PIXELMATOR is an app that lets you easily retouch your photos and enhance them by sketching or painting using the Apple Pencil on an iPad Pro.

Several templates are provided, allowing you to create stunning collages or add beautiful frames to your photos. For example, you can add a blurred edge frame or a round-corner frame to a snap you particularly like.

Seven templates help you turn your photos into greeting cards while six others work to turn them into posters with text.

The biggest draw, though, are the 12 templates you can use to add fun and stunning effects to your photos, among them superimposing a rain drop effect.

There are also templates to add Light Bokeh effect, Sunbeams effect, Light Leak effect and Colour Rays effect.

Other templates can make your photos look old, faded or washed-out – just like those in the old family albums.

You start work by selecting a template and then tap the “plus” sign on it to add a photo, or photos in case of collages, to the template and it’s done.

But you can also start working from a blank template by simply opening a photo file to edit.

The app supports PSD, JPEG, PNG and several other popular formats. You can open, edit and save Photoshop images with layers without worrying that your original image files might get damaged.

Pixelmator takes full advantage of the latest iOS 12 features and technologies, giving you innovative, fast, and powerful tools. It’s engineered to leverage the full power of 64-bit architecture, Metal, Core Image, and Core Animation. I found during the test on an iPad Pro 10.5 inch that Pixelmator delivered fast performance and real-time responsiveness. The app also supports Apple Pencil stylus for precisely retouching your image, such as erasing unwanted background items.

When you open a file to edit, you’ll find the tool menu at the top right corner of the screen. Click on it for options for painting and erasing the photo, retouching it, distorting it, adjusting colours and adding effects as well as selecting and cropping.

The app provides six tools for retouching –Repair, Lighten, Darken, Clone, Sharpen, Soften, Smudge, Saturate and Desaturate.

Six tools for distorting photos are also provided, namely Warp, Bump, Pinch, Twirl Left, Twirl Right and Restore. For example, you can use Pinch to squeeze an area of an image and the Restore is used to restore distorted areas.

The Adjust Colours tool provides six colour effects to apply on your photos –Vibrant, Rich, Warm, Sepia, Bright, Matte, B&W and Invert.

The Effects menu is fun to use. It provides several more effects than those provided in the templates and each choice comes with several more sub-choices.

The effects include Blur, Sharpen, Vignette, Noise, Vintage, Light Leak, Bokeh, Miniature and Focus. For example, when you select Bokeh, you can find seven choices of Bokeh effects, including Magnolia, Amber, Emerald, Apricot and Ruby. When you choose a Bokeh effect, you drag the effect to reposition the light dots on the screen and you can also rotate them to get the best result.

The Focus effect is also fun to use. You can put the focus on your face and blur the rest of photo, for example. You can also adjust the level of blur from zero to 100 per cent.

When you select the crop tool, you will find several aspect ratios, including 2:3, 3:2, 3:5, 8:10, 9:16, 16:9 and 19.5:9.

Pixelmator is now in version 2.4.3, which has been updated to be compatible with iOS 12 with a few additional improvements and fixes.

The app costs only Bt199 and therefore comes highly recommended as it lets you create stunning photos worth much more than the app’s price.

>> Seller: UAB Pixelmator Team

>> Size: 145.7 MB

>> Category: Photo & Video

>> Requires: iOS 9.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

>> Languages:

>> English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese

>> Age Rating: Rated 4+

>> Copyright: Pixelmator Team

>> Price: Bt199

IN A CITY known the world over for its incredible street food, it takes something very special to be awarded a Michelin star. However, Supinya “Jay Fai” Junsuta, 72, owner of streetside eatery Jay Fai has had no problems retaining hers for a second year and remains the only street venue in Bangkok to earn this internationally recognised rating.

Supinya Junsuta, aka Jay Fai (Nationphoto/Anand Chantarasoot)

The second edition of Michelin Guide Bangkok was launched on Wednesday and in addition to Jay Fai, the 12 other one-starred restaurants from last year have also retained their honours, namely Bo.lan, Chim by Siam Wisdom, Elements, Ginza Sushi Ichi, J’aime by Jean-Michel Lorain, L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Nahm, Paste, Saneh Jaan, Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin, Upstairs at Mikkeller and Savelberg.

Innovative European restaurant Suhring run by and named after twin chefs Mathias and Thomas earned an upgrade from one to two stars.

European restaurant Suhring run by twin chefs Mathias and Thomas earned an upgrade from one to two stars. (Nationphoto/Anand Chantarasoot)

No restaurant in Thailand has won the coveted three stars yet, though all three two-starred venues from the inaugural edition, namely progressive Indian eatery Gaggan, contemporary French restaurant Le Normandie and European delight Mezzaluna have retained their ratings.

“I lost 10 kilograms in the week after winning one star last year. I haven’t stopped since and people are still queuing up to try the dishes. I still cook with a charcoal brazier and am the only cook. About 80 per cent of the customers coming today are foreign,” says Jay Fai who also cooked for Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and top tennis players Simona Halep and Jelena Osapenko.

Jay Fai, whose eatery is famous for omelette stuffed with a giant portion of crabmeat, retains one Michelin star and remains the only street venue in Bangkok to be recognised with such an award. (File Nationphoto: Chalinee Thirasupa)

Jay Fai inherited the business from her father, a stir-fried noodle chef – 40 years ago and quickly made her ordinary eatery extraordinary. Her famous omelettes with giant portions of crab vary in price from Bt800 to Bt2,000.

From 2pm to 1am every day except Sunday and Monday, diners still queue at her small shophouse with just seven tables in the Pratu Phee area, next to the Golden Mount despite being able now to book by phone and email.

“Though I have a variety of dishes on the menu, customers keep ordering the ones suggested in the Michelin Guide, namely crabmeat omelette and stir-fried crab curry,” says the sprightly septuagenarian who is also working with Thai Airways on designing inflight street food dishes for business and first class passengers.

The legendary Thai restaurant Methavalai Sorndaeng has earned its first one-star rating from Michelin.

(Nationphoto/ Rachanon Intharagsa)

The 60-year-old Thai restaurant Methavalai Sorndaeng next to the Democracy Monument on Rajadamnoen Avenue is among the 10 new restaurants to have been awarded one star.

Boasting a charming retro ambience with Victorian-style chairs and tables with white tablecloths and live ’80s Thai music, it’s long been popular among businessmen and politicians and counts among its customers former prime ministers Gen Prem Tinsulanonda, Anand Panyarachun and Chuan Leekpai.

The all-time favourite is fish ball green curry (Nationphoto/ Rachanon Intharagsa)

“Our key is to deliver Thai dishes with refined flavours and cooked with local ingredients, spices and herbs. We make everything from scratch from the coconut cream to the curry pastes. We also stick to authentic recipes and will neither compromise the flavours to meet individual diners’ requests nor marry imported ingredients like salmon with Thai herbs and spices,” says Jirawut Sapkiree, the second-generation owner of Methavalai Sorndaeng.

Crispy rice noodles in sweet and sour sauce (Nationphoto/ Rachanon Intharagsa)

The restaurant has 30 staff in the kitchen and can accommodate about 150 diners. There are more than 100 dishes on the menu and all-time favourites include green curry with fish ball, crispy rice noodles in sweet and sour sauce, and spicy lemongrass salad.

“Our location puts us at the heart of Thai politics. During the 14 October uprising in 1973, our restaurant housed a temporary Thai Red Cross centre and we delivered food until we ran out of ingredients. I hope we never see such politically tumultuous times again,” says Jirawut, who plans to renovate the restaurant next year and pass on management duties to his children.

Spicy lemongrass salad (Nationphoto/ Rachanon Intharagsa)

The second edition of the little red guide has also expanded its reach to cover the best dining venues in the southern provinces of Phuket and Phang Nga as well as to Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon and Samut Prakan in Greater Bangkok.

Pru restaurant in Phuket is the only restaurant in southern region to have been awarded one star. A little gem in Samut Sakhon with a homey ambience and family recipes, Ruean Panya also receives its first star as has Suan Thip in Nonthaburi that offers refined dishes inspired by royal recipes.

Chef Jim Ophorst of Pru, right, and Gwendal Poullennec, international director of Michelin Guides

Located in the luxury Trisara resort, Pru restaurant is based on the farm-to-table concept and raises various local plants, herbs, organic vegetable, free-range chickens and ducks on its own 600-rai farm.

“My ultimate goal is to create a 100-per-cent locally sourced menu. To cook something great, you need great products from great farmers. Great farmers are from strong communities. So at Pru, we don’t want to be just a kitchen. We want to strengthen the local farmer community. This will yield better ingredients for better dishes,” says chef Jim Ophorst, a semi-finalist in S Pellegrino’s annual Young Chefs Award in 2016 and 2017.

Other one-starred Bangkok additions include contemporary Thai restaurants Le Du, R.Haan, Saawaan and Sorn and progressive cuisine eateries Gaa and Canvas.

Though no Thai restaurant has achieved a two-star rating, Gwendal Poullennec, international director of Michelin Guides, points out that more than half of the awards are going to Thai cuisine.

“We have also seen a trend in the degustation menu, whereby chefs design a complete experience for diners,” he adds.

R.Haan run by chef Chumpol Jangprai offers multicourse menus of Thai dishes based on ancient recipes but in attractive new presentations. (File Nationphoto/Anand Chantarasoot)

One of those, celebrated chef Chumpol Jangprai of R.Haan – the name means food in Thai –offers a choice of three seasonal samrub (a set of shared dishes), each made up of 18 different items.

“We want people to sample a variety of dishes with different tastes made from carefully selected seasonal ingredients and enjoy a new dining experience. Pairing different items in one samrub is local wisdom. The different flavours don’t only complement each other, but also cater to family members of different ages,” he says.

Tom  yum goong (File Nationphoto/Anand Chantarasoot)

His tom yum goong, for instance, has a theatrical presentation, coming in a glass siphon and prepared at the table. The herbs and coconut cream are placed in the top chamber then after vapour pressing, the intensely filtered soup drops back into the lower chamber. The aromatic soup is then poured over a bowl of river prawns and mushroom.

New restaurant Saawaan (heaven in Thai) run by two women – chef de cuisine Sujira Pongmorn and pastry chef Arisara Chongphanitkul – also reinterprets Thai comfort foods in innovative, multi-course offerings.

Chef Sujira Pongmorn at Saawaan reinterprets Thai comfort foods in new innovative, multicourse offerings.

(Nationphoto/Anand Chantarasoot)

“I like Thai street food and it’s challenging to elevate them by giving a modern presentation while maintaining authentic flavours. I’m also interested in mixing and matching rare spices and herbs,” says Sujira.

Kai lukkei (Courtesy of Saawaan)

She transforms Thai classic kai lukkei (soft-boiled eggs deep-fried and coated with thick tamarind and palm sugar syrup) into an amuse bouche, poaching the yolk in its shell before seasoning with shallot cream, tamarind paste and dried chilli. Yum naem kao tod (spicy salad with pickled sausage and crispy-fried curried rice) comes in a totally new look with house-fermented beef brisket, crispy-fried curried rice, pickled cucumber slices and fried ginger.

Le Du run by chef Thitid Tassanakajohn offers four-course and six-course tasting menus based on seasonal produce and sustainable local ingredients.  (File Nationphoto/Anand Chantarasoot)

Restaurant Le Du, meanwhile, has four- and six-course tasting menus based on seasonal produce and sustainable local ingredients. Young chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn, a judge on the popular TV show “Top Chef Thailand”, offers a new take on kao khulk kapi, cooking organic rice with aromatic shrimp paste and pork jam and serving it with grilled river prawn on the side.

Ant larvae, blue swimming crab, young bamboo, and southern style curry (Courtesy of Le Du)

The recently opened, 20-seat Sorn also has a degustation menu celebrating the strong flavours of Southern Thai cuisine. Ingredients are sustainably sourced from local farmers and fishermen.

Of the 27 starred restaurants in this edition, eight boast female chefs –Jay Fai, Sujira of Saawaan, Bo Songvisava of Bo.lan, Garima Arora from Gaa, Pim Techamuanvivit of Nahm, Bee Satongun of Paste, Banyen Ruangsantheia from Suan Thip, and Pannee Ganisthanaka of Ruean Panya.

(Nationphoto/Anand Chantarasoot)

The “Bib Gourmand” award, a rating that recognises restaurants offering exceptionally good food at moderate prices (within Bt1,000 in Thailand’s case), doubled in number this year from 35 to 72 venues.

GET YOUR COPY NOW

The bilingual edition of “Michelin Guide Bangkok, Phuket and Phang Nga 2019” in Thai and English is now available in a print version for Bt650 at leading bookstores and in digital version at http://www.Guide.Michelin.com.

NO MATTER what kind of music turns you on, you’ll enjoy it a hundred times more with the latest on-ear Bluetooth headphones from Marshall – the Major III Bluetooth.

The much-loved British brand has excelled itself with its new take on the Major phones, giving the Bluetooth headset a collapsible design that makes it convenient to carry around to use as a smartphone headset with very good battery life.

And Marshall has incorporated a clever design, allowing you to share the music that is Bluetooth-streamed from your smartphone via the headphones’ 3.5mm connector. The connector is normally used to link the phones’ cable when the Bluetooth connection is turned off so that you can use them as a wired pair of headphones. Now, with the Bluetooth linked, the streamed music can be passed on via the same connector.

The Major III has been re-engineered for a cleaner, more refined design, while the silhouette stays true to its original form. Slimmed down ergonomic 3D hinges add a more streamlined look, while thicker loop wires with reinforced rubber dampers contribute to a solid build quality unsurpassed by others. This combined with its rebuilt on-ear cushions and plush straight fit headband provides hours of comfortable listening. Major III is covered in time-tested durable vinyl and proudly stamped with the iconic script logo.

The phones use wireless Bluetooth aptX technology and it comes with some 30 hours of playtime on a single charge that needs about three hours to be completed. It is recharged via a micro USB port on the right ear cup and the charging cable is provided.

Major III Bluetooth uses custom-tuned 40 mm dynamic drivers for enhanced bass response, smooth mids and crystal clear highs that will immediately remind you why this headphone is an icon in the making.

The headphones have 32 ohms of impedance and 97 dB sensitivity plus a frequency response of some 20Hz to 20kHz.

The right ear cup has an LED indicator along with the 3.5mm stereo input for connecting to a headphone cable, which is also provided. And the headphone cord comes with-built in remote and microphone so that you can use Major III as a headset even when the battery is low.

The LED indicator serves to let you know the current status of the headphones. For example, the LED is red when the battery is being charged and turns solid white when the battery is fully charged. It blinks in white when the audio is paused and it turns blue when the Major III is in Bluetooth pairing mode. The LED turns off when the Bluetooth is off or when the music is being streamed to the headphones.

The left ear cup, meanwhile, has a multi-purpose control knob that also functions as a power on/off button, volume control, and play and pause button.

You push the control button once to play or pause the music. Push it to right to skip to the next track, holding it down if you want to fast forward. Push it to the left to move to the previous track and hold to rewind the current song.

When you push the button up, the volume is increased while pressing it downwards decreases the sound level.

To answer an incoming call, push the control button once and repeat to hang up. You can also push the button twice to reject a pesky incoming call.

When Major III Bluetooth is paired with an iOS smartphone or a macOS notebook, you can also use the control button to activate or stop SIRI giving voice commands by pushing the button twice.

I found Major III Bluetooth has powerful and solid bass despite its compact design and the mids and highs are also very clear.

Because of the powerful bass, I enjoyed using Major III Bluetooth to listen to rock music with good bass and good details of musical instruments. The headphones also provided good left and right isolations.

For example, when I listened to Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”, I could hear the melody of the guitar on the left and the synthesiser on the right with the vocals in the middle. The drums and bass sounded powerful and solid.

During the test, I enjoyed using Major III Bluetooth to listen to rock music with Joox and Spotify apps for hours without feeling uncomfortable, thanks to the light weight of the phones.

I also found that the control button could be used intuitively and effectively for controlling the music playback.

Major III Bluetooh is available from ASH Asia at http://www.AShop.Asia for Bt5,490.

>> Drivers: 40 mm

>> Driver Type: Dynamic

>> Driver Impedance: 32 ohms

>> Driver Sensitivity 97 dB SPL

>> Frequency Response: |20Hz-20kHz

>> Wireless Connectivity: Bluetooth aptX

>> Wired Connectivity: 3.5 mm Input

>> Bluetooth Range: 10 m

>> Battery: 30 hours play time, 3 hours recharging

>> Weight: 178g

>> In the box: Major III Bluetooth Headphone, Micro USB Charging Cable, Removal 3.5 mm Cable with Mic and Remote, User Manual with Legal and Safety Information

AMID THE tremendous popularity of online bookstores and e-books, an unmanned bookstore in Nara’s traditional Naramachi district is attracting an ever-growing number of customers.

The store is filled with books carefully selected by eight owners chosen from the public, and offers a cosy atmosphere in which customers can leisurely browse through various kinds of books, an experience that cannot be replicated online.

The bookstore, Fusenkazura, opened in August on the renovated premises of a traditional Japanese-style house built more than 100 years ago. Twelve shelves about three metres tall stand in the roughly 30-square-metre interior.

People register as members to shop at the store in Nara’s traditional Naramachi district and are on their honour to punch in the right purchase price at checkout. 

Customers register as store members through a website and input a passcode to enter the store. Once inside, they can focus on selecting books without having to worry about the time or shop clerks.

Two-thirds of the books on the shelves are owned by eight people aged from their 20s to 50s, who were chosen from 37 applicants to become co-owners of the enterprise.

There are about 2,000 books, including foreign literature, children’s books, movie reviews and even a practical guide to restoring cultural properties, each of which reflects the owners’ love of books. About 1,000 of the publications are essays, photo books and other works published by individuals at their own expense.

Koichi Hirata, 57, from Gojo, Nara Prefecture, founded the unmanned bookstore. After working as a human resources consultant in Tokyo, he returned to his hometown five years ago with the aim of finding a job locally.

A lover of books, Hirata had opened flea markets in Nara featuring books. One day, he came up with the idea of opening an unmanned bookstore with no labour costs.

Customers input the prices of books into a device at the cashier and can pay by credit card or other means. According to the store, more than 500 books have been sold since its opening, with about 700 people registering as members. Sixty per cent of sales go to the book owners, while the remainder goes to Hirata.

Rena Sasaki, 19, a sophomore in Nara who visited the bookstore, said: “It’s nice, as I can take my time picking something out. I think I’m developing a love for books.”

One of the store owners, Natsumi Takagi, 31, from Chuo Ward, Osaka, has contributed novels and children’s books.

“I hope the books here make the readers feel like having another good day tomorrow,” Takagi said.

“I want our customers to enjoy the texture and smell of books, which can’t be experienced online,” Hirata added. “You’ll discover something new every time you come.”

EVERY SO often, 33-year-old Masaki Kitakoga slips into a tiny booth with a desk and a chair and belts out karaoke tunes for 90 minutes – completely on his own.

Kitakoga is part of a growing trend in Japan favouring solo activities that is now so widespread it has its own name: ohitorisama, meaning “on your own”.

Analysts say that Japan’s demographic makeup – more than one third of households contain just one person – makes it perfect for the solo market, with many also craving “me time” in a fast-paced, interconnected and workaholic society.

Karaoke, in many ways the archetypal social activity, is a case in point.

Kitakoga ends a pleasant everything spent in one of the tiny booths reserved for individual singers. 

Six years ago, the Koshidaka karaoke chain realised that some 30 per cent of its customers in certain locations came on their own, so it set up 1Kara – tiny booths for solo singers.

Now the firm runs a network of eight speciality karaoke parlours that each sees “tens of thousands” of crooners flock to its solo booths, according to Daiki Yamatani, a spokesman for the chain.

“It’s a truly liberating experience,” says Kitakoga. “I like to sing. But beyond that, this lets me shake off stress.”

As demand for such services grows, the stigma of doing activities alone has decreased, adds Kitakoga, who also sings karaoke occasionally with friends.

Many lone karaoke singers say they like singing just the songs they want to, without bowing to peer pressure for sing-along classics that everyone else knows.

Signs of the ohitorisama phenomenon are everywhere in Japan, from cinemas offering seats with partitions to theme parks that let singles jump the queue at certain rides.

Grocery stores sell condiments and vegetables for single diners while travel agents design itineraries aimed at the solo voyager.

The “super solo society” has become a buzzword among social scientists and marketing gurus.

“Businesses are offering various goods and services to meet the trend of people enjoying solo activities,” says Motoko Matsushita, senior consultant with Nomura Research Institute.

“The depth and range of such services reflect the expanding nature of the consumer trend.”

The growing phenomenon is also helping to liberate individuals from feeling like they have to conform to peer pressure, Matsushita adds.

 Masaki Kitakoga, 33, sings alone in a tiny booth at a karaoke parlour in Tokyo. Kitakoga is part of a growing trend in Japan favouring solo activities that is now so widespread it has its own name: “ohitorisama: or “on your own.” 

Surveys show Japanese consumers – especially younger ones – rate quality time alone above hours spent with family and friends.

Official data show the ratio of households with parents and children is gradually shrinking as fewer adults form relationships.

In 1980 in Japan, only one in 50 men had never been married by the age of 50 and one in 22 women. That ratio is now one in four and one in seven respectively.

The demographic shift comes as Japan also grapples with a rapidly ageing population, with nearly 28 per cent of Japanese people over the age of 65.

And the pace of modern life with ubiquitous social media is also pushing this trend, experts say, as fatigued people seek relief from round-the-clock contact.

“Our data show sociable individuals tend to seek solo activities,” says Matsushita, a married mother-of-two, who says she too is partial to a spot of solo karaoke.

Restaurants are also cashing in. At the Ichiran ramen noodle chain, it is possible to enjoy a meal with barely any human interaction whatsoever.

Customers order from vending machines and then sit in a partitioned booth to slurp down their noodles, unlike the experience at many ramen joints, where orders are shouted by teams of chefs behind greasy counters.

“We were doing this even before the solo activities trend started. This ‘personal space’ concept has been well received in foreign markets too” explains Satomi Nozaki, spokeswoman at the popular chain, which also has outlets overseas.

Karaoke fan Kitakoga also enjoys solo travel, taking himself off alone to a remote island in southern Japan last year.

“Sure, it would have been fun to travel with friends too. But I knew what I wanted to do there and it was fantastic because I was able to do everything I wanted to do at the pace I wanted to do it,” he says.

Pet cafes are all the rage now in Hong Kong, especially in the livelier districts such as Mong Kok and Causeway Bay. They’re places to lounge with adorable canines and felines while enjoying all kinds of delectable food, drinks and desserts.

Garden Meow Cafe on the ground floor of Block B Hollywood at PMQ – the old residence for policemen and their wives – now purrs with cats and their human customers.

PMQ is a hub for designers and other creative types, whose workspaces occupy the same historic buildings after considerable upgrading for modern uses. The former residential units are now mostly studios and shops, although some visiting designers also camp there overnight. On top of Block B is a rooftop restaurant.

Around half the tenants are designers of clothing and household products, with the rest conceiving fashion accessories, food and furniture. They share exhibition space and event facilities.

All sorts of illustrated books and magazines provide newcomers with guidelines to the feline world.

Vivian Yang, a Taiwanese who co-owns Garden Meow Cafe with a Hong Kong partner, explains that most local apartment dwellers aren’t allowed to keep pets, and she happens to be a cat lover, so she set up a place for furry friends and their cuddle-deprived human admirers. Folks are welcome to bring in their own cats, she says, “but they mustn’t disturb the other customers, because then I’d get negative reviews”.

All sorts of illustrated books and magazines provide newcomers with guidelines to the feline world.

The first cats you see are guarding the front door – they’re neon lights in the shape of cats. Then, beyond the traditional fabric curtains at the doorway, is a small library of books and magazines in Chinese and English filled with feline art and illustrations.

All the pillows and mugs are invariably decorated with similar art and on the floor out front is a depiction of one cat skateboarding and another one reading, two activities not closely associated with cats but sure to put you in the mood for fun or relaxation.

Tree branches and cat amulets adorn the walls.

The café has a cosy yet eclectic atmosphere, mostly wood-trimmed and with vintage tables and chairs both inside and outside. The walls are covered in real tree branches and dry leaves, several banners and more cat-inspired signs and posters. A beckoning cat of the Japanese-Chinese variety says your money is always welcome here.

Vintage tables and chairs add to the homey feel.

Between the bookshelves and dining area are displayed an ancient transistor radio and antique turntable, the property of the owner, a long-time collector of vintage gadgets. The counter bar is lined with many bottles of craft beer on sale. It all feels endearingly charming, evocative of simpler, homier times.

Follow the fur from one room to another.

“Most of our customers are either local people or tourists from America, Taiwan, South Korea and Thailand, because Hong Kong is now promoting PMQ heavily,” Yang says beneath a crop of hair dyed green. “The books and magazines are there to read or buy.”

Taiwanese cuisine dominates the menu, appealing dishes such as drunken chicken with cold noodles. The tender meat of the chicken is a great match for the smooth and lightly flavoured thin white noodles.

Taiwanese-style Ginger and Wine Sauce Chicken

Taiwanese Manchu Noodle Soup with beef tendons is packed with spicy flavour, as is the Ginger and Wine Sauce Chicken with rice. I’m most astonished with “Walk Over the Cloud”, a bright-blue soda-and-cream drink topped with fluffy cotton candy. It’s pretty to see – obviously begging to have its picture taken – and sweet to eat.

Walk over the Cloud

Also available is Taiwanese brown-sugar-milk tea with rectangular herbal jellies, plus all that beer in bottles and cans imported from around the world.

This isn’t Yang’s first animal café. She’s lived in Hong Kong for many years and opened a pooch palace five years ago, then another place that boasted an owl and another with a giraffe theme.

Banners and posters sing the praises of the pussy.

“I have a passion for pets,” she says with evident understatement. “I open cafes with themes that match my favourite animals. The giraffe cafe was the most popular. The one with the owl is located in Wanchai district, where there are trees along the footpath. The cat idea came along when I noticed that a lot of Hong Kong people can’t keep pets in their apartments.”

Yang is planning to open another pet café. The only question is which animal gets the nod this time.

Actors Sukollawat “Weir” Kanarot and Praya “Poo” Lundberg joined the celebration, while “Hunz” Isariya Patharamanop, “Earth” Patravee Srisuntisuk, SB FIVE and “Atom” Chanakan Rattanaudom performed mini concerts.

Prasert Sriuranpong, the managing director of LH Mall & Hotel, the developer obehind Terminal 21 Asoke, Terminal 21 Korat, Fashion Island, The Promenade RamIntra, and Life Centre Q House Lumpini, said: “Pattaya welcomes more than 16 million visitors each year and generates Bt135 billion in revenue. Terminal 21 Pattaya is the latest project by Land and Houses in the regional market. The project size is 33 rai and the location is in the heart of Pattaya and is designed as a shopping terminal with a World Market Street style and around the concept “Happiness East”. The shopping complex offers everything for every lifestyle need. We are confident that it will become the new landmark of the East and expect to welcome more than 50,000 Thai and foreign visitors a day.”

Highlights feature floors modelled around major cities –Paris, London, Tokyo, Italy, San Francisco and Hollywood  with each city’s respective icons. They are all connected through a dazzling design. A real plane is parked in front of the shopping complex, on a 250metre runway next to a manmade beach with a jet bridge. Another highlight is the 39metre freestanding escalator connecting Level G – Paris and Level 2  Tokyo, which is the longest shopping mall escalator in Thailand.

Terminal21 Pattaya is located near the Dolphin Roundabout on North Pattaya Road, accessible via three main routes: Pattaya Sai 2, North Pattaya and Pettrakul roads and is surrounded by the highest density of 4 or 5star hotels in Pattaya.

Find out more at Facebook.com/Terminal21Pattaya and Instagram.com/Terminal21Pattaya.