I am addicted to sunshine, so after a drab and dreary winter in New York City, I was itching for some vitamin D. Luckily for me, PANDORA Jewelry’s production facilities are located in Bangkok, Thailand and they wanted to take me along to see what they are all about. While Bangkok is a dream destination, packing for a climate where the median temperature is 90 degrees can be difficult. Plus, many of the historic sites, restaurants, and temples have extremely strict dress codes that include, no sandals, exposed midriffs, and exposed shoulders. When I learned this, I was sure my entire warm weather wardrobe would be banned. Still, I got everything I needed for five days in paradise into a tiny suitcase. Ahead, my fabulous trip to Bangkok.
I think cooking a hard-boiled egg is hard, so being in the Thai Cooking School at the Blue Elephant was pretty much a joke. I still had to look good, though, right? It is all about accessorizing. I am wearing an official Blue Elephant Cooking School apron and Soludos espadrilles, which you can’t see, but were a lifesaver on the route back and forth to the market for supplies.
I felt like Dora the Explorer with my trusty backpack from Adriana Castro, but it came in handy when I was exploring the temples (there were pickpocket warnings everywhere!). This luxe version kept me feeling safe and chic at the same time.
Here I am getting my zen on at the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. I was so overwhelmed by how beautiful this space was. The enormous reclining Buddha was larger-than-life. Pro tip: Wear a slide shoe to temples. You often have to remove your footwear before entering a space, and though my Soludos helped me at cooking school, tying and untying your shoes in a huge crowd is not ideal. Save time and space with a slip-on.
Speaking of complicated shoes, my favorite summer sandals from Greek designer Elina Linardaki were the perfect accent to a simple navy dress for dinner. A lot of restaurants discouraged sandals, but after I got to Bangkok, I figured out by no “sandals” they really meant no flip-flops.
This is the Royal Palace which was a very large and beautiful. Almost everything was made out of 24k gold, which is just like my house! Just kidding!
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To the PANDORA facilities, I wore this breezy Camilla top and cross body Louis Vuitton purse (that I scored after much coercion when I was 15, thank you very much!). The PANDORA production facilities, which employ over 11,000 people in Bangkok is colloquially known as the Gemopolis (cute, right?). Since all the jewelry is carefully handcrafted, air conditioning and ventilation are super important to the facility. It was almost 97 degrees this day, which was one degree short of a super hot early aughts boyband, meaning it was super hot. I was thankful to wear a silk top, which color coordinated with the Royal Palace.
I am a fitness person, so I try to get in at least two workouts a week. Being away is no excuse! The Mandarian Oriental Bangkok had plenty of exercise facilities, and this morning I took a yoga class. I wore my Victoria’s Secret Sport workout gear, which not only makes me feel great, but also makes for a fantastic photo opp.
For dinner one night, we ate at Sky Bar, which is a little place 63 stories above the city, which you might remember from the The Hangover 2. This place was a bit more dressed up, so I sported this Tommy Hilfiger sundress. I wore this with a low heel from Stuart Weitzman and was way more comfortable than I ever thought possible,
The high tea at the Mandarin Oriental’s Author’s Lounge was legendary, so I had to give it a try on our last full day in Bangkok. I did a full taste test of everything and I can vouch for the scones. I never even eat carbs and they are life-changing.
The last night of the trip, PANDORA organized a Thai feast complete with dancers. Here I am trying to be part of the crew in a Zimmermann dress and Stuart Weitzman sandals. Though my look is great, I would have gladly switched with one of the dancers. They politely declined.
When you are traveling for over 24 hours, comfortable shoes are a must. My custom Nike sneakers served two purposes: they were great on the plane and in and out of airport security since they slip right on (laces are just decoration).