Silks and Spice at the Jim Thompson House, Bangkok

My first encounter with Jim Thompson was a small circular hand mirror that came with a cover, held together by a toggle. It was covered in silk, with little smiling Siamese people. I had the pleasure of visiting the house, built by the man that began the Liberty's of Thailand.

Jim Thompson was an American architect, who after discovering Asia, fell in love with the region and in particular Thailand. He built this amazing house in Bangkok, Thai Style, and collected an enormous amount of Asian antiques. These would serve as creative fuel for the prints that would translate onto silk fabric. He lived the life, until mysteriously disappearing whilst on a walk in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia.

Today the house sets the scene in which Thompson gained inspiration and had space to create his works, that we now enjoy as textiles, handbags, scarves, T-shirts, to name a few items. In full tourist glory, guided tours take place regularly to cart visitors around the large wooden house, dispensing snippets about the architect's life and collections. Many then wonder around the exuberant gardens, taking in the green and pretty.

And once mini elephant printed silk scarves run their course, the restaurant set beside a pool, is the obvious choice to have a bite.

Fresh spring rolls with prawns, lettuce and carrots with a coriander, mint and green chilli sauce, was regrettably disappointing and too simple for such honorary surroundings. What was befitting, was the spicy shredded fish with green beans. I'm told the fish is cooked, the meat shredded, then mixed with red curry paste and fried up with the beans. It's hot, sweet and savoury with a satisfying chewiness.

The green beans were knotted, catching fragments of shredded fish.

For dessert, Sticky Mango Rice was unexpectedly nice. I'm not used to sweet rice - English rice pudding is my immortal enemy - so enjoying the delicate coconutty glutinous rice with ripe mango was a nice surprise. The rest of the menu features other Thai classics, like Pad Thai, papaya salads, green, red curries etc.

Entry to the Jim Thompson house is 100 Baht for adults, and includes a guided tour. Two dishes, dessert, and drinks came to circa 400 Baht per head. It's worth spending half a day in this serene spot, admiring the work of someone so inspired by his environment, whether or not you're partial to silky textiles. 

Jim Thompson House

6 Soi, Kasemsan 2

Rama 1 Road

Tel: (662) 216 7368

http://www.jimthompsonhouse.com/

Chatujaked in the Deep End

My mum should have been a professional buyer. Not for her eye in finding unique and wonderful objects and not just because she has innate Asian bargaining ability. But because she has shopping stamina of military pedigree. Forget the shiny, airconditioned malls that permeate Bangkok, if you want to prove your stealth in buying, Chatujak's Weekend Market is your battlefield.

Hungry Female Senior warned me of the conditions we'd be braving. Crowded alleys where you lose all sense of direction, the weird and the wonderful side-by-side and somewhere that you could get just about anything if you looked long and hard enough. Homewares, Thai hilltribe crafts, pet accessories and pets, plants, plastic toys, furniture. From cheap and cheerful to the high-end, over an incredible 27 acres, it ranks amongst the best in the world for market experiences.

And by the way of food, I can't even begin to describe the choices available. Here are just some of the pitstops you could make whilst shopping your heart out.

You'll need a decent cup of ambition to kick-start the day. Thai coffee is from the Arabica bean, and these little stalls know how to extract that dark, sensuous flavour. Compared to Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, coffee production in Thailand is more recent, and has become a new source of income for many Northern hilltribes. I think however, they've cottoned onto the Aussie trend alot quicker, judging by the excellent flat whites I was served. 

You'll then need slow burning carbs to take you through the morning session. Thai style with lots of chilli heat. This meatball noodle soup was rather star anise-y, with strips of brisket and fresh lettuce. The trail of fire that blazed down my tummy didn't stop me from slurping it all.

Nothing prepares you for the endless pathways of shops and stalls. Once I dived into the maelstrom, there were times I wondered if I'd ever see the light of day again!

Celebrate the first hour of survival with a fresh coconut ice cream. Just staring at one reminded me of shampoo advertisements where washing your hair is akin to plunging into a waterfall. Served in a coconut shell, it was naturally sweet and had a semi-sorbet texture. I enjoyed the little strips of coconut flesh and sago chunks that came with.

I'd never be able to tell you where this bar was in the middle of the madness, but if you do find it, it literally is an oasis of alcohol. Huge arrangements of carnations sit at the bar, and colourful bunting clusters on the ceiling. Hazy memory tells me it was somewhere between Section 16 and 17. There's an impressive selection of booze, and Singha is served with icy bits still sliding off. I remember holding that bottle to my neck as long as I could. Meanwhile, my mother was tsk tsking my weakening endurance.

And after the final haggle, treat yourself to some spring rolls. These pop up all around the market, but I was drawn to this particular one as they offered sweet rolls too. Our savouries consisted of traditional Thai flavours like Tom Yam and Thai Salad, and the sweets were Nutella & Banana, Strawberry & Cream Cheese. All arranged prettily. I love the contrast of delicate against the hustle.

Whether you come away with bagfuls of bargains, or just happy snaps, I can guarantee some great memories. The nearest BTS station is National Stadium, and try to get there for 9:30am on the weekends. Good luck!

Chatujak Weekend Market
Sat/Sun 6:00am - 6:00pm
http://chatuchak.org/

Som Tam Nua: Putting the Bang into Bangkok

Till this year I was very possibly the only person I knew who hadn't been to Bangkok. But now I can hold my head up high, knowing I've perspired my weight whilst haggling at Chatujak, was left guessing if it was a he/she/a he in girls' clothing/an ugly she, got a little neck ache from Sawadee-kap nodding.

Despite the grey concrete jungle, I loved the energy that reeked from this city. Like many other SEA capitals, chaos on the streets is the charm that makes these cities memorable. One moment I'd feel annoyed from weaving in and out of madding crowds, the next I'd be greeted by the most dazzling smile when asking for help. And it's one city that gives you unexpected adventures if you go with the flow. We certainly would not have found this treasure, if we hadn't gotten lost from window shopping in Siam Square...

We wondered into one of the many trendy fashion outlets that make up Siam Sqaure, and asked the shop assistant if she knew of any good local food joints nearby. Her expression lit up as she scribbled down Som Tam Nua on Soi 5, telling us to "ask anyone, they will know". Like she predicted, we were literally hand held to the restaurant door. What we didn't know, was how long the queue was.

It was as if this was the only restaurant left on earth. Two waiters standing outside, were inundated by orders. Apparently the system was to hand in your order first, then wait for a suitable table to turn up. These two guys taking down notes had photographic memories, they were able to match up tables to orders, with the right group of people and without mistakes. Even then it took a good 45 minutes for a table for two.

In the mean time, friends gossiped, boyfriends held girlfriends' shopping, and smartphone owners hit all-time new highs on Angry Birds.

After a wait that long with very little patience, we made empty threats with ourselves in case it didn't live up to all the hooha. Thankfully, it wasn't in vain at all.

Isaan Thai food is known for it's zing. A deep-fried fish with a spicy dressing, topped with fresh bean sprouts, lived up to its reputation and sent me blowing away into a tissue. The stir-fried pork was equally punchy and enlivened with a healthy amount of fresh mint and coriander.

After numerous papaya salads in Laos, I was eagerly awaiting the Thai version. Strangely, this didn't follow in suit to the high standards set, and was merely a pile of fresh vegetables.

It then became clear what we had been waiting for, the fried chicken. My thoughts were, go with the locals, who had been queuing unrelentlessly, and observing countless baskets of the stuff being carted onto tables. It had a thin layer of crumbly crust, golden in every sense of the word. Peppery, with a hint of fermented soy beans, it was a perfect, salty dream.

You certainly get bang for your Baht, at 400 THB for four dishes and drinks for two. Given we had time to wait, and it came high on local recommendation, it was worth the little adventure. Since being back, we've tried recreating the chicken but not quite getting there. We'll keeping trying, and remembering how good the original was. I heart Bangkok.

Somtam Nua
392/14 Siam Square Soi 5
Nearest BTS: Siam