Rereading “The Sheikh”

Thai Novel The Sheikh and The Golem and the Jinni

Welcome to the 121 days since the shelter in place order and since I’ve been working from home! I hope everyone is doing okay out there. As for our little household, we’re doing okay. But as you know, for some of us creative type, being stuck at home is driving us slowly mad. As the quote from Where’d You Go Bernadette goes: Exactly. So, I’ve sewn masks for donation. I’ve cleaned out the garage. (Also because we had “little visitors” apparently.) I’ve gotten more indoor and outdoor plants. I’ve started a weekly Instagram Live show on Mondays at 8 p.m....
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Drink Myself Under the Table at Fillets Bangkok

OakMonster.com - Fillets Bangkok - Sakura Martini

I didn’t think I would find craft cocktails in Bangkok. I mean, American-style mixology and thoughtful craft cocktails; not the frou frou, tourist-trap, shaker-throwing type stuff the city hotels were known for. And I found it at Fillets on the third floor of The Portico Langsuan. (31 Soi Langsuan, Bangkok. +66 92 879 6882) Even two years ago when I was last in Bangkok, I could only find Jameson as an alternative to Johnny Walker and Gray Goose instead of Smirnoff.  And here at Fillets, sitting pretty on the shelves is a variety of bourbon, whiskey, gin, and tequila that...
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Goodbye House

OakMonster - Langsuan House - Bangkok - Thailand - 2014

As far as I am concern, there is only one house that I can really call mine. The house in Bangkok that I grew up in. Designed by my dad, this brick town home was way ahead of its time. It’s the house that launched several other brick town homes around the city. The first town home (on the right in this picture) was share between the household kitchen and living quarter for our cook and driver on the ground floor. (Yes, we were very Downton Abbey in that sense). Princess Grandmother’s quarter was on the second floor, and dad’s...
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Day 20: Taste of Home

OakMonster.com - Tsaoshin

5 Thoughts You know you’re still sick when you turned down cake. Seriously. Worse yet when you look at a picture of bacon and your mind says meh. And all I wanted to eat today was crunchy, crispy, salty things. And tea or warm things to drink. I didn’t think I would be able to eat dinner either when I went to dinner with my aunt’s family. But being around family in front of plates of Thai food, that kind of changes things. 3 servings of rice, Tom Yum broth, and Thai omelet with Sriraja Panich (aka the REAL Sriracha)...
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Five for Friday: Vanity Sizing, Caro Emerald, and White Screen of Death

Five for Friday is a weekly series about the five new things I learned each week. It could be anything from a new recipe, new skills, or a new life lesson. Caro Emerald I heard her on XM. Now I can’t get enough. This song, especially, does NOT get old for me. Vanity Sizing Reality Check I haven’t really paid much attention to “vanity sizing“.  Sure, I know that a size M dress at Forever 21 is a tad loose but a pair of size zero petite pants at Ann Taylor Loft will fit like a dream. But I don’t...
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A Really Social Media

Every time I hear someone say that people are less connected now because of the internet and social media, I want to tell them it’s because they’re doing it wrong. Since I started playing around on Twitter, I’ve met some interesting people and made great new friends, and even found some lost ones along the way. Some of these people I have even a better relationship with them now that we can stay in touch much more easily. Most importantly, my connection to my friends and family in Bangkok has never been stronger. My current visit to Bangkok so far...
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