Designer Lauren Yates (AKA @PonytailJournal) Gives Us Her Ultimate Guide to Bangkok

by Lauren Yates

I would start my day with rice congee or jok at a little place near my home called Jok Sam Yan. For a splurge, I’d go to The Commons—Bangkok’s hippest food market and head to Egg My God for their cold angle hair pasta. I would then pop over to Bangkok City Gallery because they always program the most inspiring shows, and then I’d head to the Chatuchak weekend market to dig for vintage military and work wear. (There are more 8,000 stalls!) I always have a plate of Khao Mok Gai, Thai-Muslim curry chicken while I’m there and when I’m about to faint from heatstroke, I’d visit the Harnn Heritage Spa for a Patumwan Ageless Facial Treatment. The space is beautiful and overlooks the city, so it’s the perfect spot to have a Jatujak foot massage!

Next stop: The Siam Hotel, one of the most stunning hotels in Bangkok, for sunset cocktails in its riverside bar. For dinner, I love Nahm, David Thompson’s Thai fine-dining restaurant. I have a lot of respect for David’s cuisine because it breathes new life into old Thai cooking. My fave dish is the squid, pork and prawn soup. After dinner, I’d head to Studio Lam for a cocktail made with their own moonshine, ya dong. Studio Lam is owned by the founder of ZudRangMa Records, a Thai label that has put Thai soul music, from artists like Angkanang Kunchai, Banyen Rakkaen and Dao Bandon on the world map. It’s my favourite place for a listening party.

If there were more than 24 hours in a day, I’d also visit Paya, a boutique that stocks beautiful handwoven textiles, woodcraft, baskets and rugs (all made by cottage industries in the North and North eastern provinces of Thailand), or the Ecotopia space at Siam Discovery for sustainable products, from clothing to organic cosmetics to indigo, made locally by my friends at Slowstitch Studio. I use their fabrics to make indigo garments for my brand, W’menswear. My collections are found online or at Onion, a cool boutique that carries indie lines from around the world.”

Find out more about our travels in Thailand and enter for a chance to win a trip for two to Hong Kong and Thailand valued at $7,500 CAD here.

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