Everyone would agree that staying in is the best policy at the moment given that the current surge of Miss Rona in Thailand is most severe, yet. In good conscience, we don't want to encourage you to go out. But fret not, as Guru has once again saved the day with ideas to help spruce up another bout of self-isolation during this quasi-lockdown.
Order In
Whether you WFH, WFO or WFA, good food can always lift up spirits and elevate moods. Have it delivered and support the dining scene that has been affected by the pandemic with these options.
- Stage Restaurant offers selected dishes in their delivery shortlist menu. What caught our eyes the most is their "not your ordinary ramen" choices. They are Duck ramen (B290), Roasted beef truffle ramen (B550) and Lobster ramen (B850), all of which come with an onsen egg with the silky yolk. Those with a sweet tooth may want to consider six pieces of their Signature desserts (B450). Order via Line @stagebkk between noon to 8pm. Call 02-002-5253 or 083-623-4444.
- You can enjoy selected dishes from Haoma at home (see what I did?). You can order as a set or à la carte. Their three sets (from B399) give you a proper meal. Each comes with two dishes and a side of bread, rice and salad, raita or pickle. For example, the Vegetarian set has Tandoori malai broccoli and Paneer tikka masala. Order a biryani or Mango lassi (B150) from the à la carte menu. The "Haoma at Home" menu is available from Tuesdays to Sundays from 11.30am-9.30pm. Call 02-258-4744.
- Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok offers food delivery via Lineman with favourite dishes from Bar.Yard and Ms. Jigger from 11am-11pm. Enjoy hearty Italian comfort food from Ms. Jigger or Latin-American cuisine from Bar.Yard. Highlights include handcrafted Ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta cheese (B390), 24-month Parma ham with mozzarella and rocket (B470), Slow-cooked baby pork ribs that are dry chili-rubbed and smoked with Ancho Dark Beer (B360). Visit bit.ly/PRDeliveryEN to order.
- If you're looking for affordable meal boxes, consider Centara Grand at CentralWorld's with a starting price of B88. Each food box comes with one free bottle of water. The menu selection includes Stir-fried with chicken garlic, Stir-fried mixed vegetables with crispy pork, Phad Kaprao with pork and fried egg and Centara's signature "Rod fai" fried rice. They are available via GrabFood and Lineman from 7am-8.30pm daily. Email diningcgcw@chr.co.th or call 02-100-1234 ext 5988.
- Locus Native Food Lab in Chiang Rai usually offers a chef's table experience but they've shifted their focus to delivery for the time being. They present "Retort Northern Meal", which delivers Thai northern dishes across the country and even abroad. Order as a set or à la carte. A set for two (B690) is like an all-star platter of northern delicacies featuring khao soi, nam ngiew, sai oua, nam prik ong or nam prik noom and pork rinds. All food goes through retort sterilisation, thus the menu's name. Line @locus2627, fb.com/locusnativefoodlab or call 065-023-2627.
- Rosewood Bangkok On The Move returns to offer creative takeaway cakes, confections, coffees and kombucha for easy pick-up at the hotel's doorstep, every day from 11am-6pm. Chef Florian Couteau's artisanal cake selection includes St. Honoré, Paris-Brest, White chocolate mousse & raspberry crémeux and Jasmsine tea chocolate cake. Fresh bread and pastry options are also available, ranging from croissants, mini kraftkorns and gluten-free muffins. Prices range from B70-B168. Get your caffeine fix with a cuppa home-brewed and handmade by Giuseppe Carneli, Lennon's bar manager. Place your order two hours in advance online at bit.ly/2021RWBKKOnTheMove or by calling 02-080-0088.
Join the Bangkok Food Delivery Facebook group for countless more choices of delivery options.
WOFH: Work Out From Home
The gyms are closed but you can stay on the healthy track with free online workout sessions.
- Absolute You offers two rounds of 15-minute routine via its Facebook page and Instagram every day at 6am and 5pm until it repons. Bring your mat and visit fb.com/AbsoluteYouStudio or Instagram @absoluteyouthailand. You can also find other pre-recorded at-home workout videos with instructions in English and Thai on their Facebook, too.
- The Lab's online training is open to members and non-members. They have two sessions during the weekdays at 8am and 6pm and one session at 10am on weekends. Training will be conducted via Zoom and you'll be told in advance what equipment you need. You can rent the equipment, each time for two weeks, while non-members can join for the price of B500 per session. Join The Lab Online Training Group at bit.ly/TLOnlineTraining.
- Base Bangkok announced a temporary closure until May 9 but promises to announce live workout sessions, online personal training and workshops. At the time of writing, they haven't revealed details of these online activities yet so keep updated at fb.com/basebangkok. You can also sign up for a weekly subscription for an affordable price of B190 at basebangkok.com/packages and there are tonnes of options to choose from.
- Virgin Active Thailand offers five online workout sessions per day via Facebook and MyLocker. Some classes are restricted to MyLocker only but anyone can check out many workout videos on fb.com/VirginActiveThailand whether you look to increase your lower body strength or stretch your body with yoga flow.
- Physique 57 Bangkok allows you to sweat it out with a barre workout via a live Zoom class or videos on its website. There are 22 Zoom classes per week for you to join in real-time for the starting price of only B60 per day. If you want to exercise on your own terms and time, consider a monthly plan that starts from B950, which gives you access to more than 350 workout videos.
Virtual Tours
Get behind the closed gates of Thai museums without leaving your home with these selected virtual tours.
- The Bangkok National Museum (bit.ly/3tWhcJC) offers virtual tours of different buildings within its premises. You can appreciate majestic Buddha images in Siwamokkhaphiman Hall, European-styled furniture from bygone days at Issaret Rachanuson Residence, get close to royal funeral chariots inside the hangar and more. The interface is simple to use as there would be arrows that you can click on to virtually walk around. The narration is provided in Thai with an accompaniment of soothing Thai traditional music. You can even click on some items to learn the stories behind them. Informative and impressive.
- Check out Museum Siam's Virtual Exhibition on its website to get a 360º view of its permanent and temporary exhibitions. There are about 12 exhibitions to choose from. For example, learn about pla ra (fermented fish) culture within the Asean community and find out which Asean countries enjoy fish sauce at the "Rotten Delicacies: The Culture of Food Preservations" exhibition, which was held back in 2012. Visit bit.ly/3aDOiGs.
- Check out the three floors of Thai Film Museum in Nakhon Pathom via www.fapot.or.th/main/museum. Expect a wide array of film memorabilia, an exhibition on noted Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, the evolution of Thai film industry by decades and more. Definitely a big dose of nostalgia.
