Singapore F1 Grand Prix - The Qualifiers

The Saturday of the Qualifiers - Lynn had an invitation for me from M-Lounge or the Phillip Morris/Ferrari lounge at the Grand Prix - their hospitality package required registration downtown and yielded a lovely goody bag of Puma satchel, Ferrari cap and jacket and of course access to the Paddock Club . . .  instead of the tour that they provided from town to the track I opted to go with Arnold to the Maclaren press conference to meet Lewis Hamilton.  Yes, a shameless switching over of teams - at the conference I learnt about the cars and some of the things that goes on - even though it was my 3rd Grand Prix I never did get the jargon right.  Oh and of course a photo with Lewis Hamilton, the world champion. 

Lewis Hamilton and I

Arnold and I then went on to the track, he was also a guest of Mrs. Ong, of Club 21 who had a suite at Turn 2 - a fantastic turn as unlike the grandstand, you see the cars TURN rather than drive past alone.  

Arnold and I

Yes, more champagne and canape.  My friend, Sonia was the MC of the entire gig so every hour I would see Sonia on the screen and would hear her voice throughout . . .both of the MC's this year were Thai!Go Thailand! 

 Sonia on the screen

Sonia and I

I finally wandered over to see the others at the Paddock Club, ridiculous (rude) security to say the least, even with a pass and registration.  The Paddock Club was good food, access to the Grand Stand - pretty cool to see the cars do a pit stop and visits to Nobu.

Grandstand view

We skipped the qualifiers to go F1 Rocks to see Black Eyed Peas, unfortunately missing the beginning, so many people - a different deal from Pharrell for sure . . . and of course we stayed on to watch Beyonce! 

Beyonce

With news from Lynn that Lewis finished top poll - after Beyonce I had every intention to go to the Fuel party at the art museum but with a drained battery and pure exhaustion I went home after a wholesome bowl of fish noodles.

The Exodus to Phuket . . .

Sometimes it happens that there should be an event that should require the mass exodus of people from the city to the beach, in this case it was Bangkok to the island of Phuket on the occasion was the opening of Sound Phuket . . .Bed Supperclub's new spot on the island.  I was not quite sure what to expect but my doubts disappeared when I arrived with Wyn to the airport to find familiar faces and amongst them some old friends - we were all on the same flight and staying at the same hotel - the Millenium which is conveniently a 40 second walk to the club . . .it was going to be a very good weekend indeed . .. it felt kind of like a school field trip . . . Props to Sanya and his team for getting us all out there in one piece . . . The excitement was definitely building up! 

Phuket airport . . .Jaco and Edward

Arrived, put into our mini vans, checked in then waited till the hour should arrive.  Sanya is a master at organising . . . to get that many people down there, organise and feed them is no small feat . . .especially a plane load of relatively vocal and not so low maintenance individuals!  

I managed to find Sonia and her husband P'Wyn from the start . . .I actually met Sonia, or P'Pim about a decade ago, on another one of these trips to the sea . . . she's awesome, funny and very very beautful, her and P'Wyn took care of me like a little sister  . . . We started with dinner at the hotel restaurant . .

 P'Pim

.hilarious . . .I was bullied into taking my hair down . . .to my regret, as the little vintage red flower did disappear at one point that night . . .

Me

I was a on van with Rudy and Lina and their gorgeous son Sebastian  . . .. . turned out that Rudy is friends with Sonia and Wyn as well.  Neither Lina nor Rudy recognised me as I have a tendency to transfrom from day to night . . .that's the fun of it! Lionel - P'Wyn's friend from Paris joined as did Paradon (P'Ball) and Natalie .. . thus that became our crew for the weekend 

 Lina and Rudy

Obviously the queue to the club was very long . . so we went through the back entrance and took the stairs and some took the freight elevator. . so ghetto - so fun!  

en route to the secret back entrance

Natalie and P'Ball

Rudy, Natalie and P'Ball

The club . . it was MAD . . .totally packed and there were dancers in black and white doing pretty extreme yoga on podiums . . .people everywhere . . .and a pretty sick looking club it is . . smooth concrete, dim lights, organic forms . . DOPE! Very spacy and just soo well done, the attention to detail particularly of the walls I looved.  But then again, I do love smooth concrete.

  The walls

the dancers

poster in the ladies'

a reflection of myself - the rose still in tact on the susan bag 

The dress is an old Issa dress . . .that P'Pim's friends seemed tolo love and want to order! Need to hit Daniella up on that :)

As P'Pim is a model and actress all of her friends are very gorgeous and tall, and the original group of Thai supermodels . . .thus - I was a shortie here  . .. . . 

P'Helen, P'Joy, P'Pim and I

smoking time . . .

P'Pim and Martina

P'Pim and I - end of the night . . .the red flower is gone

It was perfect really because we went to the beach the next day  .. . surfing . . .yes, one can surf in Phuket . . .I had no strength though, everything I had learnt in Sumba and all the strength had disappeared in the last 3 months and of course the night before left its marks, not to mention the club sandwich for lunch.  I really struggled out there . . .and have the wound to show for it . . .but it is always AWESOME to be in the water . . . 

The evening was a bbq . . by the pool so yes a pool party. . .no one was thrown in . . .it was voluntary . . .but seeing as there was no lifeguard the boys had to negotiate our session. . 

by the pool

it worked out though and was the perfect ending to a long day but it was not the end as by the time we were dried up - it was time to pay another visit to Sound . . and the second night was lovely . . .not crazy packed . . with friends. . .

me and P'Roj and his friends

and I was home by 2 am hoping to hit the beach in the morning . . .but that was very wishful thinking . .

The weekend went by so fast and the next thing I knew we were on the bus going back to the airport . . .

P'Pim and P'Wyn at the airport

all I could think about was food food food. . .I was famished . . . a las the airport and burger king . . 

Burger King

Burger King on the plane . . . not terribly sociable but definitely necessary . . 

Then that conversation piece struck up again . . .the one called "let's find Chomwan a boyfriend" . . .Paradon started it at the bbq the night before - I gave him my brief and he promised to do his homework and P'Wyn joined on the bandwagon . . .and has someone for me too .. . there have been some more offers of late from "matchmakers". . and well, let's see what the boys come up with . . .I am rather curious and it is pretty funny and very sweet that all my friends' husbands and boyfriends should want to find me The Suitable Boy.

the evidence - bruise from surfing