Artists in residence

Upon entering the serene courtyard, there’s little to indicate the grand, high ceilings and spacious rooms inside. “From the outside, it looks small – like a little Peranakan chocolate box,” says Nick. “But inside, the size always surprises people.” The house has several functions for business and living. Downstairs, Nick’s partner Carlos is prepping for an exhibition, with large cavasses. Upstairs houses Fabulation (fabulation.com.sg) Nick’s event services agency, as well as a formal dining area, swathed in rich Chinese reds, and a tropical outdoor kitchen.

The top floor is reserved for Nick and Carlos, with a cosy living nook and desk, and a green outdoor balcony that overlooks terrace houses. It’s perfect for a quiet drink at night after the heat dissipates. “As my house is both work and play, I have organised it so that the top floor is a totally private living space with bedroom, sitting room and bathroom,” says Nick. “The second floor is our main living and working space with our kitchen, dining room and office, so it’s a shared space. The first floor is mainly storage and studio where Carlos works on his art and we can entertain as well.”

This isn’t Nick’s first home in Singapore. “I was born and partially grew up in Singapore. My father moved here 50 years ago in 1968 from the UK and we’ve not looked back. I’ve lived in the UK for school, and Switzerland and Boston for Hotel School and work, but Singapore is home. My parents lived on Cuscaden Road in Orchard in an old apartment building that is now St Regis Residences. My childhood home was a black and white on Stevens Road and I also lived in an old walk up Arab Street. So this is my forth residence.”

Heritage features

Nick adores the heritage elements of the house. “This house has really good energy. It’s filled with history and the old world of Singapore. The moulding design at the front is beautiful, but the inside is just as striking, with its exposed beams, ornate tiled floor and traditional wood floor boards. All these features give the house a lovely feel.” The neighbourhood is close to buzzing Duxton Hill, the CBD, as well as Sentosa. “I love how central it is – we can get to everywhere in the island quite easily and also access Orchard, the City and the West. It’s such an ideal place for me to live, as I do so much running around.” For morning meetings, good coffee is a stone’s throw away. “Kith Café and Strangers Reunion are my go to places for a quick bite or an all-day breakfast. I love the banana smoothie from Kith and My Grandfather’s Sandwich at Strangers.”

Statement pieces

Nick’s interiors are a blend of antiques, second hand items and travel finds. “Our furniture is a random collection of old, new, second hand and gifted. The chandelier in the kitchen made out of kitchen utensils comes from an old pub in London that was being renovated. It no longer matched the new décor so the new owner gave it to me and I’ve loved it ever since. The dining room table a dear neighbour sold to us for $100 – we painted it red. The dining chairs we bought for $50 from an old restaurant and I had my childhood friend’s teenage daughter paint them – she went home covered in red paint! I also love the white monkey lamp on the wall. It’s so eclectic that we decided to leave it as the only statement at the top of the stairs.”

Throw it together

Nick’s decorating style is hard to define. “It’s definitely an eclectic mix – we’re not exactly shabby chic – more shabby glam! I just buy things I like and then it all sort of comes together.” But his home will never resemble a museum. “I like to be able to look around and see beautiful objects but I don’t want everything so stiff and perfect that I worry all the time. I was brought up in an environment where everything had to be perfect and it was always a bit tense. So, I don’t worry if something breaks – use it, enjoy it and when it goes it goes.”

Nick also has a special connection to ANZA – he will judge this months’ Melbourne Cup Race Day Best Dressed competition. “Not only are ANZA my neighbours, but I love the occasions and the friendship that I have found in the organisation. It’s really important that communities are built to provide a home away from home for expats.”

Nick’s go-to stores:
Hotlotz (hotlotz.com) “An auction house that’s fantastic for unique old items.”
Hock Siong & Co (hocksiong.com.sg) “You can pick up old furniture from closing or renovating hotels – my gold lamps in the dining room are from there.”

3-18 Nov
Mamma Mia!
Sands Theatre
Over 60 million people have fallen in love with this smash hit musical, set on a sunny Greek island and featuring all of ABBA’s biggest hits. An irresistible tale of love, friendship and identity is told through timeless hits like The Winner Takes it All, Dancing Queen, Take a Chance on Me, and more. Sophie’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings her mother Donna face to face with three past loves on the eve of a wedding they’ll never forget! Tickets from $58, Sistic.

3-4 Nov
Whiskey Live
South East Asia’s largest whisky and spirits show returns to Singapore and this year it’s moved to the luxurious Andaz hotel. Experience the best the whisky and spirits world has to offer at multiple tasting areas: The Whisky Room & Spirits Room, La Boutique, The VIP Area, The Masterclass Rooms, and The Cocktail Terrace. Tickets from $119.
whiskylive.sg

10 Nov
A Great Street – Orchard Road
Light up Ceremony
7pm, Plaza Singapura
Be there for the moment when Orchard Road transforms into a magical Christmas wonderland with Disney-themed lights and decorations. If you miss it, no worries, the lights will stay on until 1 Jan, 2019.
orchardroad.org

23-25 Nov
Romeo and Juliet
Sands Theatre
Experience Shakespeare’s tale of doomed lovers performed by the prestigious Russian State Ballet of Siberia. The show is under the artistic direction and choreography of former principal dancer from The Bolshoi Theatre Ballet, Sergei Bobrov. Tickets from $55, Sistic.

9-11 Nov
Boutiques Fairs: Gifting Edition
F1 Pit Building
Get started on festive shopping by browsing over 250 independent, design-led labels including gifts and accessories; fashion; home and lifestyle products; art and food; and kids gear. Better yet: over 80% of vendors are socially responsible! Take workshops, chat with designers, experience roving fashion shows, and find out about charities.
boutiquefairs.com.sg

16-18 Nov
Affordable Art Fair
F1 Pit Building
This affordable contemporary art fair showcases local, regional and international talents in over 80 galleries. Expect a wide range of fresh, bold art priced from $100. Newbies can get hands on advice and guidance, while kids can try their hand at creating their own masterpiece. affordableartfair.com/fairs/singapore. Tickets from $10, Apactix

9-11 Nov
Neon Lights
Fort Gate, Fort Canning Park
This family-friendly, outdoor music and arts festival features an electrifying mix of music acts including Interpol, R&B superstar YUNA, electronic innovator Caribou, ethereal dream-pop maestros Cigarettes After Sex, and local indie-darlings Riot !n Magenta and Sobs. Tickets from $99 ($25 for kids).
neonlights.sg

1-2 Dec
Corporal Crumble’s Christmas Crisis
A Christmas cracker of a show, put on by the talented students from Centre Stage School for the Arts. The format is pure slapstick, just like a typical British pantomime. Kids will adore the heroic escapade, an epic showdown with a villain and heaps of audience participation in between! Tickets from $40, Sistic

21 Nov
Franz Ferdinand
Zepp @ BIGBOX Singapore
Scottish indie rock icons Franz Ferdinand take to the stage for one night only with a new line-up and a fifth studio album Always Ascending. Expect hits like Take Me Out, Evil Eye and Ulysses. $99, Apactix

Save the Dates!
15 Nov
Petersons Wine Tasting
14 Nov
Charity Quiz Night
22 Nov
Chill, Chat, Connect

Having spent the past 14 winters working in Japanese ski resorts, I’ve seen a lot of injured skiers and snowboarders. So, as many prepare for a well-earned holiday from Singapore’s heat, to the snow-filled mountains in Japan, I thought I’d provide some information and tips on how to avoid finding yourself in one of our clinics. Once-a-year skiers are at the highest risk of injury. The balance and strength required for skiing are quite a shock to bodies that are conditioned to long periods sitting in an office each day.

The most common injuries sustained by skiers are:
Head injuries (5-10%)
Knee injuries (35%)
Fractures (thumbs and wrist) (5%)
Dislocations (especially shoulders) (5%)
Miscellaneous sprains (20%)

Head injuries are the most dangerous of all skiing injuries. Most fatal injuries occur in people skiing at high speeds, out of control, and hitting a solid, fixed object. To avoid head injuries: wear a helmet, ski in control, match your speed to the conditions, and always look where you are going. There is a saying in ski resorts that everyone you see on crutches is a skier and everyone you see with their arm in a sling is a snowboarder, and there is some truth to this. Knee injuries are the most common of all ski injuries. Snowboarders have a much lower incidence of knee injuries, but experience a much higher rate of wrist injuries. Meniscus, medial collateral ligaments (MCL) and the dreaded anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are the most common. If you come across an injured skier remember to place your skis in a cross above them, call Ski Patrol and do NOT attempt to move the person if you suspect there is even a chance of a neck or back injury. As a physiotherapist, it is generally easier to assess people on the same day of the injury, the day after an injury swelling increases and assessment becomes more difficult.

10 Ways to Avoid Injury:

Make sure both skis release from the bindings well – be a pest to your ski hire assistant and ask that they’re not too tight.
Condition your body to skiing. Commence a strengthening program a minimum of six weeks before you go.
Take care at the bottom of the run when turning around to see friends coming down – it’s a common time for injury.
Don’t ski aggressively when you are tired. It is usually the last run of the day that causes the injury.
Don’t get up too soon when you are falling or sliding. Wait until you stop and have your balance.
Many injuries occur walking on ice-covered roads and footpaths. Take shoes with good grip, buy some ice spikes, and wear gloves, so you walk with your hands out of your pockets to improve your balance.
Never deliberately fall over out of frustration.
Don’t ski after drinking.
Wear a helmet (especially kids) and if you are a beginner snowboarder also wear wrist guards – they do work to prevent wrist fractures. Both skiers and boarders should consider high-end knee braces – they do prevent knee injuries.
Although stretching before skiing will not help, ensure you warm up by doing an easy treadmill run first.

Getting Ski Fit: To condition your body for skiing, cycling is a great idea, especially using larger gears and riding at a lower cadence (about 50rpm) with higher resistance – some hill repeats at Mt Faber are perfect, or an indoor bike is still effective. One legged mini-squats, step downs, or leg press machines are a great idea. Using a loop band around the ankles to do wide sideways steps (monster walks), walking or running upstairs and jumping split squats are also great.

Japan’s Best Ski Resorts

Niseko, Hokkaido: Niseko is fast becoming the Aspen of Asia, with booming property prices, Michelin starred restaurants and premium concierge services. It is the biggest resort in Japan and gets around 15 metres of dry powder snow every season.
Hakuba, Nagano: Located closer to Tokyo, in the Japanese Alps, Hakuba is a sprawling area of several resorts, the largest being Happo-one. The mountains are huge and accommodation is generally more affordable.
Nozawa Onsen: Also in Nagano, Nozawa is a quaint old Japanese resort famous for its narrow winding roads with hot-spring water flowing underneath. With great bowl skiing Nozawa is perfect for people wanting an authentic Japanese experience. Try to be there for the fire festival in mid-January.
Myoko Kogen, Niigata Prefecture: Only 60 minutes’ drive from Nozawa Myoko is an up and coming resort that has a unique micro-climate seeing it gets 15 metres of snow fall, mostly in January and February.
Rusutsu: Only 45 minutes’ drive from Niseko Rusutsu is a smaller mountain, but has great
off-piste skiing with an easy layout and hooded lifts, so you spend more time skiing and less time walking or traversing. Fewer people means more fresh tracks. A great day trip
from Niseko, and lifts usually operate on high wind days when Niseko is closed.

Singapore Physio: 282B River Valley Rd, 238323 (near Mohamed Sultan Rd Corner)
singaporephysio.com