2 parisians in Bangkok

We love restaurants and coffee shops - Lifestyle blog

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Casa Lapin - Coffee shop

Casa Lapin is one of the flagship coffee shop in Ari with Pocupine. Located at the bottom of the Noble Reform condo, at the beginning of the Soi Ari, very near the BTS, it’s the first hip coffee shop you can encounter when you get out of the freezing skytrain.

Once you get in, the decoration is the first thing you can see. An old school low light mix of wood and brown leather. You get the mandatory handdrawn message on the glasses and the inspirational quotes. The place ticks most of the usual trendy coffee shops clichés but does it with style. A quiet music adds an atmosphere to this Casa Lapin, mostly visited by highso hip thais.

Beside the classic coffee options (latte, cappuccino and so on), Casa Lapin offers serious brunch options. The Croque Madame is pretty sophisticated and an extra care to the choice of the bread. The French Toast is probably the dish you'll choose if you're super hungry. You get 2 big slices with scrambled eggs, bacon, mapple syrup and sausages. While the wifi system sucks (you get 60 minutes or something like that), the place is great to chill and is probably the best option for brunch near the BTS Ari.

★★★☆ Great

More information

Address : Casa Lapin (Ari), Noble Reform, Phahon Yothin Soi 7, Bangkok, Thailand Note : other Casa Lapin are available in Bangkok (Phloen Chit, Thong Lor) and outside Bangkokg (Samui)

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If you want an alternative nearby, you can try Kaffe by Library.

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Tacos Factory - Mexican food

There’s a nice backyard place in Ari Soi 1 where you used to see Paper Butter and the Burger (they are now near The Yard Hostel). The place is quiet and filled with small stands of nice food.

Tacos Factory is a yellow kiosk offering mexican food (obviously) that are made just on order.

They are now offering the regular soft and hard shell tacos but also some guacamole, nacho and so on.

I really like the simple backyard there, quiet atmosphere and the care that they put in cooking simple and good food.

The tacos are good. I generally order 2 for a meal (one hard and one soft as I can’t decide). Prices are decent for mexican food (generally pretty expensive in Bangkok). Quesadillas are also very nice, and are a pretty good alternative. Quite surprisingly, no big burrito (my usual choice at a mexican place) are served.

Tacos Factory is a humble place to enjoy some nice mexican food outside (or to take away).

★★★☆ Great

More information Address : Tacos Factory, Sanannapa, Ari Soi 1, Bangkok, Thailand BTS Ari

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Tokyo Bike / Laliart Café - bike shop and Café

When you take Ari Soi 2, you have to walk a bit to find a nearly hidden and wonderful place.

A bit in the back, a double shop is providing two major things for the local hipsters : quality coffee and high end bicycle.

Tokyo Bike proposes different kind of bikes with gears or fixie. Many accessories are available and everything seems to be really selected with great care. If I had to buy a bike, I would definitely take one there, even if the price is quite high (generally between 23.000 and 30.000thb). Tokyo Bike also offers many service to repair or adjust your bike. They will be glad to advise you according to your needs.

The Laliart Café is completely merged in the place and offers great coffee coming from the best place in the world. An extreme care is shown to drip your coffee (they seem to be really keen on the “slow coffee”) or to bring your espresso.  You can also enjoy a scone (I believe it’s directly coming from Witty Ville, a shop in Ari Soi 1) and the usual suspects (cheesecake, brownies, etc.). 

Atmosphere is very quiet and low key. Nice lounge music and a beautiful garden is available and makes it a really original place completely in the tone of what Ari wants to be : trendy, specified and welcoming. 

★★★★ Awesome

More information : 

Address :  Tokyobike Thailand (Ari) 20 Ari Soi 2, Phahonyothin, Bangkok 02-117-1016

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If you prefer to take away your coffee, and you’re walking in the neighborhood, you can try to the small shop Coffee n°9 in Ari Soi 1.

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American Burger Festival

Hey burger lovers, if you’re in Bangkok this weekend, all the best burger joints and food trucks are united in one place just outside Centralworld. The American Burger Festival is open 2-4 october in Centralworld Square A and you can find there burgers like Orn the road, Mother Trucker, Daniel Thaiger, and our Ari neighbors Paper Butter and the Burger. We have to thank the American Embassy for that.

To get there : BTS Siam or BTS Chitlom

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Simple. Natural kitchen - Restaurant Bangkok

Some restaurants’ name say it all. Simple is a gorgeous and minimalist restaurant located at the end of the Soi 31, near BTS Phrom Phong. When you reach the end of the street, a small square with restaurants and services are there and you can find Simple Natural kitchen.

The place is quite small but you can book (and I invite you to do it) in advance. Plain wood and natural decoration seem to go along with a healthy and natural food that is offered on the menu. 

They are serving from 8AM to 8PM but I really believe this place is a bliss for a late sunday brunch. Take your time and enjoy the delicious bread and hearty corn hash. The sandwiches were awesome too. 

I really loved the cosy and relaxed atmosphere, perfectly matching the simple and enjoyable meal. This makes Simple. Natural kitchen one of the best address I tried for a brunch.

★★★★ Awesome

More information

Address: Simple, 235/5 Sukhumvit Soi 31 Bangkok, Thailand BTS Phrom Phong

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In Phrom Phong, you can also try the Don Don Japanese restaurant. We loved it !

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Kaffe by Library - Coffee shop in Ari

If you’re looking for a hipster coffee joint near the Ari BTS, and a bit aside from the Soi Ari, this Kaffe might be the solution. This coffee shop is located after the Villa Market on the “other side” of Ari in the direction of Sanam Pao.

This coffee shop (I don’t know where does this german “kaffe” name is coming from) offers a good variety of fresh brewed coffees (the classical mocha, cappuccino, espresso...) and a few fresh dish to go for lunch. 

While the coffee was hard and enjoyable (had the espresso ristretto), I really enjoyed the Kaffe by Library because of its atmosphere. The decoration is neat and minimalist with a special treat for bike lovers. Woody simple furniture and a quiet atmosphere is a perfect match for a wake up coffee or a working space.

★★★☆ Great

More information

Address : Kaffe by Library, Phahonyothin Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand. BTS Ari or Sanam Pao.

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Zin Kid Hot Dog - Stall food

Sausage and bread is probably one of the most simple yet popular stall food in the world. The world famous Hot Dog from New York is one of my favorite comfort food. While walking in Ari (Bangkok), you can find a small hot dog stand just next to the Fat Bird restaurant. With a neon sign saying “Zin Kid”, this is one of the top spot in town to savour a pretty nice hot dog.

For a hot dog stand, the choice is pretty wide : different kinds of sausages (frankfurter, pepper, veal, etc.), many different breads (white, whole wheat, charcoal...) and looooooads of toppings from onions to pickles, tomatoes, salad... you name it. You can also even add a special cheese sauce (I didn’t tested it), a special chili sauce and some bacon for a few extra bucks.

Sausages are cooked on demand and I must say it can take some time when there are other clients. But while you wait, you can choose your mega combination. The hot dog is definitely a hit, I tried the pepper one which is pretty big and super tasty. I like the attention that is attached to cooking each sausages, the selection of bread and the options that you get to customize your hot dog. It’s a perfect weekend comfort food for me, too bad it’s closed on sundays.

The price is decent (between 80 and 180 depending on the sausage mainly) and the size is okay (you can find easily a place around to take a dessert). You’ll clearly see the size of the sausage you choose anyway. ★★★☆ Great

More information : Address : Zin kid Hot Dog, Soi Ari, 10400, Bangkok. BTS Ari.

Facebook If you’re looking for other good places in Ari, you can check out Paper Butter and the Burger, in Soi Ari 1.

We can also recommand 4 Nua Kitchen for a more thai experience in Soi Ari 4.

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Omu - Restaurant

Japanese restaurants are legion in Bangkok. The main area for that is Phrom Phong, but you can clearly find them at almost every corner. But Omu is a bit different et dares to focus on a special dish : Omurice (contraction of Omelet and rice). The Omurice is a japanese dish that kids love and that is usually served with ketchup. It came with the opening of the Japan (Meiji era) and quite a japanese way of mixing western and eastern style.

Omu is trying to upgrade this dish and to serve some “gourmet" omurice with many different choices, toppings and sauces. But basically, you get rice in an omelet.

I like the concept of searching and proposing different things around a proper concept. Omurice is not my favorite dish and a bit simple, but I have to admit the different variations they propose are really tasty and enjoyable. My favorite is the cream and mushrooms. But you definitely get the chance to have it your way : tonkatsu style, feta or chili sauce... you really get a lot of different choices. Rice is customized to go with the sauce accordingly. The design of the café is nice, with zen woody decorations and a very caring staff.

The 149thb lunch set (with drink and soup) is definitely a great value and one of my option during the week as my office is in Centralworld. Other than that, the options are a bit more expensive with an average price around 200-250 thb. I didn’t have the opportunity to taste the desserts but I definitely will next time.

Omu is a chain restaurant and you can also find another one in Sukhumvit 61.

★★☆☆ Nice

More information : Address : Omu, 4, 4 / 1-2, Central World, 6th Floor, Rajdamri Road, Pathumwan, Khet Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330 Central World

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For another great and more traditional japanese restaurant, I suggest the Don Don restaurant in Phrom Phong.

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The Yard Hostel - Hotel

There are some place where just feel at home. Not really your home with the dirty dishes are waiting for a week to be cleaned. At home like quiet, green and nice. If you are in Bangkok, this place might be found in Ari, at The Yard Hostel.

Located 5 minutes away from the BTS Ari, The Yard is a peaceful concept hotel with great common places. The place is quiet with a big... well... yard in front. You can spend some time there, enjoying the sun while sipping a coffee or a cocktail. The common place is nice and you can chill for hours in it while reading or watching tv. 

The rooms are constructed in recycled contenairs. It seems odd at first, but looks really nice and is definitely well put. The rooms are a bit small but very cosy. You get AC, a nice bed, windows (and wifi of course)... it seems simple and minimalist but this is what you need. There are dorms and private rooms so depending on your needs, you can choose accordingly. Only downside to mention : all the rooms share toilets and shower. While I don’t really care, this is important enough to other to worth the mention.

But most of all, the people there are sooo nice ! Lovely people that can take care of you and help you on whatever you need. They often organize barbecue or arty events and the people of the neighboorhood (us) are invited. I love that this place is living with a soul, and not just a bland hotel checking in and out customers. 

This place is where I will send my friends when they’re visiting me. If you want to spare yourself the infamous Kao San Road, and feel like something different than the busy Sukhumvit, why not come to Ari and enjoy some quiet arty time at The Yard ?

★★★☆ Great

More information : 

Address : The Yard Hostel Bangkok, 51 Phahonyothin Road, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400

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Lots of great places to see in Ari ! You can check Paper Butter and the Burger or Coffee n°9

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Caturday - Cat Café

If you’ve never been to Japan AND lived in a cave for a few years you might not know what a Cat Café is. A Cat Café is a place where you can enjoy your coffee or cake surrounded by cats. It was so popular in Japan that you can find some in Korea or even Paris... but most of all (and this is what interests us) in Bangkok.

You must know that I love cats. I really do. And I miss so much mine... I had to left it in Paris, but I really hope to get it back soon. So, going to this Caturday Cat Café is so far my favorite coffee bar in Bangkok for me.

The place is super easy to find. You just get off at BTS Ratchatewi and walk for 2 minutes in the Coco walk. The place is big and it’s just super beautiful inside. After washing your hands and getting off your flip flop you are totally allowed to come in and meet all your feline new friends.  What a place !! The decoration and goodies are great and waiters/waitress extremely nice with you to explain how it works, what you can do and can’t do. They are really clear and that’s a good thing for us and for the cats.

You don’t have to pay an entrance fee (not sure if others in Bangkok do that but in Japan, it’s required), and prices for food and beverages are identical to other nice coffee shops. The capuccino and velvet cake were delectable but as I mentioned i m not a good judge as I was totally captivated by all wonderful cats that come and go around me.

The team seems extremely nice with them and it was important for me to notice that and see cats super happy and super relax (and they definitely were). The coffee shop is made for them and not the opposite.

I highly recommend this place if you want enjoy a great moment with your friends / children or lover... the place is quite crowded so take your time, wait a bit if you need and enjoy.

★★★★ Awesome

More information :

Address : Caturday Cat Café, 10400, 115 Phayathai Rd, Thanon Phetchaburi, Ratchathewi, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10400

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Above Eleven - Rooftop bar & restaurant

Today, we’re happy, to welcome Linda on our blog. She’ll share with us one of its favorite place in Bangkok : Above Eleven. It’s also the first time we are talking about a rooftop in 2 parisians in Bangkok.

Hi ! I’m Linda, Swedish father, thai mother, born in Belgium, raised in Monaco, lived in Monaco - France and Italy, mother of an almost 20 years old girl, married to a French/Italian and expat in Bangkok since 1 year and a half…

I’ve got a lifestyle blog (in french) since 2010 Linischoice.com where I share my interests, the places I travel to, the restaurants and bars I love, the books I read and a lot of silly stuff as well.

First of all, I’d like to thank my favorite 2 Parisians in Bangkok for giving me the opportunity of sharing a place I like. It’s quite difficult to choose because Bangkok is full of absolutely great places and they keep on opening new ones. I’ve got a never-ending list of places I need to visit that keeps on getting bigger and bigger !

I chose to speak about a place where I love bringing friends who are coming to visit us : Above Eleven, a Nikkei (japanese-peruvian cuisine) restaurant, with 3 different floors including a great rooftop bar : the Gramercy Park. 

Why I love Above Eleven ? First because of the very original and tasty Nikkei cuisine. Nikkei cuisine has existed in Peru for over 120 years since the 1st major wave of Japanese immigration to Peru. Peruvian cuisine is a mix of Spanish, African, Japanese, Chinese and native Quecha culture.The result is a surprising but extremely tasty mix of flavors. You recognize the quality and taste of japanese sushi but with a splash of peruvian tastes. All dishes are an incredible adventure where you recognize some flavors, discover others and are surprised by their mix. It’s not an easy menu to decipher because a lot of ingredients and associations of flavors  are unusual. The best it’s to be adventurous and just pick one or several dishes. You won’t regret it. I strongly recommend their Cebiche, the salmon anticucho roll, the roll mix large platter (at least you get to taste a bit of everything) for the starters. For main dishes the Snow Fish anticucho is to die for and the chicharron fabulous (crispy pork belly)

Second because it is very conveniently located on Sukhumvit Soi 11 at 5 minutes by foot from home … I know I’m lazy !

Third because the view is breathtaking. I know most of people say that the best sky bars are places like the Lebua but even if they are impressive, I feel that they are too high and you dominate everything. Places like Above Eleven are high enough to give you a great view but low enough to have a fantastic view and be part of the Gotham-like skyline of Bangkok. Hint : for men, pay a visit to the bathrooms. I’ve heard it’s amazing ; )

Fourth because having a drink at Gramercy Park at sunset is just great ! The view is beautiful, the crowd is great, the cocktails are good.

I spent the 2014 NY Eve in Above Eleven and had one of the best party ever. The food was amazing, the DJs were great, the ambiance fun, service was really good, and the view on the fireworks was perfect. If you want a nice place with good and unusual cuisine, great crowd and music, a beautiful view and not crazy prices, Above Eleven is the place for you.

Although be aware that there is a dress code (especially for men) : no flip flops, no tank tops (that means no Chang beer tank tops !!) and trousers are preferred to shorts.

More information :  Address : Above Eleven, 38/8 Soi Sukhumvit 11, Khlong Tan Nuea, Khet Vadhana, Bangkok, 10110. Hints : BTS Nana, exit #3 stroll down Sukhumvit soi11 and take the left turn and right turn. Get inside Fraser suites residence. The entrance is behind the building and up to the 35th floor (ask the guard if you get lost) Facebook

Hope you’ll like this place as much as I like it ! Lini ; )

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Paper butter and the burger - Food stand

The hunt for the best burger in Bangkok has begun ! You may not know that, but Paris has become one of the top place in the world to taste “gourmet” burger. A dozen of places emerged the last 2 years in the french capital, trying to get on top of the famous burger list. Arriving in Bangkok, I must say I was seeking a nice place to enjoy a tasty burger. We found Paper butter and the burger a bit by accident and I must say we were quite happy to.

The food stand is located in near the BTS Ari, on a place behind the big hairdresser Never Say Cutz, but it will move soon next to Fab Café on Soi Ari 1. I definitely love the place as it’s outside and quiet and off the road. People are enjoying the nice atmosphere while eating their burger between friends and family.

But what about the burger ? it’s good ! The chef is keeping it simple with 4 different kind of burgers, each is available with beef or pork. My favorite is the Aloha burger, with a slice of pineapple. The burger is super fresh, made at the order and you can taste it. The fries are ok but I prefer the oignon rings. All is served with smiles and a large choice of sauces (ketchup, mayonnaise, yellow mustard, barbecue... you name it). 

Paper Butter and the Burger is a place I like to chill after a week of work. I’ll be looking for them at their new place (and will probably offer a new review here in some times).

★★★☆ Great

More information : New Address :  Paper Butter and the Burger, 77/1 Soi Aree 1, 10400 Bangkok. BTS Ari

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Other nice places in Ari

After a good burger, you can definitely take a coffee at Coffee n9 located just 15 meters away !

You can also try a bit further a more thai restaurant at 4 nua kitchen.

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Minus 13 - Vodka ice bar

Ever wanted to try a vodka shot, feeling the russian blizzard on your face but in the middle of Bangkok ? Minus 13 lets you live the dream of an Ice Bar in Silom.

The “coolest bar in town” is located in Silom, actually pretty near Silom Thai Cooking Class. Before getting in, you get to choose your pack : 3 vodka shots for 500thb or 7 for 1.000thb. It’s almost impossible to get something else.

After that, you suit up ! Different panda or leopard and yeti-ish coats are available to help you fight the cold. Once nicely equiped, you can get in. The bar is nice, with ice everywhere even if a little small. The choice of vodka is quite huge and you can taste very different products from classic Absolut or Grey Goose to lesser known products with tastes of wheat, potato or rye.

Minus 13 is a great place to celebrate and have fun. The place is enjoyable and can add a little bit of craziness during a evening with friends. 

More information: Address : Minus 13 Vodka bar, 981 Silom road, 10500 Bangkok, Thailand

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Silom Thai Cooking Class - Cooking lessons

Today we’re not talking about a new restaurant, as sometimes it gets even better to cook your own food. The classic thai cooking class is a must on every top ten list for tourists coming in Bangkok. As we are neither tourist nor completely bangkokian and had some friends coming over to visit us, we figured out trying a cooking class would be a good thing. It definitely was !

We chose the Silom Thai Cooking School, located near the Chong Nonsi BTS Station. Quite easy to find, the school is not near the BTS but once in the small street, it's pretty well signed. Also, when you reserve, they get sure to send you all the details you mind need to find them.

The thai course is taking 3 hours. As we were taking the evening class, we arrived a 6pm. Around 10 students are here from all nationalities and the teacher speaks a good english. You end up preparing 5 or 6 dishes and eating them right afterwards. Do not eat before ! the portions are really large. Our courses were as follow : Tom Yum Soup, Pad Thai, Laab Gai, Green Curry chicken and Mango Rice. We didn’t prepare the Laab Gal nor the Mango Rice as the time was running and we just got to eat them :)

The thai cooking class is a great way to spend an afternoon or an evening. We enjoyed it a lot and the atmosphere was really nice. Everything ran smoothly and we had a lot of fun.

★★★☆ Great

More information : 

Silom thai cooking class - 68 soi 212/13 ถนน สีลม Suriya Wong, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500. BTS Chong Nongsi Website

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4 nua kitchen - Restaurant

You can find some nice places on Soi Ari 4, a few meters away from the Coffee n°9 we reviewed recently. The street is quiet and some nice coffee shops and restaurants have found a place there. We’re talking today about 4 nua kitchen, a small restaurant that has opened and merged with a coffee shop.

4 nua kitchen is cosy and small, nicely decorated with some cute plushes and small bushes. To be honest, the only thing we didn’t like was the tv that was on and a bit too loud to really fully enjoy the place.

The food proposed is varied from classic thai food to more western dishes. The carbonara are not real carbonara (spoiler : there’s cream in it) but they’re totally decent. The milk tea was really sweet but I like it that way.  The place seemed to host some foreigners used to the place.

★★☆☆ Okay

More information on 4 nua kitchen Address : 4 nua kitchen, 19/3 soi ari 4, 10400 Bangkok / 19/3 ซอย อารีย์4(เหนือ) ถ.พหลโยธิน

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Find other nice place near BTS Aree on our blog.

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Siwilai Rocket Coffeebar - Restaurant & Café

On the 5th floor of the famous luxury mall Central Embassy, you can find some neat places to eat. We got to try Siwilai Rocket, a nicely decorated and full of light restaurant but also a perfect place to sip a coffee and meet a friend.

Siwilai Rocket clearly fits in the Central Embassy, being quiet and modern. A beautfiul design offered for inside or outside clients eager to try some of the dishes offered. Beside an all day breakfast, the choice is wide going from the classic burgers to the swedish meatballs. I tried the gravlax on rye which was really good but a little stingy. That was also the case for the Zuchini and Trevally salad... we had to seek for the fish chunks.

Siwilai Rocket Coffeebar is an enjoyable place, quite perfect for a snack or a light lunch. I liked the service and the choices, but also the decoration. I disliked the quantity even if I couldn’t tell I’m a big eater.

★★☆☆ Okay

Address : Siwilai Rocket Coffeebar, Central Embassy (5th floor), 1031 Ploenchit road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330.

You can find more about Siwilai Rocket coffee bar here : Facebook Instagram

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Coffee n°9 - Miniature Coffee Shop

As we moved in the Aree neighboorhood (Ari), we might share a lot of different addresses from this side of Bangkok. Here’s one that we really like ! Coffee n°9 is hidden in Aree Soi 1, very near the BTS Ari. A micro old school mall has some clothes shops mostly, and this miniature coffee shop at the ground floor. 

Besides the cuteness overload of this tiny tiny coffee shop, the coffee is great and the staff is super nice. They propose the classic lattes and cappuccino, but also flavored milks and frappucino. Due to the size, they only prepare coffee to go but are also way cheaper than some other coffee shops in town.

★★★☆ Great

Address : Coffee No9 - ari soi 1 - อารีย์ ซอย1 ตึกสหกรณ์ 2 - BTS Exit 3 หลังตึกสรรพากร

You can follow Coffee n°9 on Instagram

Last photo courtesy of Coffee n°9