Friday, June 28, 2013

Vertigo and Moon Bar, Banyan Tree Bangkok - Spectacular view!

While going through my photos, I stumbled upon this.  As we were in Bangkok in February this year, we decided to try out this place which has been highly recommended as it's located on the 61st Floor of Banyan Tree Hotel and you get the have a spectacular view of Bangkok.

Was a challenge to get here to be honest.  The cab driver had no idea where it was and eventually dropped us at the wrong location due to heavy traffic.  Seriously is a nightmare travelling on the road in Bangkok!

Vertigo and Moon Bar
Banyan Tree Bangkok
21/100 South Sathon Road
Sathon, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Tel: +66 2 679 1200
Fax: +66 2 679 1199
Located on the 61st floor
Open daily (weather permitting): 
Vertigo: 6:00pm to 11:00pm 
Moon Bar: 5:00pm to 1:00am
For more information and reservations, please contact hostesses-bangkok@banyantree.com
Dress code:
At the request of the majority of our patrons, our Vertigo Restaurant & Moon Bar observe a Smart Casual Dress Code.
No flip-flops, no athletic apparel, no torn clothing and no backpacks.
Long trousers, closed shoes and no sleeveless tops for Gentlemen. For Ladies, no denim shorts.

It was a long way up.. and my ears were popping by the time we reached the 61st floor =)  The view was definitely spectacular as it's open air dining.  The evening was quite humid but with a slight breeze which is quite a relief.  S and I had different set meals.  He both had a 4 course meal which was around 3,400 BHT each 
The view from our table


My virgin Mojito!  Refreshing and minty
Some chilled seafood or some weird thing..  I wasn't too keen on it

We had a dozen fresh oysters

There were salmon caviars on them.. TBH, was awful as the caviars were sweet instead of salty

By the last oyster, I think we were flicking out the caviars =(

Then we got moved to the corner.. which is a lot better =)

Appetiser, 1st course - tuna tartare with avocado and salmon roe with a couple of extra crunchy crisp

Wasn't too bad, but what's with their obsession of sweet salmon caviar? =(  I've never had sweet salmon roe and they were awful =(

This were pretty delicious.  Slices of slightly grilled beef which is very pink in the middle.  So juicy and tender (this we ordered separately)

2nd course, Entree - I had the creamy lentil soup

S had the butternut pumpkin soup but I think it was too creamy for him and he wasn't too keen.  Mine wasn't too bad..

Something to cleanse the palate.. I think it was sorbet

Yep!  Lemon sorbet!

3rd course, Main - S had the flame grilled tenderloin, potato mash with cabernet pepper corn essence


3rd course, main - pan fried fish stekt with potato and peas and ruccola salad

Wasn't too bad, but I think I ended up preferring S's steak and ate his instead

4th course, dessert - Thai inspired 5 star tiramisu, mascarpone cream, almond biscotti

Looks pretty, but I wasn't keen.. Thankfully it's S's dessert.. not mine =))


4th course, dessert - All mine!! Pulut Hitam (sticky sweet black rice with coconut) with vanilla ice cream and slices of fresh mangoes.. YUMMY!
In all honesty, the food is so so, but I think the hype is more about the view while eating.  I found the service quite slow.  They were apologetic as we had to wait quite a while to get our main and we were offered complimentary drinks for the wait.
Ohh.. Did I tell you, you also receive a complimentary photo of you seating there with the view in the background.  Ours is proudly sitting in our cabinet hehe

Until next time..

Xx



Thursday, June 20, 2013

Swedish Midsummer...

Midsummer is such an important event here in Sweden.  I've never really appreciate it, but year after year, I'm beginning to appreciate it more.

Just some things that one must remember about midsummer here.

* it's supposed to be the 2nd biggest event after Christmas

* always happen on a Friday in June

* it's a magical night for most Swedes and it is traditional

* apparently some still perform rituals to look into the future

* if you want to know who your future husband or wife is, you'll need to pluck 7 different types of flowers, jump over 7 round pole fences on your way home and put the flowers under your pillow.  Then you will dream of your future husband or wife ( if it didn't work, you probably plucked the wrong type of flowers! =p )

* you spend it with families or friends

* plucking and gathering of flowers of all sort and birch leaves. Best in the countryside where loads of wildflowers grow at this time of the year

* making garland/crown from the wildflowers and birch leaves and also for decorating the Maypole, which is made entirely of fallen branches tied into a cross, decorated with wildflowers and birch leaves and then raising the Maypole

* good excused to get shitfaced/drunk/pissed!

* meal always consist of fresh/new potatoes (literary shitloads of potatoes!!!), fish such as salmon and sill ( all different flavour of sill!), Västerbotten cheese pie (sooo orgasmic!!), etc

* dessert is always loads of strawberries - fresh, with ice cream, with cream, strawberry cakes, fresh fresh strawberries!

* snapps! (Shots) are a popular alcoholic drink. Of course you could have beer, wine, any alcohol really

* dancing and singing... With wildflower garlands/crowns around our hair..

* ... Especially around the Maypole, which looks suspiciously like a male phallus.. ( with two hanging sacks..) . Imagine shitfaced, singing, dancing round and round a phallus, with a pair of 'balls' swinging lazily in the breeze

* after all the drinking, eating, singing and dancing, we'll end it all with some Swedish games ( we played some last year and the winning team even got a prize!  I can't remembered what games they were as things were pretty hazy by that time)

* midsummer is an extremely popular day to get married

* everyone gets drunk!! So.. Get drinking!!

* the longest day in the year - 24 hours daylight!

These are a few things I could remember at the top of my head at 4 something in the morning.

Oh yeah, did you know I was proposed to on midsummer back in 2010?! I didn't really understand the significance of it all at that time. Sure is a bitch to remember what date it was as midsummer changes every year! =)

Anyhow we did loads of traditional things as stated above last year in the archipelago.  This year we are off with a few friends in the country at one of our friend's family's sommarstuga (summer house). Not sure if we'll be making any maypoles or garlands but rest assured there'll definitely be a feast!!!

I'll leave you a picture of the burning sky at 4am snapped in the countryside, Skanör..

Until next time,
Xx


Friday, June 14, 2013

Sink your teeth into these bacon, zucchini, carrots & spinach mini muffins

For a pot luck picnic tomorrow.  Hopefully the day will be sunny as it's been a weird day today where one minute it was pouring with rain and the next it's sunny as anything!

So, here's what I got up to...  The original recipe was for proper sized muffins but unfortunately I couldn't find my normal sized muffin pans but I had a few mini sized pans.  So, this recipe has been adjusted.

Ingredients:

(1st bowl)
*  2 cups of sifted flour (I didn't have any self raising flour!!)
*  2 1/2 tsp of baking powder (so, I added baking powder.. I think it's supposed to be 1 tsp of baking powder to 1 cup flour)
*  1 cup of grated cheese (gouda, parmesan.. anything you want really)
*  Salt & pepper to taste

(2nd bowl)
*  1 egg
*  125g of melted butter
*  1 cup of milk

Extra ingredients  (You can add whatever you feel like having.  I did make a first batch but I left them in there for too long and the temperature was too high.  Originally had bacon, carrots and asparagus)
*  Chopped bacon (had about 5 strips)
*  1 cup of minced zucchini and carrots (I mixed them up)
*  1 cup of roughly chopped spinach

**  A handful of grated cheese to sprinkle at the top

Firstly, turn oven to 90 degrees (Usually it should be around 160 degrees but our oven gets hot really quickly.  So, I had to half the heat and make the baking time slightly less.  Also, I'm using mini pans so, they should turn brown quick)

Then, add all items from 1st bowl together.  Make sure cheese are not stuck together and nicely coated with flour.  Leave aside

Whisked 2nd bowl together.  Leave aside.

Fry bacon, then add in zucchini and carrots and stir fry until soft, then throw in spinach

Then, take pan off and let cool a bit.

Add cooked ingredients into first bowl

Fold in until nicely coated

Then pour in 2nd bowl and fold.  Don't stir too much
Then put batter into your muffin pan (Don't forget to butter the holes first!).  I managed to fill up 2 of these and a half
Top them with a sprinkle of grated cheese

Put them into the oven

After 10 minutes or so, I took them out..

Doesn't look too bad!
Leave to cool


Released them from the muffin pans

They are sooo tiny and sooo cute.. hehe

Voila!  My mini muffins!

Taking a little nibble!  The top is crispy while the inside is soft and moist!
Now I wish I had made them tomorrow before I left.. but ohh well =)

Until next time..

Xx



Thursday, June 13, 2013

Organic and fairtrade products at a good price - Kate's Organic Market, Hornstull, Stockholm

I have been pretty busy last few weeks, which unfortunately means I've neglected my creative side of things.  I still haven't had a chance to follow up with my items at the stores.

Between keeping in touch with old and new friends, working at one job at a school which is thankfully on summer vacation (but bad as I don't get paid), I've also started  another job today (which is only 4 hours a week!).  I'm also attending SFI for Swedish twice a week.  I guess my leisure life is coming to an end.  Life will definitely be extremely busy for me come August, as I will be busy juggling two jobs.  I will still find time to get creative as I'm saving up to purchase a sewing machine as I have to start designing and working on my Autumn/Winter accessories soon!

Anyhow I digress.  Let me get back to what I originally wanted to write about!

Kate's Organic Market

  • Heleneborgsgatan 42
  • 11732 Stockholm, Sweden

Mon - Thu12:00 - 20:00
Fri12:00 - 18:00
Sat10:00 - 16:00
(I think opening hours will be longer after summer holidays)


This lovely organic shop opened not long ago near our humble abode.  I've watched it started with hardly any products on shelf to slowly become a packed place where I could just pop over to buy anything.  They stock loads of stuff and everything in there are either organic and/or fairtrade.  The owner, Kate and her husband Emmanuel both run the shop and are lovely and friendly.  Kate is from Canada and found love with a Swedish man.. and the rest as they say it, is history!  Sometimes you'll see their daughter and baby around the shop as well!

They carry stuff like tea (boxed such as clipper brand etc or loose leaves which they measured and packaged into 100g bags - extremely good value for money) and coffee, spices (most are loose, which you can purchase according to however much weight you need), rice (basmati, jasmines etc), sauces, pastas, chocolates (some fabulous chocolates for sure!) and loads more.  You could get your daily items such as fresh milk, fruits, vegetables, bread (which gets delivered daily from the local baker).  They also have beauty products for your head to toe (and for children as well!) and even laundry detergent!

Do pop on over if you are in the area and if you want something and it's not in store, speak with Kate as she will always find ways to get the products you want ;)


RAW Chocolate Ice cream!  I tasted this and was surprised at how delicious it is!  No preservatives or anything, it's made from water, cashew nuts, coconut sugar, cold pressed coconut oil, cinnamon, cardamon and real vanilla and it's soooo chocolate-y!!

Peeping in from one of the large window

A lighted sign and the entrance into their magical world! ;) 

Until then!

Xx

Monday, June 10, 2013

Stockholm Food Festival - Smacka På Stockholm, June 2013

Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013
Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013
Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013
Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013Smacka på Stockholm/Stockholm Food Festival - June 2013
Went last Saturday and weather was just great. Warm and sunny.. but was way too glaring for my poor camera.. but overall a good day. Met up with a few people from Photography Meetup. Was fun to catch up =)