Fused Generations of Ethnicity, Religion and Lifestyles. Bianca Kirn
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1 A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF ello Summer! How time flies…hot summer days, warm summer nights, and for sure a heat Hwave (or two) is coming our way. Are you ready to take off your shoes and chill out and experi- ence the rich Asian culture that New York City has to offer? In this, our Summer 2009 issue, we will bring to you a slice of the Thai lifestyle here in the Big Apple. To- gether, we will taste some of New York City’s best Thai restaurants, quench your thirst with some the best Thai Cover Model/ Bianca Kirn beverages, showcase modern Thai furniture and flower Photography/ Manuel Librodo design, visit a Thai Buddhist temple in Queens, and Stylist/ Marise Hizo enjoy Thai beauty. We’ll even travel together on a quick, Editor-in-Chief yet enjoyable, trip to Thai Town in California and then Ching Yu Lin across the Pacific to Thailand. Editorials We’ll continue to explore New York City’s most diverse EDITORS borough, Queens, as we share our reviews and reccom- Joe Meny Stephanie Sakellarides mendations for the best places to eat, stay healthy, and Mark Hokoda have some summer fun. Joel Lyons Finally, I’d like to welcome you to Asian Fusion Maga- Raymond Qi zine. Everyone here at Asian Fusion, was so pleased and Molly Ford gratified at how our premier issue, Asian NY Lifestyle, Claire Fountain was so well received. Now, Asian Fusion Magazine brings Toni Concepcion you, and us, greater opportunities to focus on the dynam- Alexia Sorich ics of the trendy, and ever-changing New York City PHOTOGRAPHERS lifestyle. Every issue will feature content about everything Manuel Librodo you need to know about fashion, food, health, entertain- Matee Rakvit Advertising ment, travel, and more. Asian Fusion fits nicely in your ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE pocket, and we encourage you to bring it along with you Joe Meny when heading out to enjoy your summer in the city. Have ADVERTISING DIRectoR a great summer! Dimitry Fayzi SALES Hsin Yi Lin Design Ching Yu Lin Miya Chu Editor-in-Chief Nick Brooks Elazar Davydov Kellie Sakellarides Production Sheng Tian Huang I.T.Consultant Howard Bodenstein Distribution & Circulation Jie Hu 48 W21st St. Suite 703 New York N.Y. 10010 T 212-683-1881 F 212-683-1811 [email protected] www.asiannylifestyle.com CONTENTS S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 SPECIAL ISSUE Thai Beauty / 4 A Taste of Thailand / 11 Yum Yum Too / 12 Breeze / 14 Kurve / 17 Sabay Thai / 20 Rice Ave. / 23 Bann Thai / 24 Nusara / 26 Mixing with Mekhong / 27 Discover the Spirit of Thailand / 31 Taste Chang Taste Thai / 32 Establishment / 34 BEAUTIFUL The Lucky Frog from Thailand / 36 THAI FASHION Wat Buddha Thai Thavorn Vanaram / 37 MODELS 4 Travel to Thailand / 38 Cover Model-Bianca Kirn / 40 Manual Librodo / 42 Banchet Florist/ 43 FASHION Anna Sui / 44 Vera Wang / 46 Make a statement: Summer Trends 2009 / 47 BEST THAI CUISINE FOOD Sweet Sweet Heat Dessert Time / 53 5 Star Experience in Queens / 58 Peter How / 72 HEALTH Drink Yourself to Good Health / 74 Element Beauty Lounge / 78 ENTERTAINMENT DJ Steve Aoki’s / 83 Throw Your Cigarettes in The Air / 84 11 Thai Issue THAI BEAUTY The Kingdom of Thailand is known for its rich culture and breathtaking landscapes. The fascinating and exotic beauty of Thailand is also represented in the smiling faces of the beautiful Thai women. Charm, grace, and honesty are all traits in which each individual Thai woman possesses. In a society where politeness and respect play such a vital role, it is no surprise that these women are so caring and considerate which makes them even more beautiful. - Patrick Kang model: Naruetai Tongsomboon makeup artist: Yutitham Chunthorg photographer: Matee Rakvit stylist: Pat Lertsirimit 5 6 7 8 In a highly competitive city such as New York, he tried to work as a photographer during Matee Rakvit the current challenging economic situation. Fashion Photographer He began to build his portfolio for fashion photography by collaborating with some atee Rakvit was born in Bangkok, make-up artists and stylists in order to build Thailand. Before graduating from his portfolio, as well as connections. To live in MBangkok University with a major the big city and pay for his tuition, he would in Communication Art in 2002, Matee began often do fashion shoots, beauty shoots, head working as photographer for the biggest enter- shots, wedding photography, and restaurant tainment company in Thailand, named GMM profiles such as Kurve and Sabay Thai Restau- Grammy Public co., Ltd., He then worked for rant. Matee has said, “Photography is not only some magazines such as In Magazine, A Day, my career, but it’s a part of my life, and I’m Women Plus, and some agencies in Thailand. very excited every time I’m taking pictures.” Matee Rakvit gained a lot of very good experi- Because of his connections, he was able to ence from taking pictures of actors, actresses, shoot the cover of the Summer Thai Issue for singers, and celebrities in Thailand. He Asian Fusion magazine. This is his first publi- found his eagerness to learn was seemingly cation in New York City, to which Matee says: unlimited,so he decided to come to New York “I was very excited to get a chance to shoot for City to study further in the area of fashion the cover. Thank you very much. photography. With special thanks to Fon, Yuti, Pat, and Matee Rakvit has been in New York City Rick. for about a year. He is a part time student at The International Center of Photography and Matee Rakvit can be contacted at the The School of Visual Arts, is studying fashion following e-mail address: photography and is a full time ESL student. www.matee-photography.com 9 THAILAND Thai Issue simply put your favorite meat in a pan and A Tatste of Thailand add some vegetables, and you’re good to go! By Stephanie Sakellarides Curry has also become an American favorite, with its various versions of green curry, red, ick off your shoes and bow to the yellow and sour red. Not only is it low in Thailand groove. Thailand has created cholesterol, but you can also add just about a culture that is very unique and any spice or vegetable product to give it that K extra zest. diverse, not to mention full of flavor. Thai cuisine has become one of the most talked With simple recipes and the right ingre- about foods here in New York City. It has a dients anyone and everyone could cook a tangy taste and is a non-guilty pleasure for delicious Thai meal. those health fanatics. It can even be cooked in Here in New York most Thai restaurants your kitchen at home! let you choose how sweet or spicy you would Thai cuisine is unlike any other. With a like your dish. The best places to experience mix of herbs and spices, your taste buds are in Thai Cuisine are Hell’s Kitchen, on the west for a delicious, not to mention, healthy treat. side of NYC, Rice Avenue, in Jackson Heights Even though Thai food odors may give off an and Sabay Thai and Seafood Restaurant in unusual scent, their diverse ingredients add Elmhurst. Thai restaurants tend to American- flavor to these appetizing dishes. Some of the ize the menu, by having a choice of sushi or main ingredients used are fish sauce, shrimp soup as an appetizer, and adding seasonings paste and coconut milk. like thin soy sauce, oyster sauce and fermented With dinner as the main spicy meal in soybean. We’re happy to share with you in Thailand, the other two courses could be this special summer issue some of the best sweet or sour, even salty. A typical day in authentic Thai restaurants we’ve found in New Thailand would consist of noodle or rice soup York City. for breakfast; stir-fried vegetables with chicken or pork for lunch, followed by a large meal for dinner. Dishes for dinner are a wide variety and eaten slowly in order to spend time with family. Thai desserts are usually incorporated with the sweet taste of coconut. Most desserts are naturally produced from fruits and vegetables, like bananas, mangoes and pumpkins. Every part of Thailand has a different kind of taste. For example, southern Thailand has spicier food than that of the north. The north regions of Thailand prefer sticky rice, where as the central areas, eat white rice. Spicy Salad, known as Yum, is being featured in most Thai restaurants. Yum consists of many types of dishes that combine meat and seafood with lemon juice, fish sauce, chilies and vegetables. Yum is usually served as an appetizer and most people eat it while sipping on a cocktail. Stir-frying has become a popular kind of food inspired by Thai culture and is easy to make at home. With a little oil, or some garlic, 11 Thai Issue MANHATTAN Restaurant Review Yum Yum Too Yum Yum Too an exciting By Claire Fountain venture for those interested 662 9th Ave. 46th St in fair priced 212.247.2228 well done Thai fusion. he third child in the Yum Yum family Noting the fusion aspects of the menu, the of Thai restaurants located on 9th Panang Curry Beef is not a bowl of stew, but avenue, Yum Yum Too is the baby yet a deconstructed version of a curry, plated on a T wedge of acorn squash, layered with the more does not shy behind it’s older siblings.