WHITE COLLAR BOXING 2015...

Last night Joe and I attended a White Collar Boxing event at Suntec City Convention Centre. This was our fourth boxing event here in Singapore. Some of you might remember that Joe and I met at the first event we went to. This time last year we were supporting Martin at the White collar Boxing. This year, we were supporting his girlfriend Cline "The Hulk" Hogan. 

It's such a great event, for a good cause. And of course, it's the only time that I really get to dress up and get pampered. This year I even had my hair and makeup done. For anyone who is after a great stylist and makeup artist Salma is the lady for you. Contact Salma through her Facebook page Makeup and Hair by Salma.  

"White Collar Boxing™ in Asia started at Vanda Boxing Club and this is something we are intensely proud of. As the first WWCBA accredited training establishment and the home of more White Collar Boxers than anywhere else in the world, we are the place to come if you have aspirations to compete in this growing sport.

White Collar Boxing™ is so called as it is generally contested by men and woman from the "White Collar" professions such as banking, legal, technology or media. Most probably with no amateur boxing experience, a White Collar Boxer is trained to compete in one of the many WWCBA sanctioned White Collar Boxing™ events around Asia Pacific over a 12 week period. Vanda Boxing Club has trained over 390 White Collar boxers in the last three years and is frequently used by the White Collar Boxers in Asia, the US and Europe as a pre-fight training camp to test themselves at the club that has produced WWCBA champions."

To read more about White Collar Boxing here in Singapore visit http://www.vandaboxing.com/wcb.html

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THESE CUTIES...

Happy 1st Birthday to our adorable twin nieces Acacia and Valentina. Can't quite believe they are a year old today! 

And next week will be little Leyton's birthday! So it's celebrations all round. So sad that we aren't there to join in the birthday fun with you guys! One day...

BACCHANALIA IS BACK...

Joseph and I recently attended a special evening at one of my favourite restaurants, Bacchanalia. They have recently been closed for a few months after relocating to a new space on Hong Kong street, very near to my office. 

"For two special nights, old friends and Fat Duck alumni – Kim Öhman from the Michelin-starred Farang in Stockholm and World Gourmet Summit chef of the year Ivan Brehm of Bacchanalia – will merge their soulful but innovative, Asian flecked cooking styles for two exclusive dinners.

Öhman and Brehm will prepare a unique seven course menu; think novel dishes like green lipped mussels with a Thai dipping sauce, trout roe and coriander. Or poached grouper with turmeric coconut curry, sprouted mint salad, chili jam and lime.

Each chef will preparing three courses, then merge their creativity into one extravagant dessert."

Wow. The food was out of this world! It was an incredible evening. Great food, great atmosphere and great service from the team at Bacchanalia. I highly recommend a visit to see the new space! 

THE MENU

Green lip mussels, nahmjim, trout roe and cilantro

Crispy glutinous rice and fermented soy bean cake, crab and osier caviar

Confit duck wrapped in spinach with steamed vegetable broth

Grilledlamb neck, black rice vinegar dressing, shiitake mushroom, roasted rice and aromatic thai salad

Poached grouper, turmeric & coconut curry, bean sprout & garden mint salad

Duck breast, umami crumbed celtuce, piccalilli & sweet potato puree with salted egg

Watermelon granite, giant sorely ice cream, rose and lychee pearls, mangosteen and thai basil

Chocolate ganache, grapefruit jam, fresh and frozen grapefruit with assam tea ice cream

5 YEARS IN SINGAPORE...

I can't quite believe I'm saying this but today marks the start of my sixth year in Singapore! 5 years ago today I arrived here ready for the unknown. I have so much to be grateful today as I look back over my five years here. A massive thank you to all my family and friends back home for their continued support whilst I live my dream. I miss you all immensely and look forward to seeing you in March/April next year! 

I am very lucky to have made great new friends who are helping me daily make amazing new memories. Life here can be so hard when you are away from your loved ones, but having such a wonderful group of mates really does help! 

I'm also incredibly happy that I work with such a talented group of people who make going to work everyday worthwhile. Everyday is a fun day and we are creating great creative work daily! I am very proud to be where I am today. 

And of course, I managed to pick up a husband along the way. Something that had never even crossed my mind when I jumped on the plane! Little did I know I would meet a New Zealander who would become my life companion. We are blessed to be able to travel to the wonderful places that we do together and enjoy Asia as much as we do! Long let the travels continue!

Here I am, celebrating back where it all began at the Post Bar, Fullerton Hotel, where I return every year to celebrate with a cocktail or two. Hope to keep this ritual going every year…

WATCH THIS SPACE...

I've just had the sad realisation that I haven't had the chance to blog in a very long time! As we swiftly approach September, which will mark my 5th year in Singapore, I hope to start blogging just as much as I did when I first arrived. 

So, please ... watch this space. As there will be much more news coming on our Singapore adventures soon! Apologies for the lack of news recently. 

BANGKOK GETAWAY...

Joseph and I have just returned from a weekend getaway to Bangkok. Joe had never been before, and I haven't visited since Amanda and I travelled there together in 2008.

To make things easier for us I booked a guided tour that took us to a variety of Bangkok highlights. We were collected from our hotel, and we took the Skytrain to Saphan Taksin, where we travelled by boat along the Chao Phraya River. When we reached Tha Thien Pier, we were nearing our first stop… Wat Pho, also known as the reclining buddha. This had been one of my favourite places when I was in Bangkok six year ago. And it was exactly how I remembered it. Incredible. 

Wat Pho is one of Bangkok's oldest temples, that existed before Bangkok was established as the capital by King Rama I. It was built in 1832 and represents the entry of Buddha into Nirvana and the end of all reincarnations. At an incredible 15 metros high and 46 metres long it's understandable why this statue is so impressive. The soles of it's feet alone are 3 metres high and 4.5 metres long, beautifully inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and the whole Buddha is completely plastered, then gilded with gold leaves. It is breathtaking. 

Next stop, the Grand Palace to see the Emerald Buddha. This is definitely a must-see when you visit Bangkok. It's spectacular. This was built in 1782 and was home to the Thai King for 150 years. The architecture here is beautiful and extremely intricate. It takes a while to take all the craftsmanship in. It's also a very popular place! Be warned, the weekends are very busy! 

Of course, for me, the highlight of any Thailand trip is always the amazing food. Unfortunately we had to cancel the cooking class that I had booked us as I was unwell. However, even though we didn't get to make our own, we did manage to eat yummy local food on the river at lunch time...

Following lunch, we took a Tuk Tuk to the Khao San Road where we indulged in massages. Another fantastic highlight of Thailand! So cheap, and always so good! 

Another boat ride, and our final stop at Jim Thompson's House. This was a new highlight for me as I hadn't done it before. American businessman Jim Thompson revitalised the Thai silk industry in the 1950s and 1960s. Strangely, he disappeared whilst on vacation in the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. His house, which he designed and built himself, is now a museum with a large collection of Buddhist and secular art from all over Asia, including Burma, Cambodia and Laos. Again, this is well worth the visit! 

One of the biggest highlights of our trip was our hotel. A recommendation from Kay, who runs our Thai office. We definitely want to go back and spend more time at Hotel Muse, after we were made so welcome this time round. 

"Rising high above one of the city’s most desired residential districts, Hotel Muse brings to Bangkok a heretofore unknown hedonistic experience: a hotel dedicated to the golden age of travel and the most opulent of art and design. Hotel Muse likewise dedicates itself no less to the art of pure pleasure, for every conceptual element reflects a theme of fanciful indulgence.

The late 19th- and early 20th-century period was indeed a golden age for Thailand, a time of opening up and looking out, of engaging the wider world with an impassioned and resolutely independent turn of mind. So too was it in Europe, as the years saw the birth of luxury travel on glamorous trains and magnificent ships. In such a spirit, Hotel Muse blends the heritages of East and West, the styles of Siam and France, into a beguiling melange of timeless sophistication and unequivocal modernity."

Hotel Muse is out of this world! Spectacular rooms, incredible service, an extravagant rooftop bar and an extraordinary eating experience at The Medici Kitchen, that kept us entertained throughout dinner with singers. For more information on Hotel Muse visit the website : http://hotelmusebangkok.com

VENUS RUN 2015...

Today is International Womens Day and to celebrate Libby and I ran the Venus Run. Venus Run is specifically targeted at women, with a 5km route starting at Gardens By The Bay East. 

I haven't done much running recently, so this 5km was a great way to ease myself back into it. 

Massive thanks to Joe for getting up early on a Sunday to support me! 

To learn more about International Womens Day visit:

http://www.internationalwomensday.com

NEW ZEALAND 2015...

We have just returned from an amazing family holiday to New Zealand. Having not seen any of Joe's side of the family since the wedding in 2013 it was a great time to visit, especially since Heather and Chris welcomed their babies into the world last October. 

We started our trip with a four day stay in Auckland. Just enough time to catch up with the family and our friends there. I had been so excited to meet the new twins since they were born, so this trip was all about quality time with these guys, as who knows when we will see them all again.

The last time I was in New Zealand, we attended a wedding on Waiheke Island, and I have wanted to return there to do a wine tasting tour. Natasha, Joe's sister joined us, and we spent the day touring Waiheke, thanks to Enjoi Waiheke Wine Tours.

I can highly recommend Enjoi. We had a great day visiting Kennedy Point, Casita Miro, Stonyridge and Cable Bay Vineyards. Just the three of us. With great weather and a great tour guide we had a fantastic day on Waiheke. 

KENNEDY POINT

"Kennedy Point Organic Winery is tucked among thePohutukawa Trees overlooking Waiheke Island’s Kennedy Bay.

Sit and enjoy the stunning sea views or relax in the picturesque picnic area in the Olive Grove. It is the perfect setting to sample our award-winning Organic wines, extra virgin olive oil and Kennedy Point honey."

http://kennedypointvineyard.com

CASITO MIRO

"Casita Miro Restaurant on beautiful Waiheke Island is renowned for its ambiance, fine food and wines

We specialise in the cuisine of Spain and the wider Mediterranean Rim and take enormous pleasure in sharing our love for fine food, wine and sherry. Casita Miro is all about shared dining and our ‘tapas’ and ‘raciones’ (large plates) are perfect for a fun, relaxed and social dining experience.

Casita Miro has been winner or runner up for the last three years in the ‘Best Rural Restaurant’ category of Metro Magazine’s Top 50 Auckland Restaurants."

http://www.casitamiro.co.nz

STONYRIDGE

"Stonyridge Vineyard is a world-renowned Cabernet-blend winegrower, located on the beautiful island of Waiheke, near Auckland, New Zealand.We are dedicated to producing the finest Cabernet blends in the world (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot)using traditional winemaking."

http://www.stonyridge.co.nz

CABLE BAY

"Cable Bay Vineyards is renowned for crafting exquisite, award-winning wines from Waiheke Island, Marlborough and Central Otago. At Cable Bay you can enjoy wine tasting in the Cellar Door, drinks and small plates in the breathtaking outdoor Veranda or fine food in The Dining Room. With stunning views over the inner Hauraki Gulf and Auckland City, Cable Bay Vineyards is a must-see during your visit to Waiheke Island.

Our first vineyard was planted on Waiheke Island in 1998 with Chardonnay, Syrah and Pinot Gris. Now we grow more than 10 varietals including Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.

Our very first Chardonnay produced in 2002 won the gold medal at the prestigious International Wine Challenge in London, in a competition involving more than 40,000 bottles of wine from around the world."

http://cablebay.co.nz

After our first four days in Auckland were over, we drove North to Whangerai where we stayed in a really quaint Bed & Breakfast for one night. It was the prefect location to explore Whangerai Heads. 

http://www.whangareibandb.co.nz

Just down the road from where we staying was an incredible "pub", The Parua Bay Tavern. The perfect place for a great feed! 

http://www.paruabaytavern.co.nz

When we arrived at the Bay of Islands I was blown away. We had booked a villa which was perched right at the top of a hill overlooking the bay. 

As we won't be seeing Joe's friends for his 40th Birthday this year, they threw him some surprise drinks at Ponsonby Workingmans Club to celebrate a few months early, which was really thoughtful of them. 

Our last day was spent with the family, getting as many cuddles as we could from the twins and Leyton, and spending quality time with Joe's mum, dad and sisters. I was extremely sad to say goodbye, as we don't have any plans (as yet) to visit New Zealand again. It may very well be a few years before we see the family there, but we sure did make the most of our time this time round. Thank you to everyone who made our trip such a great one! See you all again soon! 

BABY BROGAN...

I was so pleased to hear the wonderful news that my lovely freinds Melissa and Greg are expecting their first chid in November! We recently celebrated Melissa's baby shower at the St. Regis hotel. It was a lovely occasion and I got to meet even more of Melissa's great friends. Can not wait to meet their little man very soon! 

BEATLEMANIA ON TOUR...

Another theatre post!!! This time. Beatlemania. Joe and I treated Eric to an evening at the theatre to experience Beatlemania On tour when it recently came to Marina Bay Sands.

All our favourite hits and classic songs, brought to life incorporating authentic Beatles instruments, amplifiers and costumes! The four actors Clark Gilmour (John Lennon), Joe Kane (Paul McCartney), Craig McGowan (George Harrison) and Grahame Critcher (Ringo Starr) are seriously talented men who really give it their all to ensure the crowd has a great time. It was a fantastic show! The perfect opportunity to get up, sing and dance along! I wonder what show will be next?!

THE UK SUMMERTIME...

Well, this entry has been a long time coming, as I had been looking forward to and planning our trip back to the UK for a very long time! I absolutely love heading home to see my family and friends and I enjoy every single minute of it. It is always hard to leave. This trip was especially memorable as I got to walk down the aisle as Jennie's maid of honour. Another memory I will never forget!

Where do I start?? I suppose at the beginning:

Friday 15th August

I always fly home over night, and land early in the morning around 7.30am. This time round there was no stopping in Windsor, I was homeward bound to Wales by 10am! We had decided that we would celebrate Dad and Chris' birthday with dinner and drinks in Cardiff, so by 7pm we were sat outside Las Iguanas sipping cocktails and by 8pm we were stuffing our faces full at Viva Brazil.

What a fun evening and fantastic welcome home! I absolutely love my family. 

Saturday 16th August

Girlie time. Thanks to Carley, who is always the first to arrange a girlie gathering, I was lucky to see the majority of my friends for lunch at El Prado's for a much needed catch up and gossip. Followed by a few drinks at the Loft, Broadloads, I had the most wonderful day with these fabulous Welshies who I miss so much whilst not at home. The bestest friends a girl could ask for! 

Sunday 17th August

I was in for a treat today. Afternoon tea at the Miskin Manor with mum, dad, and Aunty Rose. Located just a short 15 minute drive from mum and dads this wonderfully quaint hotel was the perfect place to relax, with as much tea as we could drink and delicious sandwiches, scones and cakes. Simply delightful.

Tuesday 18th August

Another treat from mum... a spa morning at the Vale Hotel with mum and Aunty Rose. Another fabulous location not far from mum and dads house where I spent the morning relaxing with a wonderful full body massage. 

I also took the opportunity to take a drive to the coast. I absolutely love the Welsh coastline and this is one thing that I really miss about home...

Thursday 21st August

My time in Wales came to an end pretty quickly. But there was still so much more to come on this trip. Carley and I left Bridgend to head to Brighton as it was time for Jennie's Hen Weekend. The planning all came together and we were setting off on our road trip! Brighton here we come (via Windsor to collect Lauren!)

Friday 22nd August

Jennie had no idea what we had in store for her hen weekend apart from knowing that we were off to Brighton. Myself and Naomi (her other maid of honour) had a jam packed weekend in store for her and the other 16 hens.  

Arriving in Brigton we kicked off with lunch at Jamie's Italian. My first Jamie's experience. It was delicious! Must try the Jamie's here in Singapore soon! I'm pretty sure Joe would love it! 

The afternoon was spent gossiping, eating and drinking and walking along the pier. We had glorious weather, which always helps when you're on the beach!!

We followed the beach with even more gossiping, eating and drinking at Bill's Bar and Restaurant and finished off the evening with cocktails at Merkaba bar at the My Hotel. All pretty civilised for a hen do. 

Saturday 23rd August

It was time to make Jennie look a little bit, well, scary! Time for Thriller!

We had arranged a thriller dance class for everyone as Jennie is a Michael Jackson fan. It was great to see all the girls put in so much effort on their fancy dress outfits. Jennie hated every minute of walking along the main front looking like Wacko Jacko! Not only did she look hilarious but PVC in that heat must not have been fun! 

Our last stop of the hen do was Funfair Club where all took part in a cocktail making class and danced the night away, with the occasional dip on the ball pool. Yes you read correct, the ball pool! For more information on the Funfair Club check out the website http://www.funfairclub.com/Funfair-Club.aspx 

A massive thank you to all the lovely ladies who made Jennie's hen such a wonderful experience. Jen is very lucky to have so many amazing family and friends! 

Sunday 24th August

With the weekends antics over, it was time to head home from sunny Brighton and back to Windsor ready to collect Joe from the airport. Landing late afternoon, Joe and I decided to spend the night at a hotel near by for some much needed rest and relaxation before spending Bank Holiday Monday with Lauren and Ken.

Monday 25th August

Bank Holiday Monday was (as it normally is) a wash out. It literally did not stop raining! Our plans to cruise the river in a boat and drink beer in the beers gardens of Windsor went of the window and we ended up watching the Inbetweeners at the cinema in Staines! 

Tuesday 26th August

Kick starting the day with a quick trip to Windsor castle we managed to catch the changing of the guards. In the whole time I lived in Windsor I didn't see this! So I was really pleased to that we both got to witness it! 

Our next stop was Croydon. We decided to base ourselves here, as it was a short train ride into London, close to Jen's and also close to the wedding venue. 

I haven't really been into London in four years, so we arranged some dinner and drinks with friends and family on the South Bank and spent the night catching up with everyone who we haven't seen in a while. 

The Festival of Love was taking place along the South Bank which was great to see. Very colourful and basically full of love! 

Lauren had found us a really cool bar, ?????where we based ourselves for the evening, and where several of our friends and family came to join us for a few hours. It was so lovely to catch up with everyone. John William and Darren came along, with Leslie and Bruce who were over from Australia. 

Dinner was  at Wahaca. I remember first discovering Wahaca many years ago with Chris Coulson, not long after we left university. It was one of my favs then and it still is! Delicious food, great drinks and amazing service. Not to mention the free chilli seed giveaway, which we have since planted and are trying to grow! Hopefully we'll be able to make them grow. 

Wednesday 27th August

Mum and dad joined us in Croydon, which was great as it meant we got to spend more time with them and we had a few days where we were able to chill before the weddings! 

Friday 29th August
Jennie and Stuart's big day! And one which we had all been looking forward to for a very long time! I could not wait to be Jennie's Maid of Honour and I was very much looking forward to a) walking down the aisle and watching her marry the man of her dreams and b) getting to put on the amazing dress that she had choosen for us to wear! 

Jennie has been an absolutely incredible friend for nearly 10 years. I love her to pieces. She has met an amazing man in Stu and together they have created the most adorable son in Tommy. It was a lovely day from start to finish jam packed to the brim with love. So many fantastic memories I will treasure forever. Especially this wonderful pressie which of course bought tears to my eyes:

I was so gutted when I had to leave that evening, as it was yet again, another goodbye. I always hate leaving my friends. It never gets any easier! I can't wait to get back to the UK at Christmas to see everyone again. Thank you so much to everyone who made our trip so memorable! 

THE END OF AN RPG ERA...

It is with great sadness that I have had to recently bid Victoria farewell. Victoria was one of the first true friends that I made here in Singapore since moving almost four years ago and I will miss her dearly. Victoria has made the decision to got "back to school" and move to Doha to study. A decision that I know did not come easily.

I'm very proud of what Victoria is doing. Since meeting her back on 2010, she has been on a great journey of discovery. Not only discovering Signapore, but discovering herself. Most recently her ambition to leave and and her determination to do something outside of her comfort zone is inspiring. I have every faith that she will do extremely well! 

It is the end of the RPG era. Jill and I were really sad to say goodbye, as it means we will no longer be the original "River Palace Girls". The three of us had a wonderful two years together at River Place, followed by another great two years of friendship and we have created many special memories as a three piece that I will treasure forever. 

Joe and I wish Victoria all the best for the next year. It won't be easy I'm sure, but I know that wherever Victoria goes in the world she will warm peoples hearts, just in the same way she did to many, many people here in Singapore.

ROCK OF AGES....

I'm slowly convincing Joe that the theatre isn't all that bad! After dragging him along to see Grease he said "I won't go again unless Rock Of Ages comes" … about a week after, I received an email to say that Rock Of Ages was coming to town. Result! 

So, I booked us tickets! Showing at Resorts World Theatre, this was the first time that I had seen a performance there. The theatre itself is a lot smaller than the ones at Marina Bay Sands, but very lovely indeed! 

With a plot almost indentical to that of the film version, which I loved, we were not disappointed. The musical includes all the classics which I love listening to, We Built This City, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, my favorite Don't Stop Believin' and many more renditions of some of the best hits from the 1980s. I was definitely on my feet dancing! A must see if you're a fan of classic rock! 

KEEPING UP WITH THE 10KM RUNS...

I'm trying my hardest to keep running. Not only does it keep me fit but it also mentally challenges me...especially if I'm running on my own. 

I've competed in two 10k races recently. The Pocari Sweat Run, which started and ended on the Nicoll Highway. And the Run for Life, which was a nice run along East Coast Park. Two very different routes, both with their own challenges. 

I'm sad to say that I missed the Prison Run last weekend due to being sick following my trip home from the UK. However, I have the Great Eastern Women's Run on the 9th November (last years Great Eastern was my first 10k) to look forward to! Fingers crossed I can get a personal best!

BARE YOUR SOLE...

It's not very often Joe and I get to do activities on our own. So I decided that we would spend Saturday morning doing the Bare Your Sole walk together. 

"Bare Your Sole is an annual event organised by Habitat for Humanity Singapore, where people of all ages take one Saturday morning in a year to walk barefoot together to raise money for those in need. For many poor people in developing countries and disaster-stricken places, going barefoot is a daily reality."

It was a really nice (hot) day and we participated in the longer 5k route, whcih started (and ended) at Gardens by the Bay East, and took us across to the barrage and back. Joe had never been to the barrage so he experienced a new area of Singapore for the first time. A great walk for a great cause. We will most definitely be signing up again for this next year!