Latest news with #KimptonMaa-LaiBangkok
Time Out
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok rolls out the rainbow carpet for Pride Film Festival
Pride is in full bloom this month, with celebrations lighting up every corner of Bangkok in a dazzling display of colour, love and unity. And Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok isn't sitting this one out. For the fifth year in a row, the hotel is rolling out the rainbow carpet with its Pride Film Festival – an annual tribute to every shade of love, every voice and the power of storytelling to inspire change. Happening on June 13-14, this two-day queer cinema event brings together four award-winning flicks that shine a light on LGBTQ+ lives, love and everything in between. In partnership with the Australian Embassy in Thailand, the lineup features powerful stories from Thailand and around the world. Each one is chosen to spark conversation and connection. All films have English subtitles. Here's what's playing: Malila: The Farewell Flower – June 13, 7pmAn intimate Thai drama exploring queer love, grief, and spirituality through the story of two former lovers reconnecting. The Miseducation of Cameron Post – 14 June, 3pmA poignant coming-of-age film about a teen girl sent to a conversion therapy centre, where she discovers friendship and self-worth. God's Own Country – 14 June, 5pmA raw and tender British romance between a young Yorkshire farmer and a Romanian migrant worker. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – 14 June, 7.30pmA glittering cult classic that follows two drag queens and a trans woman on a road trip across the Australian outback, serving looks, laughs and liberation. To make the experience even more intimate and welcoming, all screenings will be held at the cosy Maa-Lai Library on the 30th floor with free entry for those who reserve here in advance. Come as you are and settle in with stunning skyline views, signature snacks and drinks available for purchase. Seats are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. And the extravaganza doesn't stop there. On June 14 from 5pm 'til late, the party climbs to new heights at with 'Proud & Loud: Queen of the Desert'. This sky-high soiree on the 40th floor turns up the fabulous with a night of unapologetic joy, fierce drag and rainbow realness. Get ready for electrifying solo sets by iconic drag queens Meannie Minaj, ZEPEE and Kandy Zyanide at 9.45pm onwards. Each will bring their own flair before coming together for a grand finale inspired by The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Come loud, come proud and come ready to slay.
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
This 16-Seat Bar In Bangkok Has A Pop-Up Storybook Menu And Gem Cocktails
Inside the Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok is one of the city's most intriguing new drinking destinations: Ruby's, a 16-seat bar tucked behind velvet curtains on the hotel's ground floor where gem cocktails exist. Inspired by an emotional (but fictional!) love story and the raw beauty of gemstones, Ruby's is the prequel to the hotel's successful restaurant—and it's designed to feel both intimate and conceptual. 'We wanted to encourage a connection between the bartender and guest—a discovery experience,' says Shane Jameson, cluster director of sales and marketing for Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok and Sindhorn Midtown. You don't just order a drink; you engage in a conversation, you hear the story.' Ruby's; Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok. Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok The bar's design and menu revolve around a shattered romance—a woman who falls in love with an Italian gem trader and ends up betrayed. That story threads through each drink on the menu: 14 cocktails and two mocktails, each named after a gemstone and inspired by its meaning, mythology, or origin. Jameson worked closely with the bar team and a Bangkok-based design agency to bring the 'dark fairytale' concept to life. 'We started with a gemology-themed menu and I wrote abstract interpretations for each one,' he says. 'We then enlisted the help of an extremely talented creative agency, who extracted my thoughts from my words and started to design each page, with different papers, types, pop-ups, and so on.' To add substance, he brought in a geologist and a jewelry designer. 'One of my inspirations was a geologist, who kept me honest in where I wanted to take the stories,' he says. 'The other person I enlisted the help of, for inspiration, was a jewellery designer, who has also had the Ruby's experience.' The drinks reflect the drama. 'The 'Ruby' cocktail, crafted with gin, jasmine, strawberry, pomegranate, and hibiscus, embodies this, down to the clinebell ice program shard in the glass, revealing the tip only—but the depth is quite apparent,' he says. The Emerald, Jameson notes, portrays both envy and passion in every sip. 'It's a nod to wanting what we don't have, to Elphaba the wicked witch, and the look and feel of the pagination portrays snake skin notes.' For those terrified of durian, I suggest this cocktail as it has durian on the nose but not in the actual taste. Chef Davide Caló designed an elevated food menu to match the cocktails' bold flavors. While the menu is called 'nibbles,' it's like a gastronomic journey where you can choose three, six or nine bites. 'The inspiration behind the menu came primarily from the cocktails themselves—their flavors, textures, and the creativity behind each one,' says Jameson. Caló's favorite pairing is the scallop-wakame sesame salad with trout roe. 'It pairs perfectly with the Aquamarine cocktail—the flavors enhance each other beautifully, creating a fresh and elegant combination that just feels right," he says. 'Gemstones are very complex and have distinctive characteristics, just like our cocktails. Ruby's is meant to be a meaningful conversation, not just idle talk," says Jameson. Once
