EmQuartier Mall Opening

Yesterday saw the opening of the new mall opposite Emporium, EmQuartier.  As is the norm in Bangkok, the place is not finished, so floors were roped off at the top and workmen were still scurrying around the place.  

We were a little confused by the layout but it seemed to revolve around an interesting open courtyard area, complete with a waterfall along the front of one section.  I suspect we missed one part of the building as we never found the bookshop which had prompted the visit.  Basically it felt like a couple of buildings that were only connected on one or two levels via the exposed inner courtyard.  It looked as though they were building some walkways to join the buildings at the upper levels.

On the upper floors of the mall, it was a mixture of Yves Saint Laurent type stores to the more purse-friendly end of the scale.  I didn't see anything to excite me until I got to the food floor downstairs.   However the people watching was fantastic.  I THINK this guy was a model.  If not that is quite a fashion look!

Among he funnier sights were the long lines of people marching around the mall, advertising things.  I loved the Virgin (as in Richard Branson) gym people, but I didn't manage to get a photo of them, they were dressed head to toe in skintight lycra bodysuits and sporting a mask of Mr. B.  These guys also marched past me, there was a long line of them.

The Gourmet Market was great.  I know this because I toured the whole thing with my trusty sidekick Sue, to garner as many free samples as we could.  

Yes we were remorseless in our quest, if they offered it, we took it.  The best by far was the little bag of Fauchon chocolate we were given in return for a bit of shameless product placement.

No that isn't the bag of free samples (sob)!  Sorry for the blurred photo, I think Sue had the shakes as she thought I had been given a huge bag of chocolate.   

Among the shops on that level were Harrods and the still to be opened Dean & Delucca (are they in competition with Harrods to take over Bangkok?) and Jones (the first I think in Bangkok).  

We didn't notice much in the way of restaurants as we toured, but maybe those will come when the rest of the building is open.