าม แต่สไตล์ต่างหากที่ ท�ำให้ผู้หญิงดูดี แม้ในวัย 40 ก็สามารถดูงามสง่าและท็อปฟอร์ม ได้เสมอ” คุณฌอนแนะ

lyrical couture Poem is on the ground floor of Eight Thonglor.

Call (02) 714 8762 E-mail contact@poembangkok.com 5

M US IC

great vintage listening

nostalgia’s never been sexier Marilyn Monroe – “Box of D i a m o n d s” ( n u m b e r e d l i m ited edition) This box set of seven-inch-vinyl features all the tunes associated with the screen goddess from her timeless films, along them “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend”, “Some Like It Hot”, “I Wanna Be Loved

by You” and “My Heart Belongs to Daddy”. Each independently colored disc comes in its own sleeve with a different photo of Marilyn on every one, and the entire box is coated with a special metallic silver paper with sequential numbering.

You even get a seven-inch adapter for your record player.

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sinatra in full flight

magic in the tradition

classy jazz of the past

Frank Sinatra – “Come Fly with Me” (reissue) First released in 1958, “Come Fly with Me” was Old Blue Eyes’ original collaboration with the brilliant arranger/conductor Billy May, who charted out a musical trip around the world. Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen wrote the title track specifically for Sinatra, but he didn’t care for the album cover, according to George Martin, best known as the Beatles’ producer. Martin revealed in his autobiography that he happened to be there in the Capitol Records studio when Sinatra’s producer, Voyle Gilmore, showed him the cover. Sinatra thought it looked like an ad for an airline. The fans didn’t mind, obviously – the disc flew to #1 on the Billboard chart and stayed there for five weeks, ultimately garnering a Grammy nomination for album of the year.

Kitty Daisy & Lewis – “Kitty Daisy & Lewis” Kitty Daisy & Lewis is a trio of highly talented siblings from Kentish Town in northwest London who really have a flair for playing basically anything that comes along. Theirs is the old tradition of songs being handed down across the ages, to be played and enjoyed at gatherings of family and friends. This album was their highly successful 2008 debut, issued in a custom-made book of unusual dimensions and in the long-abandoned 78rpm format. (You get a CD version too in case your home stereo system doesn’t know what to do with a 78.) The Guardian’s music critic called the album “passionate, exuberant and fun”, and The Observer added that it’s “a gift to those of us who still believe in magic”.

Caro Emerald – “The Shocking Miss Emerald” This dazzling Dutch jazz singer celebrates the richness of European art, entertainment and fashion from the 1920 to the 1960s on her second album, released last year. The sound is edgy, vivid, dark, romantic and intense – and yet still glamorous – a tribute to Caro’s abilities as a singer and also her timeless sophistication.

Caro, born Caroline van der Leeuw in 1981 in Amsterdam, came out of nowhere in 2009 with the smash single “Back It Up” and followed that the next year with the chart-topping album “Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor”.

Check out these and other albums at 8 Musique on the LG floor, Eight Thonglor. Call (02) 713 8366

FASHI ON

Model: Karolina Sikorska Handbag: Chanel Vintage 1998 Miniature Velvet Kelly Dress: Dries Van Noten Hair piece: Vintage 1950s UK Jacket: Chanel tweed jacket from Collection A/W 2003 Shop: The Vintage Store, G floor, Eight Thonglor 7 

FOOD & D RI N K

The fine art of flavor Indian restaurant Masala Art gets a makeover worthy of its authentically sumptuous cuisine

STORY MANOJ TRIPATHI PHOTOGRAPHS SAMATCHA APAISUWAN

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masala art, the indian restaurant on the first floor of the Eight Thonglor mall, looks posh with a touch of British colonial splendor after its recent makeover. Owner CJ Singh, with 25 years of food-and-beverage experience, worked at the Taj Group of Hotels, Sheraton and other hotels groups in India, likes to assure guests that the renovations were to the restaurant – not the food.

“Our food is already great. As ever, we don’t compromise on the quality,” he asserts.

The name Masala Art denotes the art of blending spices (masala), the mixed spices that lie at the heart of Indian cooking. Singh imports 18 common varieties from New Delhi, the city he calls “the headquarters of Indian spices”. These include bay leaves, black cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, mace, coriander dry seeds, nutmeg, fennel seeds, Shahi Jeera, Kalonji seeds and cumin. He shuns the local versions and those from Myanmar, saying they’re of a “different quality” in terms of aroma and flavor.

All the main ingredients, like the long-grained fragrant basmati rice – “the queen of fragrance” – are imported, apart from some basics like greens, though the spinach is flown in, again because the local offerings lack the subtlety Singh demands.

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“Thanks to my years in the F&B field I’m very well connected with the spice suppliers in India.

We use the same spices here as the luxury hotels do there,” he says.

These are the essentials for the wonderful North Indian cuisine at Masala Art that has obviously struck a chord with Thai diners, especially the hi-so set that constitutes fully half of the restaurant’s clientele.

They love the masala – but “not too much”, Singh admits. “Thais don’t want the spiciness too strong, so we have to get it right for them,” he says. “And, after five over years here, I think I know what the Thais like: healthy food, with no oil.”

The food at Masala Art is famously healthy. Oil and fats are kept to a minimum. Dishes are cooked a la minute, using either olive or vegetable oil – but no ghee – ah, not healthy!

Choosing an appetizer, don’t miss Dahi Ke Kebab, which is minced green vegetables stuffed with hung curd. The dahi, or yoghurt, is made in-house: Curd is wrapped in a cloth and hung until the whey is drained off. What’s left inside is sweet yoghurt. The green shell is nothing if not healthy, a mixture of spinach, green beans and broccoli.

Another recommended starter is Lal Mirch Ka Paneer Tikka, creamy cottage cheese with aniseed and pounded red chilies, the must-tries include Khushk Raan (leg of spicy roast lamb), Chicken Rogani Tikka and Zaffarani Fish Tikka.

The Main Course has lots of variety full of flavors & aroma. For the Spicy, Dhansak (spicy chicken or lamb curry with yellow gram lentils) and Vindaloo, the meat dish prepared with vinegar, chili flakes and garlic. The restaurant has its own imported tandoor clay ovens, so there’s plenty of tandoori kebabs with a choice of chicken, lamb & seafood, as well as the Indian bread naan.

An Indian meal wouldn’t be complete without a classic dessert from the Subcontinent. Singh, proud

owner of a sweet tooth himself, nudges guests toward the Gulab Jamun (deep-fried reduced milk dumpling soaked in syrup) and Gajar Ka Halwa (carrots cooked in milk).

In an age when Indian food in Bangkok comes in a wide range of modern and modish styles, from fusion to molecular, Singh maintains that only the authentic dishes will stand the test of time.

“The authentic Indian cuisine is the one that goes a long way,” he says. “For a real mouthful of flavors, go to a proper Indian restaurant.”

แม้จะปรับโฉมร้านเป็นสไตล์โคโลเนียลดูโก้หรู แต่ มร.ซีเจ ซิงห์ (CJ Singh) เจ้าของร้านผูค้ ร�ำ่ หวอดในวงการอาหารและเครือ่ งดืม่ นานกว่า 25 ปี ยืนยันว่าอาหารทุกจานของร้าน Masala Art ยัง คงความเป็นอินเดียแบบดั้งเดิมไม่เปลี่ยนแปลง “คุณภาพอาหารเป็นเดียวสิ่งที่เราไม่มีวันเปลี่ยน” มร.ซิงห์ย�้ำ ชื่อ Masala Art หมายถึงศิลปะแห่งการผสมผสานเครื่อง เทศซึ่งเป็นหัวใจหลักของอาหารอินเดีย มร.ซิงห์พบว่า “คนไทย ชอบเครื่องเทศที่ ‘ไม่แรงเกินไป’ และนิยมอาหารสุขภาพที่ไม่มี น�ำ้ มัน” อาหารที่ Masala Art จึงบรรจงปรุงขึน้ โดยค�ำนึงถึงสุขภาพ ของลูกค้าเป็นหลัก ส�ำหรับผู้ที่โปรดปรานอาหารอินเดียตอนเหนือ ขอแนะน�ำเมนู ขึ้นชื่ออย่าง Dahi Ke Kebab ผักสับห่อโยเกิร์ตโฮมเมดสไตล์ อินเดีย, Lal Mirch Ka Paneer Tikka ชีสอินเดียหมักเครื่องเทศ ย่าง, Khushk Raan ขาแกะย่าง, Dhansak แกงถั่วใส่ไก่หรือแกะ และ Vindaloo เนื้อหมักกระเทียมน�้ำส้มสายชู รวมถึงของหวาน เลิศรสอย่าง Gulab Jamun แป้งผสมนมทอดในน�้ำเชื่อม และ Gajar Ka Halwa แครอทกวนกับนมและเครื่องเทศ

hearty and healthy Restaurant Policy: “Everything Fresh Made to order” Masala Art is on the first floor of the Eight Thonglor mall. Call (02) 713 8357, (086) 318 8768 Check out www.masala-artbkk.com

VINTAG E COL L EC T I B L E S

THE IMPORT BIKES THAT FUEL THE FRENZY tanapong suwatwongchai of the teddy bike café might be the unofficial “spokes” man for the cycling boom that’s getting thais mobile in a healthier way

STORY MANOJ TRIPATHI PHOTOGRAPHS SAMATCHA APAISUWAN

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here are all sorts of imported Japanese bicycles powering Thailand’s cycling boom, but, for even a casual observer, it’s the vintage bikes that really stand out. “That’s why some people are willing to shell out a little more when they buy,” says Tanapong Suwatwongchai.

The owner of the Teddy Bike Café – which specializes in models that have a few good years on them but still have many more good years left – figures the two-wheeler boom hasn’t even reached its peak yet, despite the unprecedented swarms of cycling citizens these days.

Tanapong began collecting the older machines long before most of his countrymen caught the fever, and he’s avid about it. The term “vintage” doesn’t just signify a certain age, he says. It connotes quality in the design, the manufacture, the materials used, and so on.

If someone uses ideas and components to build a brand-new bike, he’s still willing to consider it “vintage”. “I have a bike that’s new, but the frame is made of leftover steel tubing that’s decades old, and it was made the same way bikes used to be made, so it’s rightfully vintage to me!”

Tanapong’s infatuation has its roots in his teens, when he enjoyed off-road riding on his BMX, taking corners at high speed and “popping wheelies”. The memories came flooding back – and the passion was born anew – when shipping containers full of secondhand Japanese bikes began arriving in Thai ports three years ago.

“In Japan they were considered rubbish and just being shipped overseas, mainly to Thailand and Vietnam. It was suddenly easy to buy an old Japanese bike here. It didn’t take any effort to own one.

“There’s nothing quite like the old touring bikes from Japan,” he says. “They are objects of beauty, works of art and subtle craftsmanship, with a great sense of proportion. And the touring bikes are the spitting image of the simple bikes I had when I was a kid.”

His first choices as an adult were lightweight “Tokyo bikes”, known for comfort more than speed, and the classic “housewife’s bike” that’s faithfully carried Japanese moms on their shopping rounds for generations. The latter have an electric motor as an option to pedal power, Tanapong says, “but some have eight gear speeds, a range that can only be found on some touring bikes that can cost Bt40,000. These ones, though, cost Bt3,000!”

Second-hand Japanese bikes are top-quality, affordable and attractive, he says. The man can’t seem to resist that attraction – he’s owned 60 or 70 models at the same time. “That’s not that big a collection, really. It’s not hard to find people with more than 100.”

Tanapong’s wife begged to differ about the “60 or 70” being a modest possession and insisted that he get rid of at least some of them. And that’s why, in 2011, he went into business. He set up a stall at Talad Rotfai (the Railway Market) near the Chatuchak grounds. “A friend of mine ran a furniture stall next door, but on my first night I had no time to chat with him because I had so many customers!”

It was the beginning of the bicycle boom, right there and then, he reckons, and he soon realized that he needed a proper store with more space. He relocated to his current location about 10 months ago, and still commands a large and loyal following.

tanapong suwatwongchai Teddy Bike Café owner The Teddy Bike Café stocks new as well as vintage models from Japan, the brands including Alps and Toei, and is an official showroom for Velo Orange bicycles from the US. The vintage ones cost anywhere from Bt10,000 to Bt40,000.

Tanapong’s shop is a favorite rendezvous for cyclists and he also organizes group outings every Wednesday night. On his own, he rides the 13.5 kilometers from his house near Suan Siam to the store every day, finding the trek every bit as pleasurable as it is physically challenging. “It’s worth the sweat!” he laughs.

ท่ามกลางกระแส “รักษ์สุขภาพ ใส่ใจสิ่งแวดล้อม” เราจึงเห็น คนรุ่นใหม่หันมาปั่นจักรยานเสือหมอบและเสือภูเขากันมากขึ้น แต่ยังมีคนอีกกลุ่มหนึ่งที่นิยมความคลาสสิคของจักรยานวินเทจ และยอมจ่ายเพื่อสิ่งเล็กๆ ที่เรียกว่า “รสนิยม” ธนพงษ์ สุวัฒน์วงศ์ชัย หรือ “น้าหมี” เจ้าของ Teddy Bike Café คาเฟ่ทเี่ ป็นศูนย์รวมจักรยานไฮเทค จักรยานวินเทจ อะไหล่ จักรยาน และคนรักจักรยาน เล่าว่าตนสนใจจักรยานมาตั้งแต่ สมัยวัยรุ่น โดยเริ่มจาก BMX ผาดโผน ก่อนจะหันมาหลงใหล จักรยานวินเทจเมื่อราว 3 ปีก่อน เมื่อได้เห็นตู้คอนเทนเนอร์เต็ม ไปด้วยจักรยานมือสองจากญี่ปุ่น “ทัวริ่งไบค์ของญี่ปุ่นมันสุดยอด มาก เป็นงานศิลปะที่สวยงาม ประณีต ลงตัว ผมเลยสะสมไว้ ประมาณ 60-70 คัน แต่ภรรยาผมคิดว่ามันเยอะไปหน่อย” น้า หมีเล่า “ผมเลยต้องน�ำออกไปขายทีต่ ลาดรถไฟ ซึง่ ขายดีมาก จน ต้องขยับขยายมาเปิดร้านอย่างในปัจจุบัน” “วินเทจไม่ได้หมายถึงอายุเพียงอย่างเดียว แต่ยงั แสดงถึงคุณภาพ การออกแบบ การผลิต และวัสดุอนั ยอดเยีย่ มอีกด้วย” น้าหมีสรุป

two tires, never too tired The Teddy Bike Café is at Tonsoong Avenue, the lifestyle community mall on Praditmanutham Road. Call (081) 987 4040.

Visit www.facebook.com/teddybike.

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TRENDS

CABINETS Of

WONDERS Vipawan Tachaplalert has great fun collecting fine English porcelain. After that comes the bliss of owning it

vipawan tachaplalert Collector of English bone china

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STORY MANOJ TRIPATHI PHOTOGRAPHS SAMATCHA APAISUWAN

o many thais, vintage english bone china is very special. It evokes a sense of nostalgia, perhaps a glimpse of life behind the palace walls of old. Owning a fine sample is as much a privilege as it is a pleasure.

In Bangkok, a collecting boom started just over a year ago and a slew of shops specializing in antique porcelain have since popped up, along with retail sources online. And, in just that short time, English bone china has begun cluttering all the cabinets in Vipawan Tachaplalert’s family home.

“I saw these beautiful cups in my friend’s collection and I was totally inspired. Soon I found myself falling under their sway,” says Vipawan, whose husband owns a shop in Bangkok’s Suanmali neighborhood selling automotive and industrial hardware.

Vipawan is not just another collector. Others have accumulated far more pieces, but she’s managed to acquire rare and extremely elegant items that are much envied by all.

She’s not going to hide the fact that it’s an expensive hobby. The priciest pieces in her collection cost around Bt7,000 each. Overall she estimates that her entire collection – more than 100 pieces at this point – is worth roughly Bt500,000.

Her husband (more of a hardware guy, after all) calls her “mad” – and some of her friends agree. Vipawan takes it as a compliment.

“I buy them absolutely on a whim – or because they look so nice,” she grins. “You have to be mad to spend that much on porcelain. I really am mad, that’s for sure!”

The first purchases were Royal Albert porcelain, from the venerable English manufacturer best known for the delicate floral motifs painted by hand on the china. The Albert Works was already a highly reputed firm by the time it produced commemorative masterpieces for Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee in 1897. The company earned its royal warrant seven years later.

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Known for the gleaming white, pure-bone china it manufactures, Royal Albert is synonymous with the sentimental and florid excesses of wealthy Victorian London. English gardens and woodlands are depicted in patterns such as Serena, Masquerade and Old Country Roses, all of which predominated in Vipawan’s collection at the beginning.

Designed by Harold Holdcraft in 1962 as the embodiment of English traditions like gardening and teatime, Old Country Roses has sold more than 150 million pieces. “Old Country Roses is for beginners like me,” Vipawan says. She also loves other English brands, like Shelly and Paragon, the latter now part of the Doulton Group.

She makes her acquisitions through various sources. The Bangkok shop Stellar Vintage is one of her favorites, and she also keeps a close eye on the “Porcelain Lover” members-only Facebook page. Its followers share pictures of their prized china possessions both new and vintage, and Vipawan says she’s learned a great deal there about the many varieties available.

She haunts the online auction houses like eBay too.

Vipawan’s found that eBay has by far the largest selection online. She used to buy five or six pieces a day, always knowing she had a good chance to resell them at a profit if she had second thoughts. She recently bought a gorgeous teacup there for US$60 and has noticed that someone is now selling the exact same make and model for $200.

“The challenge is that I have to keep monitoring eBay every night, after my kids have gone to bed. I sit at the computer for hours on end, searching for my favorite items. You need patience. And each set doesn’t come as a set – I collect piece by piece until they make a complete set. That’s the other part of the challenge. But, once I have the full set, the fun simply evaporates!”

Thankfully there is ample compensation when the fun dries up. Asked to define the true charm of these china treasures, Vipawan immediately points to their undeniable beauty. “I find great joy in watching the collection at night, every night. Just looking at them is bliss!”

ส�ำหรับคนทัว่ ไป ถ้วยชาวินเทจ “โบนไชน่า” (bone china) คือ ความหรูหราและความโหยหาอดีต แต่สำ� หรับ วิภาวรรณ เตชาพลา เลิศ หรือคุณวรรณ มันคือความรักและความหลงใหลแต่แรกเห็น “พี่ไปเห็นถ้วยชาพวกนี้ที่บ้านเพื่อนแล้วเกิดแรงบันดาลใจ พอ รู้ตัวอีกทีก็ตกหลุมรักไปหมดใจ” คุณวรรณสารภาพ คุณวรรณต่างจากนักสะสมคนอืน่ เพราะไม่เน้นทีป่ ริมาณ แต่เน้น สะสมถ้วยชาหายากมากมูลค่า ปัจจุบนั คุณวรรณเป็นเจ้าของถ้วย ชาวินเทจกว่า 100 ชิน้ มีมลู ค่ารวมกันสูงถึง 500,000 บาท “สามี บอกว่าพี่ “บ้า” แต่พถี่ อื เป็นค�ำชมนะ” คุณวรรณเล่าพร้อมรอยยิม้ คุณวรรณโปรดปรานแบรนด์ Royal Albert ผู้ผลิตถ้วยชา ส�ำหรับพระราชพิธีพัชราภิเษก สมเด็จพระราชินีนาถวิกตอเรีย รวมถึงแบรนด์ Shelly และ Paragon เป็นพิเศษ โดยใช้วิธีซื้อ ผ่านการประมูลออนไลน์ รวมถึงแวะเวียนไปดูสินค้าใหม่ที่ร้าน Stellar Vintage เป็นประจ�ำ “ทุกคืนพี่จะมานั่งมองถ้วยชาพวกนี้ แค่ได้มองก็รู้สึกเป็นสุข แล้วค่ะ” คุณวรรณสรุป

SOC IA L SC E N E

janesuda is on her way As if being an actress, model and video jockey doesn’t keep her busy enough, Janesuda Parnto also manages her own fashion brand, Janesuda Clothing, with a shop at CentralWorld. She’s about to open another branch at the Eight Thonglor mall soon, on the ground floor. That’s all we can say for now, hoping to keep the rest under wraps a little longer. So keep reading this space for further updates or, better still, visit the mall yourself to see what’s new on the block!

shaka’s back with more Leading Thai fashion brand Shaka had a temporary pop-up store at the Eight Thonglor mall last September, but if you missed it, don’t fret. It was such a success that Shaka will return with another pop-up shop on the G floor from November 1 to December 15, showcasing its amazing new offerings.

bigger and better bar storia del caffÉ Aside from a slew of new openings in November, the Eight Thonglor mall will see the reopening of Bar Storia Del Caffé, the popular Italianstyle coffee shop, after a major makeover and expansion. The best thing is you have much more space to lounge around in while getting your coffee fix or chatting with friends over cappuccino and other topquality java juices from Italy.

make time for ener8ie Ener8ie Pilates Studio is also coming soon to Eight Thonglor – great news for health-conscious Thonglor denizens in many ways. For starters, the studio – run by five Pilates enthusiasts – will offer different classes for both beginners (even if you’ve had zero prior experience) and experienced practitioners. The studio boasts a team of qualified and experienced teachers, and you can even learn to be one yourself through separate training sessions. The studio will be on the first floor of the mall.

THE SNAP-HAPPY GAME Show us your sweet snap!

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ere’s a great way to tell the Eight Quarterly team what you think of our little magazine – and maybe win some terrific prizes, too! By way of gauging our “ratings”, we’re inviting every reader to take a “snap” holding a copy of the Eight Quarterly, wherever you might be. The picture has to capture something of your lifestyle, with Eight Quarterly as your companion. It’s okay to be creative, trendy to the max or even outrageous if that’s your fancy. Just post your snapshot on Instagram with the following hashtags: #8quarterly, #8thonglor and @8quarterly.

The best shots will win eight prizes, worth Bt37,920 in total, courtesy of Heaven by Deborah Mitchell: 1. An Angel Face Lift worth Bt4,500 – we have four treatment sessions to give away.

2. And four gift sets of Hydro Cleansing Milk and Peppermint Clarify Lotion, worth Bt4,980 each.

The winners will be announced in the first week of December on Instagram @8quarterly.

ให้ Eight Quarterly ไปกับคุณ ทุกที!่ ขอเชิญชวนผูอ้ า่ นถ่ายภาพของตัว เองกับ Eight Quarterly ในขณะท�ำกิจกรรม สุดโปรดของคุณไม่จำ� กัดแนว โพสต์ลงในอินสตาแกรม ตามด้วยแฮชแท็ก #8quarterly และ #8thonglor แล้ว Tag มาที่ @8quarterly ภาพที่โดนใจทีมงานมากที่สุดจะได้รับของรางวัลจาก Heaven by Deborah Mitchell จ�ำนวน 8 รางวัล รวม มูลค่า 37,920 บาท An Angel Face Lift treatment มูลค่า 4,500 บาท จ�ำนวน 4 รางวัล Hydro Cleansing Milk และ Peppermint Clarify Lotion กิฟท์เซ็ต มูลค่า 4,980 บาท จ�ำนวน 4 รางวัล ประกาศรายชือ่ ผูโ้ ชคดีในสัปดาห์แรกของเดือนธันวาคม 2557 ทาง Instagram @8quarterly Heaven by Deborah Mitchell is on the LG floor, Eight Thonglor. Call (02) 726 9338 11