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J Avenue, Thong Lo 15

Posted by Stuart at 10:05 AM on September 06, 2005

Now that I have an office at home, with real office furniture and a wireless DSL Internet connection, I have been doing a lot more work here. I like working at home -- I don't have to get dressed up, I can control the AC, I can play my own music, etc. The one problem is food. Unfortunately I don't have the school canteen downstairs like I do when I work on campus.

There really isn't much to eat around my home either. The area where I now live is 95% residential. There is a restaurant in my building, but it is quite expensive (by Thai standards) so it's not an option on a daily basis. If I walk about 10 minutes I can find some cheap Thai stir-fry and noodle shops. Or, I can ride my motorcycle about 2 KM to regular quick-eat chains like Burger King and Pizza Company on Thong Lo or Oishi, Black Canyon, McDonalds and Pizza Company (again) at Major Ekkamai.

Or, my new favorite: Au Bon Pain at J Avenue at Thong Lo 15. J Avenue is a fairly new, upscale (like most new things on Thong Lo these days) shopping center that caters mostly to Japanese expats (hence the name J Avenue, I assume). It contains the Villa Market (an expensive grocery store with lots of outrageously priced imported food from the US and Japan), lots of Japanese restaurants, spas, pet stores, travel agencies, one of the few Apple Stores in Thailand, the always hip Greyhound Cafe, and the afore mentioned Au Bon Pain.

Au Bon Pain is (relatively) expensive, but the all-glass walls looking out to Thong Lo, the Sinatra soundtrack that is often playing, the tasty snacks, and the friendly staff is enough for me to rationalize the prices.

On the left is the view from the shopping center looking back towards Thong Lo. I really like this fountain/tree combination. On the right is the view from Thong Lo. The Au Bon Pain is on the right, with the Villa Market in the back on the left.