We packed up the team and drove to The Sticks in Kuala Kubu Bharu, and it turned out to be one of the most heartwarming company trips we have ever had.

Of course there was drama. There is always drama when I am involved. It would not be authentic otherwise. But somewhere between the river, the trees, the food, the laughter, and an unexpectedly competitive game of truth or dare, something shifted.

Truth or dare was not exactly in the official itinerary, but it might as well have been. There is nothing like a slightly dangerous question in front of your colleagues to accelerate bonding. Walls came down. Stories came out. People surprised each other. We laughed more than we expected to.

After doing the Forum, I made a new commitment to give the team more of a voice. A voice in who we hire. A voice in how we build team spirit. The idea is simple. We either win together or we lose together. There is no solo victory in a real team.

This trip felt like the cherry on the cake. We had new team members with us, and instead of easing them in slowly through meetings and briefings, we threw them into a river, a cabin, and a circle of truth or dare. It worked.

The Sticks is the perfect setting for something like this. Wooden houses tucked into forest, a river running through the property, trees everywhere you look. When you are surrounded by that much green, your nervous system changes.

Trees release phytoncides, which are natural compounds emitted by plants to protect themselves from insects and bacteria. When we breathe them in, they have been shown to reduce stress levels, lower blood pressure, and strengthen the immune system. It is one of the reasons “forest bathing” in Japan became such a phenomenon. Being in nature is not just poetic. It is biological.

We had a proper dose of it.

There was a flowering tree near where we gathered that stopped me in my tracks. It felt symbolic somehow. Beautiful, slightly wild, completely at ease in its environment. The food was comforting and generous. The river reset all of us. Phones were forgotten for longer than usual.

And most importantly, we became closer.

It is amazing how a shared weekend away can change the tone of a team. Conversations are softer. Trust is deeper. There is more understanding in the room.

Sahin was right.

Sometimes you just need to leave the office, step into the forest, breathe in the trees, and ask each other truth or dare.

I booked The Vagabond Club on a whim. No research. Just scrolling on my hotel app and pressing “book.” And honestly, it’s been one of the strangest and most interesting hotel experiences I’ve had in Singapore.

From the moment you walk in, there’s a rhinoceros sculpture as a reception desk and walls wrapped in red velvet. Dramatic, theatrical, slightly ridiculous, slightly fabulous.

Then you open the door to your room and everything shifts.

There are hand-painted walls and these incredible linen wall panels with floral motifs. The panels, in particular, stopped me in my tracks. All I could think was: this would make such a beautiful skirt. Long panels. Vertical flow. Printed linen. A garment waiting to happen.

The room itself feels calm, artistic, and thoughtful with a touch too much. A lovely contrast to the wild lobby downstairs.

The hotel sits in a heritage Art Deco building from the 1950s, located between Little India and Kampong Glam, two of Singapore’s oldest and most character-filled neighbourhoods. Little India is full of spice shops, textile stores, and temples. Kampong Glam is home to colourful shophouses, cafés, boutiques, and the Sultan Mosque. It’s layered and very alive.

Stepping outside at night did give me a small oops moment. The street energy is… lively. Let’s leave it at that. But tonight there’s live jazz at the hotel bar, and suddenly everything makes sense again.

It’s the kind of hotel you’d want to stay in with someone special. A little bit strange. A little bit romantic. A little bit confusing.

Everything feels slightly wrong.
And somehow, very right.

Heveya has Belgian roots and a Bali soul, and they are well known in Singapore for their natural rubber mattresses and breathable bamboo sheets. They approach rest with an attention to detail that feels both intentional and refined. And next year, we will be creating a collection together. I cannot wait to share it with you.

But last night wasn’t about business.
It was about atmosphere. Taste. Ideas. And the pleasure of seeing a Christmas celebration done differently.

Instead of the usual festive clichés, Heveya served the most extraordinary 100 percent vegan spread. Elegant, surprising, and genuinely delicious.
Popcorn that made you rethink popcorn. A “foie gras” made entirely from tofu that somehow tasted like the real thing.
Smoked dragon fruit paired with cashew nuts. Hot chocolate that wrapped itself around you like a blanket.

Nothing excessive, everything intentional.

The setting was equally thoughtful. Guests lounged on their signature mattresses and soft sheets, turning the entire space into a living room of comfort. A carol singer arrived and filled the room with warmth. And the crowd, interesting, curious, creative and it reminded me how inspiring it is when people gather without pretense.

It was a gentle reminder that Christmas can be beautiful without the formula.
It can be simple. It can be thoughtful. And yes, it can be entirely vegan.

Here’s to Heveya, for the taste, the courage, and the inspiration.
And to the year ahead, where we will create something beautiful together.
Stay tuned.