My daughter Zoe and I both had Thursday off work, so we decided to be productive and clean up the condo a bit. We reorganized to allow more room for storage, scrubbed down the inside of the microwave, combined the spice rack, ya know fun stuff like that. I literally spent 5 hours in my small kitchen and then had to call it quits. I opted to avoid a peak into the two junk drawers. That’s a day project in itself. All the random things we think we will use/need.
After our back breaking chores, Zoe agreed to hit one of the rooftop bars that was on my bucket list. We headed over to Kentucky to check it out.
I-75 South has a lot of construction going on right across the river, so we avoided it by taking this local bridge. It runs parallel to a railroad bridge.
To get to the roof, we had to walk in between what looked like houses to locate the back deck steps up.
It was an adorably decorated deck with live plant walls and comfy swinging chairs.
The weather has been outstanding and I am breathing it in best I can before winter hits and changes our ability to socialize outdoors. I wonder if restaurants will invest in blankets like they do in Germany or outdoor heating lamps in attempt to stay open.
Zoe snapped this photo of me. Was a decent one! I’ll have to remember to use it should I ever go back to online dating 🙂
We tested the watermelon man, ruby lafoon and country thyme cocktails. All were refreshing and unique.
We also tried the red bean hummus and animal fries. The food at this place is top notch and locally sourced. This deck sits on top of the Commonwealth restaurant which I did not realize. Pre covid, Zoe and I had a luncheon at that rabbit hole in February this year.
How in the world can you describe these fries? So many flavors going on.
Was great to get out with ZoZo.
I walked to the edge of the roof deck and snapped this quaint photo of Covington’s Main street view.
After our appetizers and drinks I was confident we could find our way home without the use of GPS. In true Tonya tracking style, I missed the street to the highway and we started climbing an incline due to all the one way streets. We just kept wandering further until we ended up at Devou Park. We parked and got out to soak in Cincinnati at sunset.
Devou Park has the best city views. This one showing Covington to the right of the Ohio River.I truly do live in a beautiful city. And this wrong turn, like many, landed me in a place I needed to be.
I heard many great things about this locally owned and operated breakfast/lunch spot in Oakley but never experienced it before. Usually there is a mile long line out front on the weekends, with customers waiting to get in, so I avoid it. After our morning walk, Rebecca and I decided to stop in for a bite to eat. She is gluten and dairy free -this place has excellent menu options to accommodate her. They even offer vegan goetta.
I loved the decor, theme, service and food. Was an excellent way to start my weekend. Great company, soul feeding conversation and local bacon that alone was worth the trip!
The place is themed out with bee designs and honeycomb shapes. They did an excellent job social distancing the interior.
I understand the owners also own a glass making studio. Much of the interior decor was glass art.
The chandelier was made from glass flowers. I loved it.
Along the wall hung glass toasts. That would’ve been a fun project to be part of creating.
Even the plant was unique.
An educational chart displayed various types of bees. I notice so many more bees out this year which warms my heart considering all the good they do for the environment.
Collage of bee art on the walls capturing children’s imaginations.
The expat gang usually doesn’t get together in the evenings but we were out celebrating this Saturday night. James’ birthday is Friday next week and this is my last weekend in Phuket. Plus it’s a full moon….well, almost.
Sunny organized for all of us to meet at the Laem Hin Seafood restaurant at 5 pm. I thought it was a tad early, I mean afterall only some of us are on the retirement visa, but after finding the place and seeing the views, I am so glad we did! We captured the sun fading as well as the moon shining. We were able to see the low and high tide. Was a perfect memorable evening that will never be forgotten.
Selfie shot at my condo before I headed over. I faded the photo so I didn’t appear so bright red 🙂
Upon arriving, there was mud around the piers and restaurant which provided some entertaining crab and mudskipper (learned from Jeevie) watching. This restaurant is right across from Coconut Island where I adventured with Virlane before she left Phuket. (November 12 post)
The restaurant was empty when we got there, but later that evening it was packed! You can see Coconut Island across the way.
Notice the mud around the pier which later ended up being all water.
I walked out on the pier shown in the above photo and looked back to capture the restaurant and the sunset.
Love this photo for some reason. The boats, mud, sea, pier and mountains. Feels like a perfect local living shot.
We left the restaurant before the food arrived and went for a walk along the pier in this photo which was beside the restaurant.
Walking along the pier, this was the view to the left.
These are mudskippers. I saw them being fished before when I was at Layan Beach. I had no idea what they were at that time, they looked like some sort of worm when the fishermen grabbed them out of their holes.
Made the group stop and pose.
Captured the guys walking ahead.
Rebecca and I in the background photo bombing.
Back at the restaurant, Leslie, Jeevie and I. You can see how fried I am. I love Jeevie . She is so creative and amazingly well behaved. Her mom Leslie, equally cool, just took a teaching job which starts next week! They have been in Phuket 7 years. They originally planned to just stay one year when they had the baby but never went back to the UK. Found their home here and embraced it.
Rebecca and I with a vintage filter to fade my red tone.
Mother and daughter, same walk. Love this!
This was taken out on the long pier looking back at the restaurant. Such an active location.
Jeanette made desserts and they were seriously unbelievable. Not a crumb left behind! I love how cute she is, but also check out James’ face in the background. Priceless.
The sun finally set and the tide rolled in. The moon came out from under the clouds and it could not have been a better night.
I have always been blessed/surrounded by good friends. But I never thought I would encounter such a diverse group as this one I fell into while living in Phuket. My one on ones with many of them have been my favorite part!
Noni took this photo and shared with the group.
Beautiful reflection.
The gang. UK, Singapore, Thailand, HongKong, Australia, and USA represented.
Noni told me about this restaurant where you could stand /sit on a lily pad. I definitely wanted to check it out! I texted the Avengers and told them I was heading here for lunch Friday if they wanted to join me.
This restaurant was such an Instagramable site. Absolutely unbelievable. I mean, I have never heard of such a thing. Even when arriving I thought they may be man-made.
Those pillows are on mesh sitting areas. It was absolutely gorgeous with the pond, greenery and the contrast of the brick colored building accents.
Jason and Tek came to join me for lunch. Such great guys!
An upclose photo.
Looked like something out of a fairytale.
View out on the boardwalk looking back at the restaurant.
I opted for the traditional pineapple fried rice. Great presentation.
Jason always gets dessert.
This worker was walking by and I zoomed in to capture her.
You can pay to have your photo taken out on the boat but only on the weekends.
Selfie shot.
I don’t know if this one is a different breed, but had such interesting texture.
I took this photo so I would remember the name of the restaurant. Tek told me Ma” means “come”, Doo” means “see”, and Bua” is the type of lilypad it is.
Some of the photos taken.
When I googled Thai giant lily pads, this is what it said. “Huge Victoria Water Lily leaves are so large that small adults and children up to about 140 pounds can actually sit on them”
I pass Delico just about every other day on the bypass road which I frequent. It was on my bucket list to stop at this place and check it out. Today was the day.
I was on my way back from the grocery and the cloud above was black as night. It started stinging me with a tease of raindrops. I sped up in hopes of reaching this coffee shop for shelter, prior to becoming completely drenched.
One of my expat friends had a blind date here recently and told me it was an adorable cafe that looked like it belonged in Phuketown, not in the midst of the bypass road near the car dealerships and IKEA.
The door at the entry had an art deco style. Very ornate and delicately crafted.
The entryway had beautiful decor hanging from the ceiling.
The interior design was top notch.
There was a small shelving area selling purses, clothing, jewelry and some ceramics. I purchased earrings for my daughters. They had the most interesting clothes. I snapped a photo of this top which was sliced to move. Very clever handmade items for about 20$. I was so tempted but knew they would never fit me.
The inside was quite busy. A very Instagramable site.
I watched as the workers spent time creating clever designs in the coffee. I never really knew how they did that before. They dip a pointed tool into the dark section of the drink and then swirl or draw onto the white cream section.
I opted for the coconut cake. Again trying to match Ms. Grimley’s.
I am loving the dark blue decor!
I am amazed with the design abilities of some shops while others don’t pay a bit of attention to merchandising. This place is gorgeous! I texted Mimi and we are going to meet here next week.
The detail! Notice the floor has mosaic tiles inlaid perfectly lining up with the metal wall art.
I truly felt God was with me today. Guiding me here. Helping me time it perfectly to avoid the downpour that arrived as I entered.
After my acupuncture session today I was driving around Laguna Beach and saw a sign for Tony’s. This restaurant had been mentioned to me several times before by various people. I pulled in and decided to check it out.
Once you passed the entry there were tables set up along the edge of the beach.
I took a seat in the shade with this view and was literally mesmerized for a hour.
Looking through the pineapple trees, the sky appeared bluer in this direction.
Overpriced dinner but the scenery was worth it.
Loved the mural by the bathrooms.
Later this cowboy rolled up and I grabbed my camera.
I sent a message to the brunch group, knowing they all lived in this area, to see if anyone could join me. Sterling and James had just finished meeting for coffee and came over to partake in the view. Making the best of my experiences here.
On our way to the port on Saturday we passed a sign that said Rabbit Hole”. You know me and my bunnies! I was intrigued and wanted to check it out. Sunday when we woke up at the resort it was another all day rainy forecast so we decided to end our adventure checking out this new place for lunch.
It was really cute on the drive in. There were many white rabbit cut outs letting you know you were on the right path.
This restaurant sat on a lot of acreage.
Menu and interior were kid/family friendly.
You could even paint your own bunny ceramic for a minimal cost.
This was the lounge area where the rabbits roamed about complete with kids chasing them under the furniture. I really wanted to hold one, but knew better than to try to pull one out from under.
Caught these two snuggling in the corner.
Really had a theme going.
It stopped raining so we took advantage and explored the outside a bit before taking off.
On a summer night this could be an excellent place to chill. Love the mist from the waterfalls.
Manmade but beautifully planned with plants and steps to wander throughout.
Hopping across and checking out the koi fish.
We are quite the gang.
Jason posing like a toad.
Obviously the owner appreciated the outdoors.
View once we got to the top of the waterfall.
I will definitely drive Mean Mia back this way to see what other views are up this road.
Selfie- capturing our covid moments and my crow’s feet 🙂
Can you hear it?
I really love travelling with these guys. They are so low maintenance! And always ready to explore.
Not sure what to make of this. Bananas anyone?
Noni at peace.
Nature renewed by the rains.
Tomorrow the beaches reopen, but I have a dentist appointment in the middle of the day, so I have to hold off until Wednesday to stick my body back in the water. Can’t wait!!
After the weekly Sunday expat brunch, I decided to hit a few beaches and see what was going on. James and Rebecca told me about a new part of town that I had never been to before so I added that onto my agenda and took off after eating an excellent chicken parm.
The expat crew from last week’s brunch. A great group shot I thought I would share.
I first stopped at Banana Beach. I climbed down and sat in the jungle to admire the views, until eventually I was eaten alive by mosquitos and decided I need to throw the bug spray into my everyday bag now that it’s rainy season.
The beach had a few local fishermen trying to snatch dinner.
And some local kids enjoying the crashing tide.
Never forgetting to look up, I was glad I did.
I then drove further north and stopped a Nai Thon Beach which was disappointedly very polluted with trash that had washed ashore with nobody attending to it. The view was not worth staying for so I meandered up the road only to stumble across this gem of a place called The Hill Bar.
Had a tiki hut feel to the place.
Some great Instagram shot opportunities.
It had a walkway out over the jungle which turned my stomach just a little bit wondering how supportive their structures really were. But it would be a great way to exit the world I suppose if it did collapse.
The views spectacular. The horizon line of the sea literally looked fake, like someone penciled it in.
Since this place was off the beaten path, I asked if they were serving alcohol, assuming they were not in any tourist district, and they were. SCORE!
The bar was adorable.
I took these steps to check out the upper level. The view up there was not any better.
It was a little bit like the 3 Monkeys restaurant in Kathu, but cheaper and more casual.
Such a refreshing summer drink.
I sat on a pillow on the floor, sipping my mojito and watching the sea. This may be a great place in the future to take in the sunset. But tonight I still had to get to the grocery and it was looking like it may rain.
Overall an excellent weekend adventure! Making the best of my time here. Always satisfying to find new places to fill my curious soul.
After seeing some photos of amazing sunsets on the expat group texts, I was jealous and frustrated that I always schedule my work at 7pm, making it impossible to take in sunsets during the week. So I noted on my Saturday calendar that I was going to catch it. No matter the cloud coverage. I was going to adventure to a beach to catch whatever view I could.
Ironically on Saturday afternoon, James posted that he and Sterling were going to watch the sunset at Catch Beach Club. I was in! Sunset and with friends, yes please! It did not disappoint.
As soon as I pulled up and heard the crashing waves it brought my heart instant joy. The sky started off in a pastel palette that merged perfectly with the restaurant’s decor. It was so peaceful. I ordered up a virgin mojito (no alcohol yet allowed to be served at restaurants) and watched the sky transition.
I was stunned at the coloration.
Wishing we were legally allowed onto the beaches, but this was good enough.
This shot captures the surreal view emotionally for me.
Even the white orchid was a perfect match.
When the sun eventually hits the horizon it becomes such a different shade. As if giving us one last shine before exiting the day.
Never gets boring to me. Never the same show twice.
Selfie moment.
Captured this shot of James and Sterling taking it in.
Layers of nature, captured.
James and I trying a selfie while attempting to also capture Sterling on the deck behind us.
A wonderful evening, enjoying it with others that equally appreciate the beauty.
By the time we left the night had fallen and the bar was lit up ready to serve the virgin drinks.
On the way out, these mirrors and their colors captured my eye so I snapped a quick photo.
Our last day in Chiang Mai we decided to road trip to another ‘destination coffee shop. We were told by the hotel owners that everything was going to shut down starting at 6 pm that night in Chiang Mai. Perfect timing for our flight back to Phuket.
This was definitely another road to nowhere adventure. One where I was happy to have my earpods working. There were so many twists and turns. In my opinion the roads in Chiang Mai are never navigable. I am usually one to look at a map and landmarks, then know how to get there. No way here!
We turned down quite a few dirt roads and private streets which were not surrounded by any landmarks whatsoever. Some new landscape to admire for sure. We ended up in a field, hence the name, only to find it had closed down. Very frustrating to say the least. But not completely shocking given the government’s new crack down.
I decided to walk around the property a bit to stretch my legs from the 40 minute drive and take a look at what we missed.
This looked like an excellent hippy camp! Iridescent transparent banners hung from many overhangs.
They also had lights hanging which I imagine would be very pretty. But who is making their way out this far in the evenings? I wondered what Chiang Mai must be like with more people in it. Maybe it is a fun party place and I was just missing out on seeing it’s true colors.
I walked along the woven bamboo walkway. This place looked more like a retreat. Maybe a venue for music and camping. Notice the beautiful temple on the mountain. No matter how I attempted to find it, (googled temples in chiang mai, or look for temples near me”) I could not locate it on the google maps.
I zoomed in to try to see it better. Obviously under construction. Maybe it’s a mosque?
Just simple country living. I’m sure the food here would have been amazing.
I wanted to climb up this but thought the view would be the same regardless 🙂
It was another bust of a road trip. I tried to google map our way to another decent restaurant which was part of a resort, only to be told by the gentleman who drove down in the golf cart, that they had closed it already. Dang! I was starving at this point. Sedona and I are on a CV-19 crash diet these days. We decided to just head back to the hotel and regroup. On the way back I saw a few places that were open for carry out, but once we entered we discovered they were only serving coffee. Coffee seems to be a big there here.
We ended up stopping at a 7/11 and bought a cheese sandwich and chips. They heated up the sandwich and I have to say, it was quite decent! We made our way back, feeling defeated. After recharging, I told Sedona I was just going to take the scooter out for a bit and wander around. She decided to join me and we were able to locate a restaurant that was open. Thank God for small favors.
Tonya Takes Thailand 