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Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 14/01/2022
» We are a few weeks into 2022 and I suspect many of us are still trying to grapple with the events of 2021. Heck, some of us may still be dealing with 2020! Time, however, waits for no one. We’re almost to the halfway mark of January (gasp) so we need to prepare ourselves for the rest of the months to come and if you don’t know where to start, Guru has you covered. From fun games that chillax you to getting the living daylights scared out of you to apps that could help your productivity, your health and even your love life, here are a few things to help you get on track.
The 2021 Guru awards
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 24/12/2021
» As the year comes to a close and we're all looking back at the past 12 months with introspection, at Guru we will stick to time-honoured tradition of being reflectively snarky. Like any other year, 2021 had no shortage of cringe-worthy and WTF moments. So before we head into the new year with resolutions we'll give up on halfway through the first month of 2022, let's roll out the metaphorical red carpet as we award moments from the eventful year. It's time for this year's edition of the Guru Awards.
Coming full circle
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 22/10/2021
» Bangkok has finally sprung back to life! People are venturing outside, Asoke and Siam are once again centres of headache-inducing traffic jams and dining-out is an option again. But we also shouldn't forget about shopping and while it was technically possible even during semi-lockdown, it's different now that we can go outside with relative ease. However, as we ready our wallets -- or perhaps credit cards because cashless is the way ahead -- to go on a post-lockdown shopping spree, we can also consider buying from places that help the environment and reduce waste. Whether it's buying pre-loved items or selling or donating the stuff in our closet that we've barely used, there are many avenues in the city to do just that, like Ikea Bang Yai's brand new Circular Shop. Here are a few ways you can shop 'til you drop and at the same time help make the city a greener place.
Now showing
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 08/10/2021
» Cinemas are back! After another semi-lockdown that forced cinemas to close, we can finally enjoy a proper movie-going experience again. Sure, it might be capped at 50% capacity and you can only sit with one person beside you instead of the classic cinema experience of having your girlfriend on your left while a dude who munches popcorn loudly is on your right. Sigh, nostalgia! But we'll take what we can get for now. Though it's easy to simply go to the nearest mall to go to the cinema, we're spotlighting places that offer a different experience. These indie cinemas deserve as much love as any of the multiplexes do. After losing iconic places like Scala and Bangkok Screening Room, we should do what we can to keep these cinemas alive. Get the popcorn and settle in. It's time to go back to the movies.
Reality check
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 10/09/2021
» The malls are crowded again. The streets are lined with traffic. There seems to be more people (and motorcycles) on the sidewalk. Your eyes do not deceive you: the City of Angels has come back to life -- or at least slightly. Certain venues like fitness centres and theatres remain closed (sorry, Marvel fans hoping to watch Shang-Chi) but the city's ever-favoured shopping malls have returned and dining-in at restaurants is possible again, albeit in limited capacity. Does this bode well for Bangkokians? Should we expect the worst? Despite the relief we feel of finally being let out of our houses, are there still challenges? Guru speaks to people of different professions to gauge their opinions.
Read all about it
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 23/04/2021
» A blogger a number of years ago cited an alleged Unesco statistic stating that Thais only read eight lines per year compared to the five books a year Singaporeans and Vietnamese read. I couldn't find the statistic anywhere but a former editor for Guru also wrote in one of her past editor's note that the National Statistic Office reported in 2005 that Thais read an average of just seven lines a year. However, the Unesco site which you can check out has traced that illiteracy has begun declining in 2015 so perhaps the seven-lines-per-year has improved. But why in the world am I talking about Thailand's literacy rates when we usually talk about food or Uncle Tu's latest blunders in this magazine? Well, today is actually World Book Day, and we're listing out a few things you can do to celebrate the occasion -- and perhaps also keep that upward trajectory on the Unesco stat going. So choose a cozy spot and get ready to bury your nose in a few pages as we celebrate World Book Day 2021.
Songkran summertime
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 09/04/2021
» Summer is here and Songkran is around the corner so get your water guns ready because Bangkok is about to become an all-out water war zone! Wait, no water battles? For two consecutive years? Sadly, Songkran hasn't been the same since Rona came around and it seems like we have to wait yet another year to -- hopefully -- celebrate Songkran in the wet and wild way we're familiar with. But that doesn't mean your summer has to be a bummer or that Songkran has to be spent cooped up at home -- though we know it's certainly tempting since it's getting too dang hot outside. Here are some things you can do this Songkran summertime besides being sad that water fights aren't a thing again this year.
Free gaming for all
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 02/04/2021
» Let's be real: a gaming hobby is an expensive hobby. If you're on console, you have to shell out money for the latest games, and you might possibly still be one of the people out there waiting to get your hands on a PS5. If you're part of the PC Master Race, you've probably got a list of things you want to buy to improve your already costly PC on top of having to buy games. So to save your wallet from total annihilation and to actually help you afford real food instead of the Mama noodles you stock up on every week, here are a few games that you can play for free. And please, now that you've actually got some money, eat properly, for goodness sake.
Cold relief
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 26/03/2021
» T he sun has started to bear down a little more heavily these days. Brief walks to the 7-Eleven are starting to result in sweaty shirts. The cool, billowing breeze from an AC turned down to 10C degrees is starting to feel a little more pleasant than before. Brace yourselves: the onset of summer is here. What better way to alleviate the summer heat than perhaps a cool, refreshing dessert? Okay, ice cream is great no matter what season (I'd eat it even if it was winter. Then again, Bangkok doesn't really have "winter"). But you know what's better than delectable ice cream during the ridiculously hot Bangkok summer? Delectable ice cream that's delivered right to your doorstep during the ridiculously hot Bangkok summer! Here are some cool ice cream places you can order from to give you some sweet, delicious summer relief.
SURFSKATE'S UP!
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 12/03/2021
» If you have no idea what surfskating is, I don't blame you. I didn't really know much about it until I did this story, but there's a good chance you've seen someone riding it or carrying it around the city. These boards, which are shaped slightly different from skateboards, may perhaps be brushed off by a noob like me as a different form of skateboard but there's a little more to it than that. Whatever the case, the surfskate craze has for some reason descended upon the Land of Smiles and has tickled almost everyone's fancy. If you're someone who's looking to get into it or just someone who wants to figure out what the heck is going on, read on. Perhaps by the end of this, you'll find yourself wanting to surfskate yourself.