Well folks. Day 1 is done and over. I would say I was surprised we were as busy as it turned out to be. Even with Happy Hour prices all night - we killed it on the first night. I would like to say thanks to everyone who came and helped make the first night special. We saw other bar owners, lots of old Mango goers, ton of blog people and a bunch of Stick folks. Great stuff. Much appreciated. What will happen now? In all honesty I think things will crater now. For a bunch of reasons but such is life.
New world order.
- I mean a bunch of things when I say this. Having the bar back is a double edged sword. I am going to be working morning shifts for a while now. So that basically means no partying. So that means less to write about. What can I say? pmmp is having quite the adventures at home though so it is time he stepped up a bit. I had been keeping strange hours and putting a lot of work in on durianseed. So I have to re-jigger my clock.
- Slow ramp on the bar. We have much to do to get the bar going. We need to get the food going, get some regular shifts down and kick in the marketing machine. All I can say is bear with us and please introduce any freelancers you know to the place. Much appreciated.
- Soi Mango. We are learning things about our little soi. It seems this soi, prior to the hotels, used to be a very private affair. I think they even used to be a gate across the top of it. Well - we are kind of blowing the place open a bit. I think in the long run it will be good. Maybe we will see some neat developments. I think though that girls were discouraged from hanging out around here and we need to turn that around. Will take time but all in all good for everyone on the soi.
- Blog. I am not sure I get all the negativity around the blog. What gives? People who never comment come out of the woodwork to bash on new writers like Tosh. I liked what Tosh wrote. Why? Because it is real and honest. Blunders and all. I think it is fun listening to a guy admit he does not work the system well but is into it. I also don’t get all the armchair quarterbacking by people who never submit a post. Young Royal learned the hard way that posting ain’t easy. So I commend Tosh for stepping up and I urge all the naysayers to send in some content rather than bitching and moaning. I will keep on keeping on. The blog is a tough thing. Some days I hate it but I other days I thrive on it. Sorry if each and every post does not make the cut but honestly it means so many things to different people that I would never assume to please u all. So fuck it. Deal with it.
- Bangkok. It just feels like it is a funk right now. Crappy late night partys. To many men in brown, coup overhang and a pathetic group of people lording over the net. More on that towards the end. I hope Bkk pulls it out soon - in the meantime stop by the Mango and mourn over it with me.
Alright. My list is complete.
Tosh part 3 will be coming. If you don’t like it. Don’t read it.
Soon we should be back to a regular Pattaya column and I am looking forward to it.
Anyone catch this buried in the Bangkok Post today?
He first noted earlier this year that email sending slows down as the work day progresses and fails almost entirely around lunchtime. His company uses a corporate email server located overseas. Analysis of the traffic suggest that the authorities are intercepting anything on standard SMTP port 25, regardless of the destination IP address. He said he has the IP numbers he suspects to be the sniffing machines as the latency incurred there is far too long to be a regular switch.
So it would appear that Thailand is going for the Chinese Great Fireball approach to the internet. Great. We all know the Thais won’t pull this off and won’t spend the right amount of money on it. So that means a botched internet, lame attempts at censorship and more internet dark ages. Nice one. Anyone up for running some sort of Bkk alter net?
Well that ends my rant. I gotta bar to get in order. Burgers to cook. Freelancers to test in DW’s lair.
Peace.
fyi - forgot to say
We are going to be open at 10am now and run until about 1. Don’t count on a lot of late nights until we get in a groove and monitor the soi mango angst.
Kitchen soon. Hopefully some breakfast as well.
cya
View all comments by smitty
Thanks all for coming by and making the soft opening night a special one. I’ve posted the final ashes pics here.
However, our friend Ian took a bunch of pics that I hope to get soon. Will post em when I get them.
Will try and write soon about the bar blessing threesome I had after the bar closed last night. A full and comprehensive hangover though this morning. Rock and Roll baby!!!
View all comments by pmmp
‘A bar blessing threesome’?
- So Smitty is all better now? Who was the 3rd? Jonas?
View all comments by Day Walker
Just noticed the “Freelancers to test in DW’s lair.”
At least wait until it’s finished and furnished, cameras installed and jacuzzi full.
1000bht per night. 50% discount if you leave your gf downstairs with me
View all comments by Day Walker
Internet has been abjectly bad recently, interesting (and disturbing) to hear about the email sniffing. Tor is good.
New bar looks great - will look better when festooned with fanny and cheeseburgers, but a solid start. Congrats, and welcome back!
View all comments by TAFKABBB
dw - he claims it was 2 girls who got left at the bar at close and he was forced to take them home. right. I did not see jonas. I think he was in the bathroom purging again.
just noticed. I already through and air mattress down. Cheaper than the short time hotels. not much u can do about it from your sand castle.
View all comments by smitty
Hey just checked the pics the bar looks cool. What’s gonna be the deal with cameras then, Sensible use lol.
Just asking because I got a shock last time I was in Spicy. Someone told me not to use my camera. I was with about 5 friends and have never heard that before in there.
View all comments by Young Royal
Smitty…..
Just remember… My sand castle has a phone.. 1 phone call will have a 6′3 ladyboy kicking your back door in weilding some hair clippers. You’ve been warned.
(I usually pay 2,000 for that service.. just incase YP is curious)
View all comments by Day Walker
Which, if any, of the old Big Mango girls are you bringing back? I’m sure a few of them want to come back even though you are a FL bar now…
View all comments by hawaiilifer
Your softy went pretty damn well from what I saw during the three hours I was there. Can’t wait for you to get that kitchen up and running. If I could have gotten a bite, I would have stayed a tad longer. I know that it takes time but you’ll get there. Thanks for a good evening, far from the maddening crowds.
View all comments by The Man
h - tu, nid, apple, inn, and wan sometimes. Goong is here. I think that is it. Oh too. All pure service. No bargirls but you can buy lady drinks and barfine if they are into it.
the man - yes. it was better than we thought. Food is coming. And there are some FLs lurking about.
View all comments by smitty
Congratulations on the fun first night. I am emailing pmmp photos now. Sneakernet would be faster though.
View all comments by ArthurToo
pmmp & smitty,
congratulations on the new opening! I just want to let you know that it is fun to read about your ventures here on this blog. Next time I’m in BKK I’ll make sure I stop by, would be great to meet you!
Best of luck & keep up the good work!
Greetz from Amsterdam,
P.
View all comments by Paraquat
Just gotta ask one question.
There was a very, very nice looking bird at your bar yesterday at the same time i was there (from about seven to nine). She is about 20, combed back black and brown hair with a ponytail. Furthermore a lower lip piercing and what looked liked a serious big bust!!
Im sorry if she is one of your girlfriends (and i mean really sorry) but please point me in the right direction if she is a working girl.
Congratulations on your new venture. I hope you will be succesfull
OJ
View all comments by OrangeJuice
a - thanks for coming. looking forward to the pics
p - peace. hope we see u when u come to bkk
oj - that is big jamie’s bird. I am sure he will be flattered but big jamie is big. so I would not go there.
View all comments by smitty
You can see Big Jamie on one of the last photos.
He’s huuuuuge! His girl is nice though…
View all comments by Day Walker
Ouch, thats too bad Smitty. My compliments to Jamie. Well done sir!
View all comments by OrangeJuice
congrats on the re-birth guys. I found out a little to late to make it down to the first incarnation of the mango but now that you have effectively performed a Lazarus on the mutha and brought it back i have no excuses.
Now to give a decent reason to my girlfriend to go, hmmmm
All the best. now all the place needs is a decent taco stand to go with the my beer.
View all comments by UnoWetbackConGung
Will Nuch also be back?
View all comments by Phoenix
Smitty & pmmp! Awesome work on the bar guys! The place was full last night and everyone I saw was having a great time. Fuckin’ A. Way to do it to it.
p.s. Smitty, is your bird gonna be there again tonight? Please let me know
View all comments by The Heckler
Heckles…. Have more respct for Smitty’s bird.
Next you’ll be sniffing her underwear…
View all comments by Day Walker
u - food is coming. tacos, burgers and maybe some breakfast. is that not reason enough?
p - I don’t think so. From what I know she has mostly left the bar circuit.
heckler - thanks for gracing us with your presence. bring uni girl next time. we can discuss a swap situation. I swap u a few beers for your uni girl to get to know my uni girl under my close supervision. living the dream.
View all comments by smitty
Congratulations on finally opening.
It was good to see that you had lot’s of support last night, I’m sure it will continue, as the bar has a good feel to it.
Look forward to calling in again.
View all comments by Jaiyenyen
Regading e-mail on SMTP port…. I’ve actually been unable for months now to send ANY mail through TOT via port 25. I have switched for alternate port 509 and things go swimmingly.
The Ghost (in Pattaya)
View all comments by The Ghost
or was it port 508…. Something like that…..
View all comments by The Ghost
Smitty when do i get my ‘celebrity guest appearance’ money?
And where did u get the pizzas from?
View all comments by Young Penfold
Nice “soft opening” party guys, congratulations
I’ve been reading (1st post is coming a bit late, i know) your blog since 4-5 month and was looking forward the re-opening, and was not disappointed! You’ve got a nice place, as Jaiyenyen pointed there’s a good vibe, the 2nd floor is just great, just some more sofas on the balcony and i will camp there :p
I came yesterday with my tgf and some friends, we had a good time drinking, playing pool and chatting with some nice people. We’ll come back to help on the rent while drinking beer, and hopefully soon eating some good burgers :p
Some quiets days are probably coming but I’m sure the place will find it’s pace soon
On the recent negativity on the blog, difficult to understand… Why do people feel the need to bash a newbie? Open your own blogs guys
Anyway looking forward to come back!
(sorry about my lame english, i’m french ^^’)
View all comments by Louk
Smitty, I had a drink with Nuch in the Charming Bar in March. So I thought she might also have been invited to freelance at the new BM.
View all comments by Phoenix
I was walking by the new Mango’s soi a week ago and asked a girl at the entrance what the name of the soi was. “Soi lek” she laughed. So I guess your renaming should work. Kinda like soi post office becoming soi pizza.
View all comments by Seven
I’ve been offline for a bit so I didn’t hear the news. Congratulations on the opening.
View all comments by R9
Congratulations on the new Big M guys and best of luck for the future. Hi Nid! See you soon.
View all comments by Smiler
Yep, a big congrats from me too. Glad to hear you are back up & running. Would like to say gald to see ya up an running, but not got over yet. Will Mark be okay?
View all comments by AUK
Well, you got it open and the beer was cold. What more can you ask for?
Congrats!!
View all comments by The Asian Badger
Couldn’t make it yesterday, but i’ll be at the hard opening
View all comments by Suk Psycho
And I’ll be at the flacid, kleenex already in the bin and fast asleep opening
View all comments by doctorbond
Congratulations. Looking forward to seeing the new digs in a few weeks.
Meanwhile, I’m getting my Thai on stateside at an Asanee-Wasan concert tomorrow.
View all comments by fender
ghost - it is strange stuff. I don’t see the thais pulling this internet snooping stuff off very well.
yp = pizzas came from here:
http://www.durianseed.com/thailand/bangkok/restaurants/italian/sukhumvit/nana/ronnys-new-york-pizza/
louk - thanks. food is coming and some outdoor furniture. thanks for the support.
phoenix - anyone is welcome to freelance but most girls working for a salary don’t easily get into freelancing. Nuch did not want a service job from what I remember and that is all we are offering the girls.
seven - it seems to have been called soi lek. small soi for a long time. the tavern guy calls it scott street but we will keep pushing for soi mango. give it time.
auk - mark will survive. he held up the bar on opening night.
ab - food?
fender - cya on arrival
View all comments by smitty
Popped in last night for a beer. Liked the happy hour prices. The new place looks great. Very different feeling from the original. Next time i’ll leave the wife at home!!
View all comments by KTBanker
smitty & pmmp - reading this is making me seriously thirsty… well done! and best wishes for the future of the new mango
fender - i am so f-ing jealous. i tried to get tickets to see asanee & wasan (here in sydney,aus) a few weeks back and they had sold out. ive got heaps of their cds and love their stuff. oh well, maybe me & ms carpet will go see them in thailand sometime…
View all comments by Mr Carpet
My timing was all wrong at your soft opening.
I left before the pizza’s arrived, and came back after they had been eaten.
But the 2hrs at Tulip was worth it lol
View all comments by Jaiyenyen
How can a freelancer score your card? I’m not in Thailand right now but I have a oftentimes-squeeze who would definitely add to the atmosphere. Should I just send her your way, or? “Khun Smitty, Julian send me na ka”. That’s the secret handshake…
View all comments by Julian
kt - thanks. still working out the kinks but getting there. spread the word.
c - thanks
yen - customers ordered the pizza since we did not have food. tulip. nice one.
j - send them in. they don’t need the card to get in we are using it like a member card and to spread the word. no one checking at the door. send them in.
View all comments by smitty
Great Opening Day! Nice Vibe, and friendly staff. I will be back Fo Sho.
- Looking forward to more ladies Though!
View all comments by radicalron
I feel like a thieving little shit now as i tucked into the pizza thinking the Mango had laid them on. Oh well
View all comments by Young Penfold
YP: Idea… to relieve yourself of guilt… why not ring the bell at the Mango on the Grand Opening night.
- it’ll make you feel a whole lot better.
(can’t believe Mango dudes didn’t get the pizzas - cheap-charlie mo fo’s)
View all comments by Day Walker
Don’t give Tosh a hard time. FYI the NANA Hotel 1290-1690 Bht(standard - superior) = 1 huge king size bed, no questions asked by any one of hotel staff or the excellent cleaners on each floor as you bring a different girl back each night(just the ID handed over at the lifts). Many FL at the Angels disco and heaps of Fl in the Car park capers. Leave a 50 Bht tip and you get extra 5 towels and 5 bottles of water in fridge. It is just across from the action at NEP and Mango 2 now, with a back entrance in case you are trying to stay away from girls in the Golden bar. You have to book ahead on http://www.nanahotel.com though. Every time we are there people are trying to book in from the street. Forget it.
They also give 10%, 15%, and 20% discounts for longer stays.
It is so cheap, clean enough, friendly enough and close to the action that you can afford to pay for a few nights that you don’t stay and go to Pattaya or Samui.
Don’t forget: Book on line at least three weeks before arriving!
Cheers
View all comments by 3amigos
rr - cool. thanks for coming.
dw - who the fuck are u. pizzas my ass
3 - fyi. mango 2 is not near nana hotel.
View all comments by smitty
Looks pretty close to us~
Maybe the map doesn’t take us there!
Want to catch up from July 11 so please set us straight!
Cheers
http://guide.2thebigmango.com/thailand/bangkok/bars/freelancer/sukhumvit/nana/big-mango-bar/
View all comments by 3amigos
Smitty: I am the one that would be buying pizzas for everyone.
Might even pay a barfine for someone also
View all comments by Day Walker
Count me out of the free barfine as theres no LBs there
View all comments by Young Penfold
Penfold…. Are you saying that YOU can’t be barfined?
I thought you were looking for work?
View all comments by Day Walker
DW now i get you………..
Im down with that. Down with anything really. Just dont cum on my hair. Anywhere else but the hair
View all comments by Young Penfold
About to make the annual pilgrimage [splling??] to BKK. Can you keep us updated on the possible coup I’m hearing about?? Do / last time did all the bars etc close??
View all comments by andyxyzb
Sorry I missed the opening, sounds like it was a good night (at least the free beers on Saturday tasted good). Hopefully will be back Oct or Nov, see you then.
View all comments by Dave
3AM: “Don’t give Tosh a hard time. FYI the NANA Hotel 1290-1690 Bht(standard - superior”
The Nana Hotel just increased their rates to 1490 to 1890 for standard to deluxe rooms. See http://www.nanahotel.co.th/html/tariff.html
View all comments by dj
Top bar. Really. The balcony makes me want to start smoking - a great feature you should make the most of.
The only comment I have about the location is that it looks dead from soi 4 - is flashing neon out of the question?
Apologies to TAFKABBB, YP, and Heckler for doing a runner. I’d planned on taking my girl out of our room for a bite and coming back, but she opened the door wearing 6ooo baht of lacy teddy and thong so everything fell into perspective somehow, and instead of eating out I ate her out.
View all comments by Pants Elk
pe - i hear but u have to look at it as we are new to a small very closed knit soi. So coming in with big signs from day 1 would not have made friends. We hope to get a sign on soi 4 in some way but still working with the powers that be.
All in good time. Its a marathon - not a sprint is how I look at it.
thanks for visit and the kind words.
did she taste good?
View all comments by smitty
You lying bastard Pants you went to Guess Bar
And you ate out on the sofa. I saw them mopping up the stains later in the evening
View all comments by Young Penfold
@Smitty - Why not replace this dude with Pmmp & a Big Mango Sign at the end of Soi Mango? Would surely draw a crowd to Soi Mango?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hooPU2mdsH4
View all comments by AUK
Hey Smitty, just read this. Thanks for the props, I’m glad you liked the writeup of my trip. And it’s not big deal, I can be a real jerk, I know.
The people online who hate me will have to take a pretty high number to get in line behind the people in the physical offline world who hate me too
View all comments by tosh
I think your demographic should know that Young Penfold has “ladyboy service entrance” tattooed on his butt cheeks. And I only know that because TAFKABBB told me.
View all comments by Pants Elk