Central BTS Sala Daeng

One of my regular readers did not think there was a Central department store at BTS Sala Daeng station. To prove that I am not crazy...it does exist! ^_^

From Exit 4:


Inside, there are a wide variety of shops: clothes, Thai silk, artwork, copy services, postal services, restaurants, a dance school, etc. There is a great cafe inside--Black Canyon Coffee, which offers an excellent view of the street below. Black Canyon Coffee is a Thai chain of coffee shops. I highly recommend you visit one while in the city.

I ate lunch here and enjoyed people and tuk-tuk watching. Fun!


My lunch--Tuna green curry fried rice in a stuffed omelet:


Lemongrass juice:

Eagles Live in Bangkok!

I went to see the Eagles perform at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani on Feb.20th. The ticket, and two guitar picks I received when entering: It was my first time to visit this area. I thought I would share with you how to get there, the facilities there, and information about future concerts. From BTS Mo Chit station, I took Exit 4 to the car park area. There, you can find a blue banner with "Impact Shuttle". This shuttle costs only 30 Baht one way and is the cheapest way to get to the Impact area. Shuttles run from 06.30 ~ 22.00. The trip takes about 30 minutes from Mo Chit.

Arriving at Impact, be aware this is a huge area. There are convention centers, exhibition halls, a ballroom, beer gardens, restaurants and the Impact Arena, (also called: Thunder Dome?) where most concerts take place. The shuttle bus will stop under the Sky Kitchen area, directly across from a ZEN Japanese restaurant and a Boots pharmacy. See Impact site map HERE. From there, you can walk to the Impact Arena (across the street, moving right).

The arena itself can hold 40,000 people I think? It was quite full for the Eagles concert. There are two huge monitors which show all the action up close, so every seat is quite good. Another good thing about attending a concert in Thailand: people sit down for the entire show! So you can relax, groove in your chair and enjoy a beer too! After the concert, I took a taxi home. From Impact area to BTS Mo Chit station, the cost was 120 Baht. Travel time is about 20 minutes. There are many taxis waiting in front of Impact arena and the Sky Kitchen area. No worries! Future concerts are: Santana (March 1st), Slash (guitarist from Guns n' Roses) and Maroon 5 (April 23). If only Kylie Minogue would come! ^_^

Bulk Barn

Bulk Barn contains hundreds of food items, which are sold in units of 100 grams. You select what you want, bag it yourself and weigh it.

the selection:


My mother is a big fan and we visited a Bulk Barn to pick up some snacks after skating. Here are some samples of what you can find in this store:

Peanut Butter:


Honey:


Banana Creme Pie jelly beans?!?!:


Pokey! (for my Japanese readers...^_^)

Best Day Ever!!!!!

Since returning to Canada, there was one big thing I really wanted to do: go ice skating.

On the pond:


I used to figure skate as a child. I took my first lessons at age 3, and continued to study up to age 10. I learned how to ice dance, jump and spin. It was really, really fun and one of my favorite childhood memories.

Me! On skates!


We all headed out to Centennial Park to go ice skating on the frozen pond. It was a perfect sunny day. The combination of skating and enjoying the outdoors, was just fantastic. Should you ever visit Canada in the winter, skating outside is a must! ^_^

Changing room next to the outdoor pond:


View of some skaters:


Very Canadian: a mom pushing her baby stroller...on skates!

Swiss Chalet

Swiss Chalet is the name of a chain of chicken restaurants. They are very popular in Canada, often crowded, even during off hours. The restaurant is famous for its rotisserie chicken and dipping sauce.

Delicious garlic & cheese bread:


My parents and I visited one for lunch. Quarter chicken dinners are a menu favorite, and each plate comes with:
- a quarter piece of chicken (leg & breast) in white or dark meat
- your choice of side: baked or mashed potatoes, green vegetables, cole slaw, green salad, rice, or french fries
- a dinner roll
- dipping sauce

My mother's order-- A quarter chicken dinner with shrimp:


My dad's order--A hot chicken sandwich:


I bucked the usual dinner plate, and ordered something unique: Pierogies. Pierogies (purr + oh + geez) are originally from the Ukraine, and immigrants introduced them to Canadians. They are made of fried dough, stuffed with mashed potatoes, cheese and squash. Pierogies are covered with some spices and can be dipped in sour cream for additional flavor. I love them! Winnipeg, Manitoba is considered to be the "Pierogy Capital of Canada". Should you ever manage a visit to Winnipeg, be sure to try this Ukrainian treat. ^_^

Pierogies:


The inside of a pierogy:

Canadian Pizza

We ordered up some pizza the other night. While living in Japan, I saw some very odd pizza toppings: squid, octopus, tater tots, etc. In Canada, people love meat pizzas and ours was no exception.

We ordered an "Everything" pizza, which included:
- sausage
- ground beef
- pepperoni
- red & green peppers
- cheese
- tomatoes & sauce

The pizza:


In the top corner is something you might not have seen before: garlic fingers. It's pizza dough covered with and garlic and cheese. It comes with a creamy dipping sauce. I think "garlic fingers" are a Maritime thing. When I lived in the Toronto area, I could never find this yummy snack.

McSweeney Dinner Theatre

I took in a local dinner theatre production called "The House on Magnetic Hill". Magnetic Hill is an actual tourist attraction here --cars can travel in reverse, uphill, due to a mysterious power.

The stage:


Last night's production was filled with acting, music, comedy, and interaction with audience members. I have never laughed so hard in all my life. The actors were not only your waiter or waitress, but they also played instruments in the band, sang, danced and stayed in character throughout the night.

The cast, onstage and jamming:


The story was a murder mystery, interlaced with songs from Ozzy Ozborne, Heart, Michael Jackson, Meatloaf, the Beatles and more.

Bass and guitar:


The show included a 4 course meal. I highly recommend supporting your local acting/ theatre troupe today. Sometimes the best productions are right in your own backyard!

The main course: Diners could choose between steak, fish or chicken

Dubonnet

My father asked me one night if I would like some Dubonnet. I had no idea what he was talking about.

The front of the bottle:


Dubonnet, according to the bottle, is an "aperitif a base du vin". Created in Paris in 1846, it is a mix of three grapes, plus orange rinds, untoasted coffee beans, and other secret spices. The aperitif is to be drunk before a meal, as an appetizer. There are two types: red and white.

The back of the bottle:


The Dubonnet I tried, was red. I drank it over ice and the taste was a bit smokey, not sweet but almost syrupy, like cranberry juice. Very nice.

Over ice:


If you can find this at your local liquor shop, I recommend it.

Tim Horton's

This is the name of a chain of Canadian donut and coffee shops. It is very similar to "Mister Donuts" in Japan, or "Starbucks" in the U.S.

Tim Horton's is named after a --what else?--- famous hockey player. Shops can found all across Canada, but, --TRIVIA TIME!-- the city of Moncton (my parent's hometown) has the highest number of shops per capita (= per number of people) than anywhere else in Canada! There are 40 Tim Horton's coffee shops and about 150,000 people living in this Eastern Canada town. Wow.

Some people visit the shop up to 6 times a day! There are often long line ups at the drive-thru windows as well.

We stopped by, even though we're not big fans of Tim's, to drink a hot chocolate. It was sooooo sweet!
The Hot Chocolate Supreme with Caramel sauce:


"Going to Timmy's" as many Canadians say, is a big part of our culture. Friends will gather here to enjoy a coffee and chat. You must visit a shop at least once to get a taste of true Canadiana. I hope you will try. ^_^