irst-timer Donny Dejong, 26, said: 'Yes, there is a recession and my bank account is feeling it.
'But it's the end of the year, so we deserve to have a night to let loose and party hard.'
The civil servant added: 'Besides, what's $100 for a once-a-year thing?'
=======================
First-timer Donny Dejong, 26, said: 'Yes, there is a recession and my bank account is feeling it.
'But it's the end of the year, so we deserve to have a night to let loose and party hard.'
The civil servant added: 'Besides, what's $100 for a once-a-year thing?'
==============
ZoukOut virgins let their hair down
By Yeoh Wee Teck
PERHAPS it was the full moon, but it seemed that everyone was out partying at ZoukOut on Saturday night.
The economy may be in recession, but the gloom was nowhere to be seen at Siloso Beach, Sentosa.
Well, except for people who still wanted to know what lies ahead.
One of the most popular booths there was the fortune teller's booth.
From as early as 7pm, there was a steady stream of people waiting for their turn.
Salesman John Tan, 40, a self-proclaimed 'ZoukOut virgin', was having his palms read when The New Paper turned up at the booth.
He declined to say too much about his session, but joked that 'the year ahead should be generally okay' for him, but he will 'have bad luck with sex'.
Last year's ZoukOut saw a record-breaking turnout of 23,000 revellers, and organisers are expecting 25,000 this year.
This year's event is estimated to cost around $1.6 million - reportedly one of the costliest ZoukOuts.
Besides 26 foreign and local DJs and bands performing, there was also a fireworks display.
By 11pm, the line of cars trying to get into Sentosa extended all the way to VivoCity mall.
From a distance, the cars looked like Christmas decorations along the Sentosa Causeway, but the impatient faces of the party-goers inside the cars were less festive.
And it did not help that Sentosa, which is deep in the throes of reinventing itself to be an integrated resort-worthy playground, was mostly boarded up, adding to the sense of disarray.
That could be the only sign of distress last night. By 11.30pm, Siloso Beach was dense with party-goers.
Long lines at food booths
There were long lines at the food booths and it looked like everyone had a drink in their hands.
Laughter emitted from all the VIP booths, and it came really hard from the 42Below Vodka tent. The tent was set up with beds and love seats, with blow-up dolls as props.
And what do boys (and some girls) do with blow-up dolls, especially with friends armed with handphone cameras?
They strike the funniest poses, worthy of Facebook entries.
Some started the party really early. By about 8pm, we already spotted a guy throwing up.
Do they feel the pinch of recession? It was more a case of, 'What recession?'.
First-timer Donny Dejong, 26, said: 'Yes, there is a recession and my bank account is feeling it.
'But it's the end of the year, so we deserve to have a night to let loose and party hard.'
The civil servant added: 'Besides, what's $100 for a once-a-year thing?'
Advance tickets to ZoukOut - at $48 - were all sold out, and by 8.30pm, sources said that the $58 tickets (that were sold at the venue) were running out fast.
Mr Dejong wasn't the only first-timer at ZoukOut. A majority of the people The New Paper on Sunday spoke to were there for the first time too.
Like a 20-year-old student who called herself Ina. She had a blast screaming and laughing at the mini reverse-bungee.
She was at Sentosa because her boyfriend - also a first-timer - wanted to catch DJ Yoda's 2am set.
'I'm having so much fun already,' she chirped.
Collen Bain, 18, a Briton, was one of the earliest people dancing on the beach.
Took a gamble
She had heard of ZoukOut, did not think it was going to be so much fun, but took a gamble anyway.
She proclaimed: 'I love it!'
The gorgeous people were seen at the SingTel VIP Yacht, where the free flow of alcohol drew a massive crowd.
This 25m by 12m yacht structure costs nearly $60,000 and took three days to build.
Spotted on the yacht were four finalists of The New Paper New Face 2008. And for three of them, it was their first time at the event too.
M Revathhi, 19, said: 'I wanted to check out the crowd and I've heard that the party is fantastic. It was totally worth coming here!'
Foong Wen Jia, 21, added: 'I'm a Zouk regular, so this is a must-go party of the year.'
Cheryl Koh, 18, made some money out of her first experience too. She was hired as a model at the SingTel booth.
Cheryl said: 'It's such an experience.'
There was merriment and optimism, and just for one night last night, party-goers left thoughts of the recession on the sand.
Additional reporting by Belle Charlene Kwan
»View photos hereZoukOut virgins let their hair down
By Yeoh Wee Teck
PERHAPS it was the full moon, but it seemed that everyone was out partying at ZoukOut on Saturday night.
The economy may be in recession, but the gloom was nowhere to be seen at Siloso Beach, Sentosa.
Well, except for people who still wanted to know what lies ahead.
One of the most popular booths there was the fortune teller's booth.
From as early as 7pm, there was a steady stream of people waiting for their turn.
Salesman John Tan, 40, a self-proclaimed 'ZoukOut virgin', was having his palms read when The New Paper turned up at the booth.
He declined to say too much about his session, but joked that 'the year ahead should be generally okay' for him, but he will 'have bad luck with sex'.
Last year's ZoukOut saw a record-breaking turnout of 23,000 revellers, and organisers are expecting 25,000 this year.
This year's event is estimated to cost around $1.6 million - reportedly one of the costliest ZoukOuts.
Besides 26 foreign and local DJs and bands performing, there was also a fireworks display.
By 11pm, the line of cars trying to get into Sentosa extended all the way to VivoCity mall.
From a distance, the cars looked like Christmas decorations along the Sentosa Causeway, but the impatient faces of the party-goers inside the cars were less festive.
And it did not help that Sentosa, which is deep in the throes of reinventing itself to be an integrated resort-worthy playground, was mostly boarded up, adding to the sense of disarray.
That could be the only sign of distress last night. By 11.30pm, Siloso Beach was dense with party-goers.
Long lines at food booths
There were long lines at the food booths and it looked like everyone had a drink in their hands.
Laughter emitted from all the VIP booths, and it came really hard from the 42Below Vodka tent. The tent was set up with beds and love seats, with blow-up dolls as props.
And what do boys (and some girls) do with blow-up dolls, especially with friends armed with handphone cameras?
They strike the funniest poses, worthy of Facebook entries.
Some started the party really early. By about 8pm, we already spotted a guy throwing up.
Do they feel the pinch of recession? It was more a case of, 'What recession?'.
First-tim...[Message truncated]
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'But it's the end of the year, so we deserve to have a night to let loose and party hard.'
The civil servant added: 'Besides, what's $100 for a once-a-year thing?'
=======================
First-timer Donny Dejong, 26, said: 'Yes, there is a recession and my bank account is feeling it.
'But it's the end of the year, so we deserve to have a night to let loose and party hard.'
The civil servant added: 'Besides, what's $100 for a once-a-year thing?'
==============
ZoukOut virgins let their hair down
By Yeoh Wee Teck
PERHAPS it was the full moon, but it seemed that everyone was out partying at ZoukOut on Saturday night.
The economy may be in recession, but the gloom was nowhere to be seen at Siloso Beach, Sentosa.
Well, except for people who still wanted to know what lies ahead.
One of the most popular booths there was the fortune teller's booth.
From as early as 7pm, there was a steady stream of people waiting for their turn.
Salesman John Tan, 40, a self-proclaimed 'ZoukOut virgin', was having his palms read when The New Paper turned up at the booth.
He declined to say too much about his session, but joked that 'the year ahead should be generally okay' for him, but he will 'have bad luck with sex'.
Last year's ZoukOut saw a record-breaking turnout of 23,000 revellers, and organisers are expecting 25,000 this year.
This year's event is estimated to cost around $1.6 million - reportedly one of the costliest ZoukOuts.
Besides 26 foreign and local DJs and bands performing, there was also a fireworks display.
By 11pm, the line of cars trying to get into Sentosa extended all the way to VivoCity mall.
From a distance, the cars looked like Christmas decorations along the Sentosa Causeway, but the impatient faces of the party-goers inside the cars were less festive.
And it did not help that Sentosa, which is deep in the throes of reinventing itself to be an integrated resort-worthy playground, was mostly boarded up, adding to the sense of disarray.
That could be the only sign of distress last night. By 11.30pm, Siloso Beach was dense with party-goers.
Long lines at food booths
There were long lines at the food booths and it looked like everyone had a drink in their hands.
Laughter emitted from all the VIP booths, and it came really hard from the 42Below Vodka tent. The tent was set up with beds and love seats, with blow-up dolls as props.
And what do boys (and some girls) do with blow-up dolls, especially with friends armed with handphone cameras?
They strike the funniest poses, worthy of Facebook entries.
Some started the party really early. By about 8pm, we already spotted a guy throwing up.
Do they feel the pinch of recession? It was more a case of, 'What recession?'.
First-timer Donny Dejong, 26, said: 'Yes, there is a recession and my bank account is feeling it.
'But it's the end of the year, so we deserve to have a night to let loose and party hard.'
The civil servant added: 'Besides, what's $100 for a once-a-year thing?'
Advance tickets to ZoukOut - at $48 - were all sold out, and by 8.30pm, sources said that the $58 tickets (that were sold at the venue) were running out fast.
Mr Dejong wasn't the only first-timer at ZoukOut. A majority of the people The New Paper on Sunday spoke to were there for the first time too.
Like a 20-year-old student who called herself Ina. She had a blast screaming and laughing at the mini reverse-bungee.
She was at Sentosa because her boyfriend - also a first-timer - wanted to catch DJ Yoda's 2am set.
'I'm having so much fun already,' she chirped.
Collen Bain, 18, a Briton, was one of the earliest people dancing on the beach.
Took a gamble
She had heard of ZoukOut, did not think it was going to be so much fun, but took a gamble anyway.
She proclaimed: 'I love it!'
The gorgeous people were seen at the SingTel VIP Yacht, where the free flow of alcohol drew a massive crowd.
This 25m by 12m yacht structure costs nearly $60,000 and took three days to build.
Spotted on the yacht were four finalists of The New Paper New Face 2008. And for three of them, it was their first time at the event too.
M Revathhi, 19, said: 'I wanted to check out the crowd and I've heard that the party is fantastic. It was totally worth coming here!'
Foong Wen Jia, 21, added: 'I'm a Zouk regular, so this is a must-go party of the year.'
Cheryl Koh, 18, made some money out of her first experience too. She was hired as a model at the SingTel booth.
Cheryl said: 'It's such an experience.'
There was merriment and optimism, and just for one night last night, party-goers left thoughts of the recession on the sand.
Additional reporting by Belle Charlene Kwan
»View photos hereZoukOut virgins let their hair down
By Yeoh Wee Teck
PERHAPS it was the full moon, but it seemed that everyone was out partying at ZoukOut on Saturday night.
The economy may be in recession, but the gloom was nowhere to be seen at Siloso Beach, Sentosa.
Well, except for people who still wanted to know what lies ahead.
One of the most popular booths there was the fortune teller's booth.
From as early as 7pm, there was a steady stream of people waiting for their turn.
Salesman John Tan, 40, a self-proclaimed 'ZoukOut virgin', was having his palms read when The New Paper turned up at the booth.
He declined to say too much about his session, but joked that 'the year ahead should be generally okay' for him, but he will 'have bad luck with sex'.
Last year's ZoukOut saw a record-breaking turnout of 23,000 revellers, and organisers are expecting 25,000 this year.
This year's event is estimated to cost around $1.6 million - reportedly one of the costliest ZoukOuts.
Besides 26 foreign and local DJs and bands performing, there was also a fireworks display.
By 11pm, the line of cars trying to get into Sentosa extended all the way to VivoCity mall.
From a distance, the cars looked like Christmas decorations along the Sentosa Causeway, but the impatient faces of the party-goers inside the cars were less festive.
And it did not help that Sentosa, which is deep in the throes of reinventing itself to be an integrated resort-worthy playground, was mostly boarded up, adding to the sense of disarray.
That could be the only sign of distress last night. By 11.30pm, Siloso Beach was dense with party-goers.
Long lines at food booths
There were long lines at the food booths and it looked like everyone had a drink in their hands.
Laughter emitted from all the VIP booths, and it came really hard from the 42Below Vodka tent. The tent was set up with beds and love seats, with blow-up dolls as props.
And what do boys (and some girls) do with blow-up dolls, especially with friends armed with handphone cameras?
They strike the funniest poses, worthy of Facebook entries.
Some started the party really early. By about 8pm, we already spotted a guy throwing up.
Do they feel the pinch of recession? It was more a case of, 'What recession?'.
First-tim...[Message truncated]
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Options Reply Del
