Merry Christmas! Love, Thailand

It is nearly 100 degrees today.

But that doesn't mean that Bangkok isn't getting into the Christmas spirit.  Nay!  The malls are decked with boughs of holly, twenty foot firs and all the consumer goods you could dream of.  Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time, dancing and prancing in Siam Square, in the frosty air (conditioning).

But you know, it's nice to see that Thailand hasn't fallen prey to the Western consumer-driven aspect of it all...

With that said, Thailand is still going to find a way to put their stamp on the whole affair.

After all, it just wouldn't be A Very Thai Christmas without somebody dressing as sexy Mrs. Claus.

Merry Christmas!  Love, Thailand.

High Brow

Decorating my apartment is an ongoing process.  Week by week, I add a little bit more - a rug here, a lamp there.  It's really starting to come together and feel like a little home. And while I have hung a few pictures, I am always on the lookout for good, interesting art to adorn the walls. 

I want this art to tell visitors to my home something about me.  I want them to look at this art and think - Wow, she really is very cultured.  She appreciates fine art.  She must be a very interesting person with whom to spend time. 

I want this art to do all the work for me.

That's why I am going to buy this.

Bangkok Box Office

I am what you might call a cinema buff, a cinephile, a connoisseur of fine films.  I have a checklist for what makes a good movie and I refer to it often.  These include a respected director, moving cinematography, intelligent script-writing, a talented ensemble cast and thoughtful use of pinwheel hats.

Which is why I have high hopes for this.

With Oscar season just around the corner, I think we might be in for a sweep this year, folks.

The Thai Tom Hanks.

The Experts Are Never Wrong

I have never been one to suffer from allergies.

But if this outfit is any indication of the kind of fun allergy-sufferers are having without me...

Sign me up.

The 38

I ride the city bus home from work everyday.  It is a time to relax, unwind and see funny things.

It is a time when I am confident that I will go home, cook a healthy meal, go the gym and grade all of the papers in my bag - all while simultaneously doing yoga and cleaning my apartment.

It is a time of innocence.

And though it will set you back roughly a quarter, I assure you that this is money well-spent.

From the wooden floors...

To the plethora of fans spinning recycled air, blowing dust off the unwritten mandate that everyone on the bus, regardless of age, must be wearing a uniform of some sort.

This is the 38.

And I respect that checking the rearview mirror is important to my bus driver.

While the absence of a dashboard clearly is not.

Can't hate on the 38.

The Big Knit

Like most women my age*, I love a good knit.  So you can imagine my delight upon discovering a knitting shop here in Bangkok.  Not only does it have a wide variety of yarns and sticks**, but grandmas like me can also enjoy a cup of tea and a chat, all the while plugging away on our latest masterpiece.

Sample masterpiece:

This little slice of geriatric heaven is called the Big Knit.  And it's actually quite a hip spot.  Somewhere along the line, knitting got pretty cool.  It might have been around this time that I took my first stab at it.  Living in Brooklyn.  Feeling the pressure.  

So I learned from my aunt, one summer in Vermont.  And as you can tell, I have pretty much perfected the art form.

I like the Big Knit because there is inspiration everywhere.

Some adorable.

Some downright delightful.

And some uncomfortable.

And perhaps one day I will move on from gifting family and friends with scarves full of holes that they feel obligated to wear - and move on to bigger and better things.

But folks.  If it ever goes too far.  If you ever see me making my way towards you, a mad glint in my eye, trying to present you with this:

Smack me across the face.  

*Eighty years old.
**Official term.

Fairy Tale Ending

Imagine my dismay upon coming across this on a Bangkok sidewalk.

Granted, it's been a good twenty years or so since I have been privy to what the Gingerbread man has been up to.  I guess I just never thought it would end like this.

Like so many other foreign men before him, he came to Bangkok looking for a fresh start. How it all ended, we'll never know.   

One thing is for sure though.

The locals ain't talkin'.