🎨 The Impressionists 🖌️

After visiting River City's previous multimedia exhibition on Van Gogh I just had to go see their latest multimedia extravaganza, The Impressionists an exhibition which showcases the work of 10 different artists significant to the impressionist movement. As this era is home to some of my favourite artists, Van Gogh, Monet, Rousseau and Renoir I was really excited to experience their art in a new way and to be fully immersed into their world.

Like the previous Van Gogh exhibition this one had a set up where you could become part of the art, last time it was Van Gogh's bedroom this time is was Café Guerbois, a real café in Paris in the 19th century where many artists of the time would meet. I'd really have loved to be a fly on the wall at that time and hear what these amazing artists would discuss together and it was said that some of the discussions they would have would get quite heated to.

The multimedia section of the exhibit was much larger than last time with different sections and set ups for you to watch the screens and take photos, the first was a bridge with a lily pond, an homage to Monet's famous piece Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies and the second a boat which was a common appearance in many of The Impressionists works.

I visited the exhibition on a quiet day and was lucky to have the whole exhibition to myself for a couple hours so was able to enjoy each of these set-ups without disturbing anyone's view or experience although on a busy day there is still lots of space and seating for everyone to enjoy the exhibition in peace.

It was really touching to see each of the artists pieces brought to life in such a new way, being surrounded by Monet's beautiful flowers and landscapes really made me feel like I had escaped to the countryside, Rousseau the jungle, Toulouse-Lautrec to Paris, it really was a beautiful experience and I walked through the exhibit several times making sure I could experience every artists work from every angle to the absolute fullest before it was time for me to leave.

For anyone in Bangkok the exhibition is here until April 18th and there's currently a 1+1 offer so you can bring a friend along with you to see it for free, so I highly recommend you do visit whilst you still can as it is really worth experiencing for yourself.

Who is your favourite impressionist?

Love & Lilies

Cate

xoxo

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📮 Postcard From A Stranger 💌

Postcard From A Stranger was an interactive exhibition/project hosted in Bangkok at BACC where you could write a postcard to a stranger with some words of positivity in the hopes that that postcard will be picked up by someone and make their day a little bit more brighter, and in exchange for you leaving a postcard you can also take one and hopefully that person's words will bring some comfort and positivity to you. The hope of this project was during these turbulent times to spread a bit more love and positivity into the world and let everyone know we are not alone and we can get through these times together. You never know the personal struggles that someone's is going through and even the smallest of kind of words from a complete stranger can make a big difference to someone's life.

Sadly by the time I heard about this project it was after the end date but due to popularity the gallery decided to extend it for another few weeks so I visited during its last days to leave my own postcard of positivity there. It was so amazing to see so many people getting involved, the walls were covered floor to roof with so many comforting words of positivity and love and not all postcards were written in Thai I saw a few in other languages to, absolutely everyone and anyone could take part in the project all you needed was a pen and paper which were also kindly provided by the gallery for you to take part in the project.

So much has happened over the past year and so many people have been struggling to cope so this was a really great way to bring people together and spread some love. I was overwhelmed with the amount of messages left by people and it wasn't just postcards and notes some people left original their artworks, photos, fortunes and even K-pop photocards for people to take and it eventually evolved into a place where people could not only spread some love to each other but a place for people to share their art, themselves, their love and passion with the world.

This past year has been one of the toughest for me, I've been distanced from the people I care about, I've lost friends and family and I have felt so alone and hopeless at times but people even complete strangers have shown me so much warmth and kindness it has really changed my perspective on a lot of things. This exhibition really touched me and really made me proud to be here, especially when I saw just how many people had been visiting, usually BACC is reasonably quiet but since word got out about this project hundreds of people took time out of their lives to visit and leave these postcards, it really was a beautiful thing to be part of and I hope we can see similar projects happen all around the world because right now we need a bit more kindness in the world.

What message of positivity would you like to say to someone?

Love & Life

Cate

xoxo

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❤️ Venus in the Shell by Phannapast Taychamaythakool 🎨

Phannapast Taychamaythakool is a Thai artist who expresses her feelings through her animal creations illustrated in a traditional Chinese style in honour of her Thai/Chinese heritage, I first became aware of her through a collaboration with Hello Kitty but slowly began to realise that I have actually been a big fan of her art for a while seeing it in many locations in Bangkok, most recently the beautifully decorated Wat Mangkon MRT station where she collaborated with Nescafe, I also own a mug from this collaboration to. 

Venus in the Shell is her newest exhibition of her work which took place in my favourite artist escape River City and takes you on a journey into the secretive corners of humanity's fragility, anger, disappointment, love, joy, jealousy, brightness, and darkness with Phannapast's ending hope that we can embrace the reality of life not just those depicted by the gods.

The exhibition is really stunning, I adore her vibrant work so much and the stories she tells through her art, I really did feel like I transported into another world and by the end of the exhibition I felt so at peace and inspired. My favourite were the lenticular prints that shifted and morphed as you moved, I spent a good amount of time just walking back and forth enjoying these transformations from human to animal which is symbolises that we all have multiple sides depending on the circumstances we are in and it's nothing to be ashamed of.

There were so many fun characters at the exhibition, robotic storks , bulbous goldfish and my personal favourite the cat and the lotus. I loved them so much I picked up a few postcards and memopads in the gallery shop. Phannapast's artwork is so fun and I adore the deeper meanings behind them to, it's always a joy seeing her artwork randomly around the city.

Food nourishes the body but art feeds the soul and after this day I was happily full. Inspired by the world of Phannapast I decided to share with you a little bit of my world so made a video of my day which you can watch below where you can follow me exploring Chinatown, art exhibitions, eating lots of vegan foods and of course my adorable cat Nora Neko has a feature to. This is a new vlog series I'm testing out so let me know what you think and hopefully I will have more beautiful art and artists to share with you in the future.

What nourishes your soul?

Love & Lotus

Cate

xoxo

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🎧 November K-pop Events in Bangkok, Thailand 🎤

November was a fun month of events in Bangkok just like September but most of the events I wanted to go to all ended up happening on the same day so this all happened in a day! There was so much more I wanted to do, more birthday events and even a cinema screening by some GOT7 fansites showing all their amazing fancams, but I'm sure I'll get more opportunities for more awesome events in the future.

                                        

JACKBAM ANNIVERSARY CAFÉ 

This was such a cute event, as soon as I saw photos of the cute Jackson and Bambam donuts I just had to go check it out. The decorations were just adorable and the atmosphere so much fun, when I arrived GOT7 were livestreaming their virtual fansign event which was also happening in Bangkok that day so there was lots of screaming and giggling while we watched them. Jackson and Bambam have such a great friendship I love seeing them joking around together and taking care of each other so this was a cute event to celebrate the 9 years of friendship they have and I really hope we have more events like this because it was so much fun and such a cute idea.

                                   

GOT7 YUGYEOM BIRTHDAY EVENTS

Yugyeom's events were so much fun this year and extremely popular compared to last year! There was so much going on and so many people out celebrating his birthday it was so touching. Each venue had their own unique theme and I really loved the galaxy theme in the first café from the decorations, to the food, to the gifts everything was just done so beautifully and everyone had so much fun. There were so many gifts and giveaways to, I came home with so many beautiful goodies like photocards, stickers, fans, cup sleeves, candles, soap and even cookies, Ahgase are so cute and creative I love this fandom so much and am really excited for JB's birthday in January and the start of a new year of Kpop events.

If anyone knows of any other Kpop events happening in Bangkok that you would like me to go check out for you please do let me know as I'd love to share other groups events I may not be as familiar with as there's so many amazing events that happen here compared to other places I'd love to share a bit of my world with the rest of the world, especially now we aren't able to travel so freely. My Ko-fi link is below for anyone that wants to 'sponsor' my visits and buy me a drink and in exchange I will send you any cute freebies I get from the event, also do make sure to follow me on Instagram from more K-pop related fun and news on future events that I will be attending as well as more fun adventures I don't blog about.

What did you do in November?

Love & Music

Cate

xoxo

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🎂 Unbirthday Café - Bangkok - Thailand 💐

Unbirthday Café is another one of Bangkok's hidden gems, tucked down an side alley on the 2nd floor of an apartment complex it can be confusing to find but once you do you'll want to come again and again. I first visited in August, to treat myself to some cake for my (un)birthday so I thought for my Halloween visit I would film a little video and share it here.

The commitment they have to the aesthetic is admirable, in summer there was a midsummer theme with flowers decorating the whole of the café from floor to celling and for October they went with a spooky but cute Halloween theme with not just the décor but cakes, drinks and music adding to the overall theme, it's such a pretty café and I love the attention to detail they put into everything, there's such a great vibe there.

Cakes are the main reason you should visit because their cakes are in my opinion one of the best in Thailand! They bake a wide variety of cakes daily so there's something for everyone from chocolate to fruit to cheesecake to scones and every single one is so delicious and a real rich treat, my personal favourite is the hummingbird cake, definitely a must try especially if you're a fan of carrot cake.

Since sharing my photos of Unbirthday Café on Instagram so many of my friends have asked me to take them there when they come visit so I will for sure and I can't wait to see what their next theme will be, maybe I'll have to pay another visit for Christmas.

What is your favourite cake?

Love & Roses

Cate

xoxo

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Andy Warhol : Pop Art (Bangkok, Thailand)

Andy Warhol, one of the most iconic artists and leaders in the pop art movement, original art pieces were for the first time ever put on display in Thailand. This was a real moment in history so I just had to go see it as I'm a big fan of pop art and even used to display some of his iconic pieces on my walls at university so seeing his original works was a must!

The 128 original art works on display come from the private collection of an Italian art collector Gianfranco Rosini, it was a really impressive collection with some iconic pieces such as Marilyn Monroe and Campbell's soup as well as some sketches, albums and magazine covers.

It really is an amazing privilege to see these original art pieces on display here, the exhibition is at Bangkok's River City until November 24 so a must see for art enthusiasts and it's right next door to Van Gogh: Life & Art so I totally recommend a visit to both and a trip into both these iconic artists vibrant minds.

Who is your favourite artist?

Love & Art

Cate

xoxo

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🦙 Nahim Cafe x Handcraft - Bangkok - Thailand 🦙

 

Bangkok really does have the best cafes as just across the road from Wallflowers Café is Nahim Café, I have passed this café a few times on my way to and from Wallflowers but on this day I decided that I would go there instead and try something new and I'm so glad I did as it's such an adorable little café. Nahim is so bright and colourful with vintage toys and llamas in every corner, from floor to celling, I really did feel like a happy little kid sitting there sipping on my purple latte. 

I love the cosy feel of this café I sat myself in a corner at a little desk and felt so comfortable and happy being surrounded by all the cute toys and pastel décor. The menu has a great selection of cute drinks and snacks, the donuts are their most popular snack and the polka dot milkshakes their most popular drinks but I opted for a sweet potato latte which was served with crackers in a really adorable cup which they handmade themselves.

The café also has a small selection of handmade items you can buy and you can even buy the cute cup that my latte came in. I always try to support independent artists as much as I can so I picked up a birthday card to send my Dad and a cute little pumpkin cup that was only ฿70!! One of the reasons I love Chinatown is because of the artsy vibe, it has some of the best street art and most interesting cafes.

I unfortunately couldn't stay too long at Nahim as this was just a quick refreshment break on my way to the market to pick up jewellery making supplies but if I could I would have spent the whole day there playing with all the cute vintage toys, but I will for sure come back and try one of their cute snacks and maybe even bring home another cute cup, you can never have enough cute cups!

What's your favourite cute snack?

Love & Llamas

Cate

xoxo

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❁ Wallflowers Cafe - Bangkok - Thailand ❁

Wallflowers Café is one of my favourite cafes in Thailand, a hidden gem in Bangkok's bustling Chinatown. Walking into this café is like walking into Wonderland; the ground floor is a working flower shop, full of dried and fresh flower displays with staff busily making bouquets for delivery, as soon as you walk through the door the smell of fresh flowers makes you instantly feel like you're walking through a field of fresh flowers in spring.

As you walk up the stairs into the café area, the smell of fresh flowers mixing with the scent of fresh coffee, there is so much to take in, there are flowers every where, it's exactly what I would want my dream home to look like, cosy, unique, kitschy art pieces decorating the walls, a little bit shabby, plants everywhere with cats and dogs wandering about freely. 

The café itself is quite small with no more than 10 tables, I've visited this café mostly on weekday afternoons and it has always been relaxed and quiet with plenty of places to sit but I've heard on the weekends and at night when it transforms into a bar it can get quite busy. It also appeared in "Brother of the Year" which was the most popular movie in Thailand a few years ago (it even outsold the Avengers!) so it has gained a bit of extra popularity from that.

When you visit I would definitely recommend trying their home baked cakes, not only do they look beautiful but I would rate them as some of the best cakes in Bangkok! Sometimes when I visit they are already sold out so it's best to come earlier in the day if you want to try them, the dark beer cake (pictured above) and carrot cake are my favourites. Coffee is their speciality so if you're a coffee lover be sure to try a cup but if you're not a coffee fan they do have lots of other drinks on offer.

The highlight of Wallflowers Café for me is not just the cakes, the aesthetics and cosy atmosphere but their resident pets who are so friendly and will come and sit next to you as you relax there. I tell my friends it my favourite cat café that isn't a cat café. There's 3 cats and 2 dogs that all live at the café and are usually roaming around or sleeping in corners, they are all super friendly so be sure to say hi and give them friendly pets if you see them.

Chinatown is my favourite area to explore in Bangkok it has some great hidden cafes and restaurants, every time I visit I seem to find somewhere new. Chinatown also has the best street food so it's well worth visiting if you're in Bangkok, it's a beautiful area with old buildings and temples but with a contemporary feel so definitely go visit and get lost wandering around the tiny alleys of Yaowarat, I'm sure you'll discover some hidden gems.

What are your favourite places to explore?

Love & Flowers

Cate

xoxo

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Van Gogh : Life & Art Exhibition (Bangkok, Thailand)

 

Van Gogh is one of my favourite artists who I gain so much comfort and inspiration from so when I heard that this exhibit was coming to Bangkok I had to go see. Last year whilst I was in London I made sure to go to the National Gallery to see the Sunflowers again something I feel like I always have to do when I'm in London and no matter how many times I see it I'm still in awe of its beauty and vibrancy.

I knew there weren't going to be any actual Van Gogh art pieces at this exhibit but what drew me the most is the interactive elements which put you in the world of Van Gogh, from the bedroom mock-up to being surrounded by screens projecting his art and his life. 

To be in Van Gogh's world surrounded by such beauty and life was a really emotional, healing experience for me especially after months of not being able to go anywhere, staring at the same four walls it felt like I was breaking free and breathed new life into me. Art is so important and so healing to me, it's my happy place and I'm so glad I got to experience this. The exhibit is in Thailand until 31st December so if you're here I highly recommend you visit as I will definitely be going again one last time before it's gone. 

Who is your favourite artist?

Love & Art

Cate

xoxo

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Breaking Down Walls (East Side Gallery, Berlin, Germany)

Honestly, I feel like I lost a bit of my confidence when it comes to creativity, whether it's crafting things, photography or writing my creative outlets were always somewhere I could meditate, relax, pour out my heart and rest my mind but as life got busier I had little time for art in my life and eventually just lost all my confidence for it....

Art has always been important to me, it's how people express their true selves, it's inspiration and it's pain, it's something that makes you wonder and something that brings you home, it comes in many mediums and it's everywhere, sometimes we just need to open our hearts and pay a little more attention. This place The East Side Gallery is the perfect example of that.

While going through this struggle of finding my passion again I remembered my trip to Berlin and walking along these brightly coloured walls, a wall that divided a nation and kept families apart for decades, where people lived and died. Now it's a beautiful place where people can freely express themselves and it made me realise I've built my own wall that I need to break down.

So I'm pushing forward, blocking out the noise and finding my confidence and passion again because I realise that creativity is something really important that I need in my life. Even if the gains don't bring me success financially the most important thing is the emotional and mental gains I make. This is something I need to do for me, something I need to give me the strength and passion to fight through each day.

What do you do when you need a confidence boost?  

Love & Monsters

Cate

xoxo

The Big Buddha & Po Lin Monastery - Lantau Island - Hong Kong

The Big Buddha is probably one of Hong Kong's most famous sights, on my first trip to Hong Kong we unfortunately couldn't visit due to bad weather so I was hoping on this trip I could finally take my mum there to see it and kept a close watch on the weather, the night before there was a storm so we were worried it be another trip we'd miss out seeing it but luckily the weather cleared up in the morning and we were able to take a cable car up there.

The cable care to the summit was a longer ride than I thought but a really enjoyable ride which gives you a great view of Hong Kong from above, some cable cars also have a glass bottom so you can see the view below but we just took a regular car, but when you reach the summit the journey doesn't end there it's still a walk to reach the Buddha through shops and restaurants and a tiring climb up 268 steps to reach the base, I was sweating by the time I reached the top but it was great exercise and totally worth seeing this massive creation up close.

Next door to the Big Buddha is Po Lin Monastery, a temple where the monks live. The atmosphere was very calm and peaceful there in complete contrast to the craziness of Hong Kong city, mostly tourists come visit pay their respects there and buy good luck charms.

I always enjoy visiting temples and shrines as they have a whole different atmosphere and beauty. In the past I've only had the chance to see the city areas of Hong Kong and not much of it's natural beauty so this was a whole new experience for me and it was nice to have a few quiet moments before returning to the hustle and bustle.

Po Lin Monastery also has a vegetarian cafeteria where you can buy all sorts or Chinese foods and desserts, I had already eaten a large breakfast so didn't try the food on offer but I just couldn't say no to trying some desserts, Chinese desserts are one of my absolute favourite things so I picked up a few dumplings to try and I had the best mango mochi of my life, seriously mangoes in Hong Kong always taste really good and this dumpling has fresh ones inside, I was almost tempted to buy a box to bring back to Thailand with me for everyone to try.

After exploring the religious area, we walked back to the cable car station and visited some of the shops to buy souvenirs to bring home for the family. Our first visit to Hong Kong we really wanted to take my grandmother to see the Buddha but unfortunately due to bad weather we couldn't go and now due to ill health she can no longer travel so didn't make this trip with us but we still made sure to pay our respects for her and buy her a good luck charm so she was there with us in spirit.

There's just so much of Hong Kong to see and my time there never seems to be long enough so I'm so happy after all these years we finally got the chance to visit and see The Big Buddha, it was definitely worth the wait and I would love to explore more of the area if I ever get the chance to go back to Hong Kong.

What places would you like to see in Hong Kong?

Love & Dumplings

Cate

xoxo

The Elephant Retirement Park - Chiang Mai - Thailand

Elephants are one of my favourite creatures and I've been lucky enough to have some amazing experiences with them over the years. Elephants are very beloved in Thailand and there has been a big movement to help conserve them and end zoos which force them to beg and perform. I have definitely noticed over the recent year how there are a lot less elephants on the city streets and how the attitude towards animals has changed, a lot more people are aware of animal cruelty and less people are supporting this exploitative practice and just want elephants to live our their natural lives in the jungle, which is how it should be. That being said sadly there still are a lot of places where it is common practice to ride and see elephants perform and while I understand tourist come to Thailand to see elephants I ask that you please consider of the lives of these elephants, do a little research and only visit the places that support and conserve these beautiful creatures.

The Elephant Retirement Park is one of these places which does not offer any rides or force the elephants to do tricks or beg for treats, instead gives them a place where they can be free from chains and hard labour and enjoy their lives in harmony with the humans who take care of them by simply treating them with the kindness and compassion they deserve.

One of the major driving forces for my to return to Thailand and learn my native language was so I could help rescue, rehabilitate and educate people on animal welfare and how these animals should be respected. I try to highlight the smaller charities as much as I can as I know how much they need the recognition and support. The Elephant Retirement Park is funded entirely on donations, they don't ask much from you either and a day spent learning about and being next to these beautiful creatures is less than $80 which is such a small cost especially when you think of how much food alone is needed for these animals to live on. The price of a day with the elephants also includes transport to the park from Chiang Mai and a delicious so they really aren't making a lot of money and need as much support as we can give them so they can build a better environment and rescue more elephants from the tourist and agriculture trade.

Being this close to these beautiful creatures really is just a life changing experience, they're just so loving and gentle. It's not my first time being this close to them, I've been to zoos, I've seen them perform and sadly I've rode on them to but this is the first time being this close to them since I made a real conscious effort to never again support any cruelty against any creature and the atmosphere was completely different. I really felt the love and respect, seeing the elephants free to run about and play in the mud and just be themselves, there were no picks axes, no shouting, no stress, there was just an aura of awe and genuine happiness.

There are so many charities in Thailand dedicating their lives to preserving the world's creatures and giving them a better life and they need all our support, I had an absolutely magical day and it really warmed my heart. So if you do visit Thailand please be conscious of the places you visit and how they treat their animals and make more of an effort to support the charities that want to give these creatures a better life.

What is your favourite animal?

Love & Sugar Cane

Cate

xoxo

Cherry Blossom Season in Chiang Mai, Thailand

When you think of sakura flowers or cherry blossom season you immediately think of Japan and Hanami but did you know that we have our own cherry blossom season in Thailand? Sakura season falls in the cooler months in Thailand during December and January and can only be seen in the high hills of the north but it's definitely worth a trip up to see them as they're beautiful and it's a whole different experience from seeing them in Japan or anywhere else.

The northern hills of Thailand are really beautiful all year round and you can see all kinds of beautiful plants there. As the climate is cooler in the north and the soils more fertile you can find all kinds of different flowers, fruits and coffee grown there which you can't find anywhere else in Thailand, strawberry season also coincides with cherry blossom season so from December to February you can also go strawberry picking.

Coffee is also grown on Doi Pui in Chiang Mai, which is the place I visited to see the cherry blossoms, so while you're taking in the beautiful view of the sea of pink you can enjoy a fresh cup of organic coffee cultivated by the native tribes of northern Thailand, the perfect Hanami experience and of course if coffee is not your thing they also grow tea to but the coffee is worth a taste as it's my some of the best I've ever tasted!

Most people tend to visit Thailand during the summer months but my favourite time to be in Thailand is during the winter, the weather is much milder and the trees are in full bloom, it's just a beautiful time to be there, it was so amazing seeing the usually green hills of Thailand a sea of pink and I can't wait until the end of the year so I can go back and visit them again.

Have you ever celebrated cherry blossom season? Don't forget to check out my giveaway!

Love & Sakura

Cate

xoxo