GOODBYE NICK...

We've just had a great week with Nick visiting! Managing to cram in loads of stuff. Starting on Thursday with Satay Street and St. Patrick's Day on Boat Quay. Friday post work drinks at Blu Jazz and dinner at Brussels Sprouts on Robertson Quay. Saturday, Chinatown, Singapore Slings at Raffles, sun downers at New Asia Bar and an amazing buffet at the Mandarin Oriental (Mum and Dad...I've booked us in!) Sunday was Ironman day followed by celebratory drinks at Marina Bay Sands, cocktails at Post Bar and dinner at Hot Stones on Clarke Quay. Monday night was curry night in Little India and finally Tuesday we ate at Maxwell Hawker for lunch and finished his trip off with champagne and a BBQ before Nick flew home on Wednesday morning! It's was great having him here as it felt like the old crew had been reunited again, even if was only for a week. We managed to make a whole set of "Windsor gang in Singapore" memories and we're all really looking forward to welcoming Nick back again later on in the year. See you soon!

Even though I'm feeling a little deflated since Nick left, as this week has been a hard week in work. This weekend we're booked in for Pink Champagne Brunch at the Swissotel. My first brunch since I moved here! A few quiet weeks then before mum and dad arrive! I can not wait! 

AVIVA IRONMAN 70.3 TRIATHLON...

So...the time finally came around to welcome Nick to Singapore ready for his second Ironman triathlon. I've never watched Nick compete before, even in the UK, so I was really excited about being able to support him for this event on the other side of the world! An early start on Sunday saw the four of us head towards East Coast Park, the road that runs directly out of the city towards the airport. Nick had dropped his bike off and collected his chip the day before when Rachel took some great black and white of shots of Nick looking like a true Ironman. The East Coast had been transformed into an Aviva Ironman Park! 

The start of Nick's wave was a bit of a mess as the course had been set up so there were competitors running into swim as a wave of others were exciting the water...so much so that when Nick entered the water there were men pretty much taking out women quite aggressively as they were just completing the first circuit of their swim. There looked like there were a lot of very confused people in the water. It was horrible to watch but at least he was on his way! Go Nick Go!

The 1.2 mile (1.9km) swim took Nick 42 mins and we were lucky enough to be able to get as close to Nick as we possibly could every time he was in transition so as he came out of the water to head for his bike Tom, Rach and I stood cheering him on as he ran through the showers. I was amazed at this point that there were so many people taking part and so many varied people too. The oldest man was 74 and had completed 11 Ironman triathlons! What a legend! Competitors from all over the world and many running to raise money for the recent devastation in Japan.

Nick jumped on his bike to start his 56 mile (90km) ride. At this point it was starting to get quite warm and I think we were all concerned for how the temperature would effect his performance. Nick had entered the water at 8.30am. By the time he finished his ride 2 hours and 38 mins later the temperature had crept up to a very hot 31 degrees. However, he was on top form as he started his run, even if he was extremely hot! We had managed to get some seats on the path where the competitors started the run so we perched up with a few beers and sat in the sunshine waiting for Nick to do his laps clapping and cheering on the majority of runners. I can only imagine that it must be great to hear people supporting you at this stage when you must be feeling absolutely exhausted!

The elite athletes passed us first. Incredible. I'm so pleased that I managed to snap Kris Gemmell, the eventual winner, who completed the course in 3 hours 50 mins.

2 hours and 6 mins later, Nick crossed the finish line. A fantastic 5 hours and 39 minutes after he first jumped into the sea. A fantastic effort. Watching how tired he was made me realise that these guys are just incredible sports men and women. Putting themselves through such tough conditions. Just watching them was exhausting so I have no idea how they must have all felt! I had a fantastic day not just supporting Nick, but all the other men and women who were competing. So there he is. "Nick Ironman and a half Morgan" just as he crossed the finish line! Well done Nick...really proud of you!

SKY ON 57

This week I was lucky enough to be invited along to a client dinner at Marina Bay Sands restaurant Sky on 57. I hadn't been to Marina Bay Sands and was actually saving it for when Nick arrived as Tom and Rach hadn't experienced it either. However this was an opportunity I was definitely not going to say "no" too!

This is the first time I have got to experience the infinity pool which every chats about! 55 storeys and 650ft up, three times the length of an Olympic pool it is the largest outdoor pool in the world at that height. The SkyPark perched atop the three towers below that make up the world's most expensive hotel. A £4 billion development. The hotel has 2,560 rooms costing from £350 a night.

The restaurant and balcony came alive with an exclusive vibe, as people chilled out with pre-dinner cocktails enjoying the spectacular view. A few bottles of wine later and we sat down for dinner pretty much sat in the clouds! 

The restaurant itself serves an array of Modern Asian Cuisine, delivered with warm Asian hospitality, in a setting that blew my breath away. Delicious Foie Gras Dim Sum to start, Aged Beef made from 300 days aged Angus Beef served in dried tangerine with oriental vegetables for main and a Symphony of Desserts to finish (a total of five different varieties displayed in a portrait design of flower petals and berries as the rim)...a very nice mid week treat indeed!

NOT A LOT OF NEWS...

Not really a lot to report this week as I had quite a relaxing weekend lazing by the pool and generally chilling out. My first quiet weekend in a long time! The weekend ahead is going to be a lot more busy as Nick arrives on Thursday to do his Ironman Triathlon on Sunday so Tom, Rachel and I have been planning a few exciting things for the four of us to do once we're reunited! 


The only news I do have really is that I've just booked a holiday for my birthday! Well, the week after my birthday. To Tioman. A small island of the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. I'm looking forward to spending some relaxing time on the beach and exploring. Can't wait!

THE HOLMES AND MARCHANT TEAM...

Our website has been updated today with everyone's pictures and mini-biographies. Have a look if you get chance. I'm in the process of getting mine changed! Apparently I like watches...although I don't even wear one. The copy should read "cwtches" but the guy who built the site ran a spell check and it changed to watches. I can safely say that cwtches are so much better than watches any day!

And here's a snap of the design team in action...well not really in action...posing for a picture postcard!

THE PALACE TOSS OFF...

Last nights pancake party was a success...with no messy accidents thankfully! 

I think the winner "tossers" were Tom and Rhys...who became very competitive over who's pancakes were the best. Followed by Rachel for innovation. We asked everyone to bring along their favourite toppings. There were a few unusual ones... Ice-cream, Baileys, chocolate chips, lemon, sugar, cinnamon sugar, marshmallows, strawberries, oranges, honey, maple syrup, cheese, tomato puree, bananas, blueberries, whipped cream, Cointreau, peanut butter...as you can imagine, there was a lot to chose from! 

Thanks to mum for supplying the recipe! 

  

FRUIT SHOOT...

Last week I did my first photoshoot out here in Singapore for a redesign of an existing juice drink. As a few people seem to think this is a lot more glamorous than it is I've captured a few shots throughout the two days. I'm not sure they quite convey how much hard word shoots can be! But the results were great with help from a fantastic home economist, Angela and a very talented photographer, Le Jen. I'm looking forward to seeing them on pack. Even better, this particular brand advertise on the local buses. My packs larger than life travelling through the city...fab!

IT'S PANCAKE DAY...

...so tonight we've having a little gathering to toss some pancakes! Watch this space for photos!

KUALA LUMPUR...

I had my first experience of Malaysia was last weekend on a trip to Kuala Lumpur with the girls. Leaving Singapore at 9pm we were in KL by 10pm and tucked up in bed by midnight! A return flight for just $50! Over the last 150 years KL has evolved into Malaysia's cosmopolitan capital city.An early start on Saturday, we caught the hop on, hop off bus to Chinatown where we wandered the market for bargains as we had been told this would be the place to find them! Central Market is housed in an Art Deco building that looks a little bit more like Miami than Asia and Petaling Street is jammed with market stalls selling everything from fake handbags and pirate DVD's to bunches of fruit and peanut pancakes. 

KL is a foodies paradise with fabulous hawker stalls and restaurants. A host of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Nonya eateries mixed with international and fusion cuisines. After Chinatown our next stop was Little India where the Middle East meets Bollywood. Our lunch was served to us on a banana leaf from large vats of food, with rice, and the local way to get stuck in is with your hands! So we got involved! 

The Petronas Twin Towers, formerly the tallest buildings in the world, and a symbol of the city are Kuala Lumpur's pride and joy. Standing at 452 metres (1483 feet) they are pretty incredible during the daytime and at night! Tickets are limited to the 41st floor where you can walk across the sky bridge so we decided to get the best view of the city we would head to the KL tower and look down from the observation deck.

Saturday evening we continued the fun with a nice dinner, cocktails and a fantastic view of the city from the top of Traders hotel where there is a SkyBar. A very cool and glamorous rooftop bar which has an illuminated central swimming pool that runs along the centre. Pretty impressive! 

We had managed to cram a good amount in on Saturday so Sunday morning we took a stroll to Times Square to check out the roller coaster which is housed inside of the shopping mall. Despite hearing that KL was cheap, in terms of shopping it's comparable to here in Singapore with all the British brands pricing stock higher than what it would be back home. I'm glad I stocked up on my recent trip back! We all managed to pick up a few bargains in Chinatown though. Jennie...this is definitely the place to get your Mulberry bag!

The afternoon was extremely relaxed. Afternoon tea at the Shangri-La. Definitely the highlight of my trip. Between us we had a traditional and a local afternoon tea and spent a few hours relaxing in the hotel before our flight home.

Another place ticked on my "places to see" list! I didn't really know what expect from KL, I had heard mixed reports, but we definitely had a fun time exploring and the girls contributed to creating some more amazing memories of my time here in Asia. Plenty more of that to come! What with our work holiday to Kathmandu being confirmed soon, more work trips to India and a long weekend in either Taipei or Hong Kong soon, my passport is looking very well travelled. 

HAPPY SAINT DAVIDS DAY...

...to all my welsh family and friends! Thinking of you all today! 

ARTSMUSEUM OPENING...

I decided to do some thing cultural this weekend and booked Jill and I tickets to the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands. The new museum literally opened on Saturday with three blockbuster exhibitions: Genghis Khan: The Exhibition, Traveling The Silk Road: Ancient Pathway To The Modern World and Shipwrecked: Tang Treasures And Monsoon Winds. The architecture of the museum from the outside is a sight to behold. Designed by Israeli-born architect, Moshe Safdie (who we were lucky enough to meet!) it is in the form of a blossoming lotus flower. Ten fingers. The galleries are located inside these fingers. Safdie says that the design is both expressive and disciplined. "Using geometry to create such an iconic structure demonstrates how the union of art and science can lead to the creation of a thing of beauty." It took the award-winning architect four months to design the museum, the three hotel towers and the shopping mall and convention center at Marina Bay Sands which is now complete. The museum took two years to complete. Safdie said when he showed Arup, the engineering firm behind Marina Bay Sands, "they tore their hair out, but rose to the occasion." It certainly is impressive. 

The museum appears kind of upside-down and is surrounded by a reflecting pool, which will be full of lillies, so appears like it is floating on water. A massive 50,000 sq ft of gallery space spread over three floors. The fourth level are the ArtScience galleries, which house the permanent exhibitions, but unfortunately we weren't that impressed. The distinctive feature in the atrium is the "oculus" which channels rainwater from the roof down a 35 metre drop into a reflecting pool. The water is the recycled and used within the buildings toilets. 

He said the design is both expressive and disciplined, which is what art and science are: Ten petals of varying heights and width are arranged in a radial axis and spaced evenly at 36 degrees. "Using geometry to create such an iconic structure demonstrates how the union of art and science can lead to the creation of a thing of beauty," he said. 


Unfortunately, as I said earlier, Jill and I weren't overly impressed. The inside isn't as breathtaking as the outside. However, a really nice start to the weekend. It made a change to spending the morning suffering from a major hangover. Although that could have been the case had I stayed out on Friday night and continued drinking B52s with Mark for his birthday! 

SUNDAY IS USUALLY BLOGGING DAY...

... but unfortunately I'm absolutely exhausted! So you'll have to wait until next week to see what I've been up to!

SPORTS INTEGRATED...

I've been working with Nick recently on the development of his new business identity. Sports Identity launched officially last week. The website is being designed as I speak and will be up and running soon hopefully. Good luck to Nick in his new business venture! Check out www.sportsintegrated.com

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING...

...but finally! Our new Magnum packs have hit the shelves, well, freezers in the UK! I was so pleased to be able to catch a glimpse of the new Magnum core packs that I began working on whilst at 1HQ way back in September 2009. The longest project I've seen through from start to finish. I look forward to seeing the rest of the range phase in and hopefully the Asia packs will launch here very soon! 

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS...

So, in a surreal kind of way it feels like I've been home a lot longer than two weeks, but also feels like the last two weeks has flown by. What with having so many exciting things organised I feel as if I've crammed in a lot! Many thanks to Jennie for collecting me from the airport and getting me back to Wales safely. The 30 degree drop in temperature sure was a shock to my system. Nothing that a hoody and gloves didn't sort out!  Unfortunately I didn't have the sense to wear the hoody and gloves out to Cardiff that night when the girls and I went out for the evening. Absolutely freezing!!! But a fantastic first night back in Wales!

Somehow completely getting away with not suffering from jetleg (maybe it is all in the mind afterall|) I managed to stay wide awake for a fantastic day re-celebrating Christmas in the Cole house-hold. Spending Christmas away from home in Thailand was, although an amazing adventure, so different to how my last 26 (bar one in Australia) Christmases have been spent! So, back home, doing it the traditional "Cole" way was just lush!

Mum as always, put on an amazing spread and I was obviously very happy to be back as chief gravy taster...

Splitting my time between Wales and Windsor was always going to be tricky, so I decided to spend a long weekend from Thursday to Sunday in Windsor. Starting off the short break with a delicious lunch, thanks to Nick, at the Hinds Head, Heston Blumenthal's pub just across the way from The Fat Duck in Bray, where my craving for Shepards Pie was finally satisfied! A night out followed with the old 1HQ gang. And of course two days "wedding" shopping with Lauren and Jennie! The only downside...a yucky cold!

Back to Wales with Amanda to start my second week and a gorgeous day out down in Cardiff exploring the city and the Bay. I can't believe in the 9 years that I've known Amanda this is the first time that she's been back to Wales with me! I hope you enjoyed it Mands! I'm still loving the Hipstamatic app on my iPhone...

So what else have I been up to whilst I've been back? I've spent a lot of time shopping! I was lucky enough to have money for Christmas so mum and I hit the shops for work clothes, bikinis and flip flops! I've had a few lovely lunches out and spent a lot of time with the girls and the kids. Welcome to the world baby Charlie and most recently baby Mila, who put in an appearance whilst I was home...perfect timing! A few birthday celebrations...Happy 1st Birthday to gorgeous Mali, Happy 91st birthday Nanny and Happy Birthday to Carley (celebrated by a massive meal with the girls!) I also took the Mini-Coles, Megan and Georgia to see Tangled, which I really recommend! Especially in 3D!

I've struggled over the last few days starting to pack everything up say goodbye to everyone. In three weeks time it will have been 6 months since I left the UK for Singapore. And I know I keep saying it but time does fly by! Despite having a great two week holiday back here at home I'm looking forward to getting back to work (how sad does that sound!) and continuing with my asian adventure. With a trip booked to Kuala Lumpar at the end of the month, Nick visiting in just over four weeks and mum and dad in just over 8 the next couple of months will go equally as quick as the last six have. I have had the most amazing two weeks though and it has felt incredible seeing everyone again and despite me referring to Singapore as my home now, "home" is definitely where the heart is, and part of my heart will always stay here in Wales! I'm already looking forward to my next trip home, even if it might not be until 2012. There is one thing I won't miss though when I get back...the temperature! Bring on the sunshine!