Dec 5 2005 , Singapore / Clarke Quay

Crazy Horse Paris opens Asia’s first and biggest cabaret theatre in Singapore !

From December 2005, Crazy Horse Paris opens its doors for the first time in Asia in Singapore’s 24-hour entertainment precinct Clarke Quay.

In addition to the 450-seat theatre, Crazy Horse cabaret will include a bar and chic bistro where guests can enjoy dinner before or after the show.

Over the past fifty years, Crazy Horse Paris has evolved to become synonymous with elegance, aesthetic eroticism and sophistication.

From it’s beginnings in Paris in 1951, the show today is world class performance art, beautifully choreographed to specially composed music, and performed by some of the most talented dancers in the world. The show uses spectacular costuming and lighting effects in a celebration of “l’art du nu” (the art of the nude).

There will be two shows a night a third show on Saturday. The show will generally last for 105 minutes with an interval.

The show is a celebration of l’art du nu (the art of the nude), where dancers highlight the beauty of the female form in a spectacular cabaret show.
The cabaret features stunning dancers, beautiful lighting, spectacular costumes and striking choreographed routines. The result is a fusion of dance, music, art and performance.

The troupe of Crazy Horse Paris dancers numbers 18, although only 12 are on stage at any one time.

Crazy Horse Paris and its matchless “l’art du nu” is forever young, always ahead of its time – and in a word, timeless.

Seat Pricing:
Toal Capacity: 450 pax
VVIP :  S$500 for 2 with half bottle of champagne
Private Box**:
S$600 for 4 with one bottle of champagne or
S$750 for 5 with two glasses of champagne per person or
S$900 for 6 with two glasses of champagne per person
** There are 4 Private Box Seats. Each box sits a minimum of 4 persons but can accommodate up to 6 persons.

Premiere: S$125 with one standard drink or S$300 for 2 with half bottle of champagne
Deluxe: S$85 with a standard drink
Bar: S$85 with a standard drink

Tickets available through online booking at www.sistic.com.sg
Corporate bookings and special functions/events are also available

 Operating Hours:
7.30pm and 10pm daily with additional show at 12.30am on Fridays and Saturdays. Closed on Mondays.
Admission is restricted to adults over 21 years of age

Address:
Crazy Horse Paris
3B River Valley Road, #01-01 Clarke Quay
Singapore 179021

Telephone:
+65-6336 1800

Facsimile:
+65-6339 1800

Poor turnout closes Singapore Crazy Horse 25 January 2007

Branded nightlife hits town

How will an influx of foreign names change the fast-growing party scene in S'pore?

By Geoffrey Eu, 25 November 2005

The Business Times

Crazy Horse opens on Dec 6; while Ministry of Sound is staking out 40,000 sq ft of Clarke Quay for it to groove in mid-December

BAR-TOP dancing, extended hours, world-class DJs and other significant signs of the changing times notwithstanding, Singapore's once-derided nightlife scene is poised to take off even more in the next 12 months as heavy hitters in the industry introduce new products in the quest for market share and a larger slice of the entertainment pie. In an industry which is accused of having more quantity than quality, home-grown concepts have proven to be more resilient than costly imported brands - several of which have tried without success to make inroads here - but starting next week, a small posse of overseas names, in conjunction with local partners, will be attempting to make a lasting impression on the country's night owls by imposing their presence on the fast-growing party scene.

On Dec 6, when the house lights go down and the male temperatures go up at Crazy Horse - the classy nude revue from Paris - it will mark our entry into the premier league of branded entertainment, the first permanent Singapore venue to house a famous international name and no doubt a precursor of even bigger things to come, thanks to the impending arrival of the Integrated Resorts.

It took two years of talks and an investment of about $7 million for cinema group Eng Wah to bring Crazy Horse to town. With a 450-seat theatre and ticket prices in the $85 to $250 range, the entertainment stakes have suddenly been raised to a whole new level. Apart from its obvious selling points, one of the main reasons for choosing to introduce 'The art of the nude' here was the lack of options in the premium entertainment category, says Goh Min Yen, managing director of Eng Wah. 'Eng Wah is a show promoter, so we don't get involved in the production process,' says Ms Goh. 'We brought in a well-known brand because we wanted consistency and a certain standard - you can't come up with something like this from scratch.'

She adds that Crazy Horse is very serious about its product and the show has already attracted plenty of overseas attention. 'It's not just about the dancers, but the technology and the philosophy behind it.'

Other areas of the industry are gearing up for a push as well. In slightly over a month's time, the heat generated by the crowded bar scene will further intensify when the Q Bar - a small independent outlet with a deceptively simple selling point and a good vibe that first started in Ho Chi Minh City before moving to Bangkok - opens at the Arts House. The Singapore operation is a joint venture between Simon Lim of Wong San's Group and Q Bar founder David Jacobson.

Meanwhile, international dance clubs Ministry of Sound and Cafe Del Mar are also making an entry into the local market - circumstantial evidence at the very least of a mini invasion by foreign nightlife brands.

The well-known British dance club, Ministry of Sound (MoS), is staking out 40,000 sq ft of Clarke Quay for it to groove in mid-December, brought in by LifeBrandz, a mainboard-listed 'brand management' company which was first known for selling health supplements.

'We're offering a different proposition to customers - a different experience, sound and all. We're also trying to cultivate a different market segment,' says Clement Lee, LifeBrandz's executive director.

'We want to have a wider appeal to the Singapore crowd, which we will have with five music concepts under one roof,' he elaborates.

What's more important is that in Singapore, MoS is supposed to be 'drawing up a new blueprint' for its worldwide presence and the entire brand, its look and feel, says Mr Lee, is meant to undergo a 're-tuning' here which will then be pushed out to the rest of MoS's markets.

MoS is a proven dance music label, with 100 million pounds of turnover a year. 'So they know their music,' he adds.

According to Wong San boss Simon Lim, the Q Bar offers a different type of product from the eight home-grown outlets that currently make up the group.

'I didn't think a start-up brand would work in the Arts House,' he says. 'It needed to be something fairly iconic. Anyone interested in bar culture would appreciate what David Jacobson has to tell and what Q Bar has to offer - it is a different product from what we have and fits a market gap nicely.'

Mr Jacobson, who was interviewed in Bangkok last week, agrees that the Q Bar, which opened in Ho Chi Minh City in 1992 and Bangkok in 1999, brings something new to the nightlife table. 'The bar scene in Singapore seems quite fickle but the good ones are good for a reason. In Bangkok, most bars come and go pretty quickly but Q Bar has staying power because it is a real bar, with a huge selection of alcohol and cocktails. We also train our staff to be bar-knowledgeable.'

He adds: 'Our DJ policy doesn't pander to the lowest common denominator - anything goes, as long as there's no Trance music. We were the first to do hip-hop and bring in international DJs. Even though the venue is small, we are known for music, service and drinks. If you're a drinker, this is a dream-come-true bar.'

Mr Jacobson points out that several foreign brands - including Ministry of Sound - failed to make it in Bangkok. 'They made a lot of mistakes, such as bad location, no parking outside the club and having too large a space. In Singapore, I think that the huge clubs - apart from Zouk - their days are numbered.' He adds: 'In this business, it's always a gamble, but a good bar is still a good bar.'

LifeBrandz's Mr Lee, however, points out that it was the curtailing of clubbing hours that cramped MoS's style - a government rule that the club had to close at midnight. 'No club can survive from 6pm to 12am so it was because of the local conditions,' he says.

Says Mr Lim: 'The reason why we brought in Q Bar is essentially the location - we needed something punchy to fill the space. The places that concentrate on music here are the clubs with huge dance floors - there's no outlet here that sells itself as a music-and drinks place. The Q Bar style is slightly edgy, with an underground feel.' He adds: 'It's healthy to bring in international brands because it ups the ante for local players and what they want to do for their outlets.'

The coming year will be interesting because a huge amount of entertainment space will become available (250,000 sq ft, according to industry estimates) and a brand name alone is not enough, says Mr Lim. 'The fact that more overseas names are coming in is fairly coincidental in that you have a large amount of space and local players in need of giving it an international flavour.' He adds: 'A place has to have certain core values which encourage sustainability. In this game, having money is not enough - only the creative survive.'

According to industry bigwig Dennis Foo, whose much-anticipated project - the nine-outlet mega-nightlife hub St James Power Station - is due to open in stages from next June until the end of the year, homegrown operators have several advantages over foreign brands. 'They know the terrain better and they are more entrenched in the market,' he says.

'Beyond that, foreign brands come with a higher cost, through franchise fees and royalties. When you bring a franchise it comes with a name and operating system. In Asia, you pay a premium for a brand that not many people know. You could localise it and reverse-engineer the process without all the cost.'

He adds: 'History has shown that bringing in a foreign nightlife brand is no guarantee, and it also takes a long time to adapt to the local culture.' He feels that it isn't necessary to go overseas in search of a name to bring back - unless it has a unique selling point, of course. 'Crazy Horse is a tourist-based product in a special position, so they have an edge.'

Despite this influx of foreign brands, 15-year-old Zouk isn't quaking in its boots, yet. 'We had our best year last year, and yes, competition is always good. We're just going to focus on what we're good at,' responds Tracy Phillips, Zouk's marketing manager.

'People will still go to where they're most comfortable and have the best experience and best service - to them.'

Singapore is attractive now because clubs can get a 24-hour licence in zones where it's not residential, she notes, 'so as a potential investor, Singapore is a good place to do business. Although I think the club-going crowd is only so big'.

Ms Phillips adds: 'We've seen a lot of clubs come and go ... I guess there is room to grow this crowd, but that hinges on how dynamic the new concept is and how it's managed.'

Says Mr Foo: 'Overall, the industry is in a state of flux right now but there is also real vibrancy in nightlife. Brands can come and go but it shows that the dynamics of this industry are ever-changing, ever-improving - we are always re-inventing ourselves.' - With additional reporting by Cheah Ui-Hoon

Penal Code says Ok to Oral and Anal Sex, but not for Homosexuals and Minors

Thursday, November 9th, 2006 5:00 pm

1. Most of my dear readers must have heard, if not peruse briefly, the proposed amendments to the Penal Code. Many will also share the sentiment that amendments to the Penal Code should have come long ago, and will salute that changes are being put forwarded now. After all, many archaic provisions in the face of technological advancements and social changes seemed absurd and irrelevant. Yet, some of the proposed changes to my mind, are by themselves somewhat worrisome.

2. For those who require an introduction, the Penal Code is the chief criminal legislation in Singapore. It was based on the Indian Penal Code, and we inherited it under English colonial rule. The last major review was in 1994. As the bill and consultation paper was created in consultation with the AG’s Chambers, the Ministry of Law and various other agencies, it is difficult to expect any significant changes as a result of the public consultation this month.

3. I have read through the consultation paper and the proposed bill , available at REACH (was known as the Feedback Unit) briefly. I will probably read it in greater detail after my examinations. But in a very preliminary and un-thoughtful fashion, I shall write about the few worries I have regarding the proposed changes to the criminal law. For today, for want of time, I shall write about two worries I have regarding the proposed changes only with regard to sexual offences. Like Shianux, I am not a lawyer, but I find that unobjectionable in commenting on proposed legislative changes. Anyhow, here we go:

I. Sexual Offences

A - Act of Gross Indecency: 377A: Repeal of 377 while keeping 377A appears discriminatory towards homosexuals.

4. A lucid and informative piece has been written by Alex Au on the continued presence of 377A and the perceived discrimination that while 377A is not repealed, 377 is proposed to be repealed in its entirety and replaced. The old 377 provides for that anyone has who “carnal intercourse” - meaning anal or oral sex - will be liable with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine. This clearly archaic provision is now repealed and proposed to be replaced with “Sexual penetration of a corpse”: 377.

5. However, this leaves 377A untouched, sticking out like a sore thumb. 377A provides that “Any male person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years.”

6. If a male commits with another male in private an act of “gross indecency” - assuming that since 377 is proposed to be repealed, and that oral and anal sex are no longer considered inherently gross per se since it is okay for male and females to do that now, what then actually constitutes the “gross indecency” under 377A?

7. It will then appear then that the law is actually saying that homosexuals having anal and oral sex is gross simply because they are homosexuals. This surely is awful. If on one hand, we say a male and women can have anal and oral sex, (and we already know that a sizeable population of the married and unmarried people partake in such activities, and therefore we legalize it) but on the other hand we say that because simply one is homosexual, those same acts will now constitute “gross indecency”, we are criminalizing the person, and not the act. This appear unjust and wicked and unprincipled. It is one thing to be ultra conservative and believe that oral and anal sex is wrong for everyone, and another to be simply anti-gay to say that homosexual sex is wrong. Surely our government is good enough, and strong enough, to tell these homophobes that they respect and understand where they are coming from but they have to be fair and that they need to accept differences which does not harm anyone.

7A. I welcome the repeal of the archaic 377 but leaving 377A untouched now is a glaring omission that has no place in an inclusive society.

B. Definition of Sex with minors to include Oral and Anal Sex Appears to Expand Ambit of Offences but how about broader defenses?

8. Public imagination has taken cognizance of the prohibition against sex with minors under the age of 16 with scandals of sex with under-16s appearing so very often in the news. Besides, I have also heard from two sources that many secondary schools have various cases of under-age sex.

9. The relevant provision was provided under the Women’s Charter and it prohibits sexual penetration of those under 16, whether with consent or not. The proposed changes under the Penal Code expands the prohibition to include both oral and anal sex. The proposed section 376A(1) reads,

“Sexual penetration of minor under 16″

376A.—(1) Any man (A) who,

(a) penetrates, with A’s penis, the vagina, anus or mouth of a person under 16 years of age, (B), with or without B’s consent, commits an offence.

10. This offence shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years or a fine or both. While this admittedly increases the protection of minors in Singapore, I am worried how expanding these provision will create a larger class of offenders which we never did intend to make criminals in the very first place.

11. The belief that underpins such protective legislation is that in general, females under the age of 16 cannot provide informed consent. There are of course females who could give informed consent under the age of 16, and females who cannot give inform consent despite being already 21.

12. Society accepts, perhaps somewhat unwillingly, that to protect innocent minors in general, and to have a requisite deterrence effect, we might need to criminalize certain scenarios that we might not personally consider morally wrong or that there might be no deterrent effect. The scenario where the female, we believe, could have given informed consent, and would not be “hurt”, nay, and even desirous of the sexual act is one such scenario. After all, we have heard stories of how some girls who, despite being under the age of 16, have far greater sexual experiences than many of our conservative imaginations could have ever conceived. Those males who were caught having sex with these girls, we might find them “disgusting” or “stupid” but we hardly consider the female to have been “hurt” or in need of protection from the law.

13. Hence, we need an appropriate cut off age and sufficient flexibility that allows the law and the courts to strike a proper balance between protection of the young and vulnerable and unnecessarily creating criminals who are not as morally apprehensible. We are now expanding the ambit of the offence and the maximum penalty and hence intensifying the potential of creating more criminals for a longer period. Perhaps we should also try to strike a balance by perhaps creating more defenses, or easier defenses for the male in some scenarios. We might disagree because it will mean more work for the prosecution, or that the deterrence effect will diminish. We might also prescribe different punishments. However, we should be clear, since we are extending the ambit of the offence, to ensure we are deterring the “correct” people.

14. The current defense is one of mistake of age, and is very limited. The current defense as to mistake of age is provided under proposed section 377D (2) qualified by 377D(3).

16. 377D (1) first states that a reasonable mistake is not a good defense. Hence, one cannot assume that a female, by way of looks, or perhaps the fact that she mentions she has JC or Polytechnic peers to assume she is 16. However, if the male does “due diligence” and anyone in his shoes would have thought the girl as above 16 - perhaps checking IC, verifying for its authenticity, and not knowing other adverse facts, it will probably be a good defense.

17. However, if a male is misguided because for example, a attractive girl boosts of great sexual experience and the male has verified that as the truth, and with these two impressions and the fact that this girl is urging him on to have say, oral sex, he thinks her above 16, this is a reasonable mistake; but it appears it shall be no defense. This is troubling because in this scenario, the girl appears to be at fault. Besides, I know of many guys who will fall prey to such a girl. Of course such a scenario is purely hypothetical. But it does show that sometimes the victim could be the male - of lust and the law. If we capture such “males” under the law, it might just be unfortunate but surely such scenarios could be minimized.

18. Males below 21 got it luckier.

“Mistake as to age”

(2) In the case of a person who at the time of the alleged offence was below the age of 21 years, the presence of reasonable cause to believe that the minor, who is of the opposite sex, was of or above,

(a) the age of 16 years, shall be a valid defense on the first occasion on which he is charged.

These defense under 377D(2)(3) however is only available to those under the age of 21. What is reasonable cause is probably a question of fact. The difficulty however is why can’t a person of age 22 not use this defense? Surely whether a person has reasonable cause to suspect a female is above the age of 16 or not is not dependent on the age of the eye of the beholder? The Law should dictate that if a male has reasonable cause to believe the female is above the age of 16 (she says she is, she boosts of countless sexual experiences with other males etc), it should be a valid defense, whether he is above or below 21.

Singapore to legalize oral, anal sex for heterosexuals

8 November 2006 02:05

Oral and anal sex in private between consenting heterosexual adults would be legalized under Singapore's first major penal code amendments in 22 years, the government said on Wednesday.

Singapore, which in recent years has gradually eased social restrictions that have given it a straight-laced reputation, said it had conducted a comprehensive review of sexual offences in the penal code, which was enacted in 1871 and received its last significant amendments in 1984.

"We sought to modernize it to be in line with social mores and emerging societal trends," the Ministry of Home Affairs said.In another major change, the ministry proposes new laws to combat child prostitution and sex tourism. Prostitution is not an offence in the city-state but the proposed amendments would make it a crime to purchase or solicit sex from anyone under the age of 18. "What this new section does is to enhance the age of protection for females to include 16 and 17-year-olds when commercial sex is involved," the ministry said. The purchase or solicitation of anyone under 18 in a foreign country would become an offence which could be prosecuted in Singapore. Local media have reported that some Singaporeans travel to the nearby Indonesian island of Batam for sex with teenage girls. "By introducing the extra-territorial laws, we will send a strong signal that we are against this appalling act and deter those who are inclined towards such acts," the ministry said.

A gay rights group, People Like Us (PLU), welcomed the repeal of the section against "carnal intercourse against the order of nature", which currently forbids oral and anal sex. But PLU expressed disappointment there is no plan to repeal a section which criminalizes "gross indecency" between two males. While acknowledging there have been no prosecutions against consenting males in recent years, PLU said retention of the section "will signal to many that homophobia is justifiable and acceptable and has the support of the state". The Ministry of Home Affairs, in defending retention of the law against gay sex, noted that Singapore remains a largely conservative society. "Many do not tolerate homosexuality, and consider such acts abhorrent and deviant. Many religious groups also do not condone homosexual acts," it said.

The ministry said there is no special emphasis on the review of sexual offences in its revamp of the penal code. It said other proposed amendments, including strengthened prosecution of credit-card fraud and the extension of several offences to the electronic media including internet, could have a great impact. Another proposal would clarify the definition of an unlawful assembly as a gathering of five or more persons whose common objective is to commit any offence. "This is to make it clear that there is no need for the Act to affect public tranquility before an offence of unlawful assembly is made out," the ministry said.

In total the proposed changed would affect 19 existing offences, add 19 new ones, and review penalties. - Sapa-AFP

October 29, 2005

GOT HONEY, MAKE MONEY / By Gregory Leow

FACE it, guys.

What is the one big reason you go to bars and clubs?

For that signature cocktail?

For the DJ and the music?

Or the decor?

Even if the drinks are great, the music is top-notch and the decor is gorgeous, the biggest draw must surely be the women. Why else do clubs have Ladie's Nights? So the women will come for the free drinks, and the paying men will come for the women. Of course, sometimes your beer looks more interesting than the lone girl across the dance floor with a cake of makeup on her face. Bars and clubs all know this. Their solution? Very simple: Employ beautiful girls. Thanks to savvy nightspots these days, clubland has never been more beautiful.

Hana Abdul Rahim

·  She-Devil dancer at Devils Bar

WATCHING Hana spin and twirl around the pole suggestively in her bikini makes you realise just what is so sexy about pole-dancing. Hana Abdul Rahim, who's in her mid 20s, is at Devils Bar every Tuesday and Thursday night. Her dance routine is so hot, all eyes would be on her. Even some women look on enviously. Hana said that more than the occasional woman has gone up to compliment her on her dancing.

By day, she holds a nine-to-five job as an administrative assistant. She goes home, sleeps for a couple of hours and heads to Devils Bar where she dances until 2am. 'I love dancing, so when this job came up, I thought, why not make some money doing what I love,' said Hana, who has been dancing professionally for five years in various clubs. She has been at Devils Bar for two years.

Hana's dance routine includes an interactive component where she encourages male - and female - patrons to join her on the bar top. She might even playfully unbutton the guys' shirts, but it stops there. 'I put on a character when I dance,' said Hana. Men will sometimes try to cross the thin line between dirty dancing and molesting but, after five years, Hana knows where the line is. 'I can't explain it, but it is a vibe I get. If they try too much, I'll try to retreat with a smile,' she said. She recounted an incident at a club she previously worked at. A tourist had tried to grope her a few times while she was dancing. She lost her cool and kicked him in the chest several times.

'Unfortunately, in this line, I have encountered sexual harassment, both verbal and physical, from men. But most men are all right,' she said. She hasn't met the right guy yet. She said that between work and dancing, she has no time to find a boyfriend. So there is hope for guys out there.

Yasmin Rivera

·  Waitress at Asylum Bar

WAITRESSES in clubland are usually not stunners. That's what club-owners themselves have admitted.

You'll find pretty girls selling drinks, manning the entrance as door bitches, dancing or singing at clubs, but hardly ever waiting tables.

Yasmin Rivera, 18, is one exception. Half-Mexican and half-North Indian, she claimed she was not always beautiful. Like the proverbial ugly duckling, she said she was overweight, had bad hair and wore ugly spectacles. Everything changed when she decided to wear contact lenses when she was 13.

Yasmin has been a waitress for three years. Heads turn when she works the tables at Asylum Bar at Clarke Quay every Friday and Saturday. 'I am like my mother - strong and independent. So I like to be financially independent too,' she said. As expected, Yasmin has experienced her fair share of pick-up lines from men fascinated by her looks. She said: 'About 10 times a night, people ask me where I come from.'

Yasmin, who is a third year student fashion management at LaSalle SIA, added: 'Sometimes they ask me whether I want to follow them to a club.' She has worked as a part-time catwalk model, but has had to turn down a lot of projects due to school work, which is her priority.

When asked what her ideal boyfriend should be like, Yasmin said: 'He must be my best friend.'

Charmaine Cai

·  Shooter girl mamasan at Club Momo

POP down to Club Momo at Central Mall from Wednesday to Saturday and you will see Charmaine Cai going around the club, seeing to the welfare of her 'girls' - the club's shooter girls.

What are shooter girls, you may ask?

Well, imagine pretty, sexy girls carrying a bottle of tequila in one hand, smiling seductively at you. Buy a drink from them and they might just sit and chat with you for a short while. Charmaine, 19, is an ex-shooter girl herself. These days, she just makes sure that the girls are not bullied and that they meet their quota of drinks for the night.

Currently studying business informatics at Nanyang Polytechnic, she admitted that there were a few regulars who would come down to Momo just to see her and buy shots from her, and no one else.

She initially got the position through a job agency because the money was good. She said: 'You just have to commit a few hours and can get a few hundred dollars.' But she said that she hardly gets hit on because she is always moving around at work. That said, Charmaine has heard her fair share of pick-up lines when she's out clubbing. ' 'Have I seen you before? Can I get you a drink?' Sometimes they compliment me on my dressing. I have heard them all. I just tell them that I have friends waiting and walk away,' she said.

Charmaine, who does not have a boyfriend, is used to it. She just puts on a tao (proud) face to get the men to stay away. 'I can be friendly outside of work, but only to some people,' she said. Charmaine says that she likes mature men. He has to be at least five years older than her, a good height (at least 1.76m tall) and be honest. But he does not necessarily have to be rich, nor too good-looking. Her ideal boyfriend? A classic Richard Gere.

Andrea Fonseka

Door bitch at Gold Dust

IF there is one universal truth about door bitches, it is that men have never entertained the thought of picking them up. It is certainly true in Andrea Fonseka's case.

Maybe it is the power of being able to pick who gets to enter the club. But the reality is that they mostly make sure that customers are above the age limit and they adhere to the dress code. 'I haven't encountered a cheesy pick-up line yet. In a club situation, men look forward to going inside the club to look for girls, but they never look at the girl at the door,' said Andrea, 21, who works part-time as a door bitch over weekends at Gold Dust at Orchard Towers for extra pocket money.

Maybe it is the do-not-mess-with-me attitude which she admitted she adopts when on the job. 'Put on a fierce look, make them fear you a bit and you will get no nonsense out of any customer. It is from my mother's blood - I can look really fierce when I want to,' said Andrea, who is Malaysian and is currently studying law at NUS. She said that she took on the job because the owner of Gold Dust, Gwen Khoo, is a close friend and the staff make it fun to work there.

The closest that she has come to a pick-up line was when a passerby, who accidentally walked over from the main Orchard Towers block, asked her how much the girls were. 'I politely and firmly told him that this was a comedy club with a cover charge to get in and that the girls were not for sale,' she said.

Andrea is half-Chinese and half-Eurasian, and was a participant in a major international beauty pageant last year. She declined to say more, except that her main purpose for coming to Singapore was to study. Andrea does not have a boyfriend, but don't let that tough persona put you off. 'My close friends know that deep down inside, I am a softie'

8 Oct 2005

Two bloggers jailed for making racist remarks online SINGAPORE : For the first time, two Singaporeans have been sentenced to jail for posting racist remarks online.

28-year-old Benjamin Koh Seng Huat, a kennel keeper at an animal shelter, has been sentenced to one month's jail. Separately, the court sentenced 25-year-old former assistant marketing manager, Nicholas Lim Yew, to serve one day in jail and a maximum fine of $5,000.

Koh walked into the court, accompanied by his lawyer and a friend Hisham Abu Bakar. He pleaded guilty to making racist remarks on his web blog which sparked off more than 200 comments. Lim, whose postings were regarded less serious than Koh's by the court, was also charged under the Sedition Act. In passing sentences, Senior District Judge Richard Magnus said the two had crossed the red line by wantonly breaching the basic ground rules. He said passing a deterrent sentence was necessary so that such offending acts are tackled early and contained.

The judge also said that young Singaporeans may have short memories that race and religion are sensitive issues. He said callous and reckless remarks on racial or religious subjects had the potential to cause social disorder, regardless of which medium or forum they are expressed. The judge added the right of one to propagate an opinion on the Internet is not and cannot be an unfettered right.

It is only appropriate social behaviour of every Singapore citizen and resident to respect the other races in view of Singapore's multi-racial society. Lim's lawyer said there was a lesson to be learnt from the judgement. Helen Chia, Lim's Lawyer, said: "He is sending out a signal to the public that this is a serious matter and everybody should take a second look at themselves."

Separately, a third blogger, 17-year-old Gan Huai Shi faces seven charges of posting racist remarks on his blog.

His case will be heard again on October 26. - CNA/de

7 Oct 2005

Indonesian Province To Fine Men Refusing To Wear Condoms During Sex With Sex Workers

Indonesia's Papua province has implemented a bylaw that aims to curb the spread of HIV by fining commercial sex workers' clients who refuse to wear condoms, the Jakarta Post reports. The penalty of up to $500 will be enforced in high-risk areas such as red-light districts, bars and hotels. Sex workers can report any customers who have refused to use condoms, Joseph Rinta, head of Merauke regency's health office, said. Rinta said his office will implement a three-month program to introduce the measure to sex workers and their customers. His office also has assigned a medical team to provide sex workers with monthly checkups. Those who test positive for a sexually transmitted disease will be required to stop working until they are given a clean bill of health. According to the provincial health office, 60,000 people across the province are at risk of contracting HIV (Dharma Somba, Jakarta Post, 10/5).

4 Oct 2005

Singapore may raise minimum prostitution age to 18

SINGAPORE, (AFP) - Singapore may raise the minimum age for prostitutes from 16 to 18 to bring its laws in line with international standards, a newspaper report said.

A government study into the penal code's provisions on sexual offences is expected to be completed by the end of the year, the Straits Times newspaper reported.

Local authorities, while declining to provide specific reasons behind the study, said it was part of a "holistic review" of Singapore's laws on sexual offences and may include criminalizing sex with minors overseas.

"We constantly review our laws to keep abreast of changing times and norms," the Straits Times quoted a Ministry of Home Affairs spokesman as saying.

Under current laws, having sex with girls under 16 is considered statutory rape, punishable by up to five years in jail and a fine of 10,000 Singapore dollars (5,900 US).

The age of sexual consent in most countries is 18 years. Prostitution is legal in Singapore but pimping and public solicitation are not. Licensed brothels operate in designated areas, some of them catering to the large community of foreign male workers.

Singapore, a major travel hub and a traditional stop for oceangoing ships, last year rejected a US State Department report that said it had a "significant trafficking problem" involving women and children in the sex trade.

Part 2

Singapore may criminalize paid sex with under 18s

SINGAPORE, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Anyone caught paying for sex with girls under 18 years of age in Singapore could be fined or jailed under proposed new laws, a newspaper said on Tuesday.

Under current laws, offenders face a jail term of up to five years and fines of S$10,000 ($5,910) if they have sex with those under 16.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, as part of its plans to reassess laws governing sexual offences, was also reviewing the Penal Code to allow for the prosecution of Singaporeans who have sex with minors overseas, the Straits Times reported.

The U.S. State Department report this year said Singapore does not fully meet the minimum standards to stamp out the trafficking of women and girls for sex and had called for the government to reform its laws to criminalize the prostitution of 16- and 17-year-olds as a trafficking offence.

The report also called for the government to address child sex tourism by Singaporeans, particularly in the nearby Batam island of Indonesia.

The Singapore government refuted the report, saying that only four of the 34 claims of forced prostitution in the last three years had been substantiated.

Prostitution is legal in Singapore but soliciting is not. The government authorizes the operation of brothels in red-light districts and does not criminalize the prostitution of 16- and 17- year-old minors.

According to the police, 38 of the 5,200 foreign sex workers arrested in 2004 were below 18 years of age. In the first half of this year, 22 out of the 1,700 illegal sex workers were under 18.

But experts and rights workers have said that the age of the sex workers, mostly from the villages of Thailand, Indonesia and Cambodia was difficult to track due to the lack of proper papers. ($1=1.692 Singapore Dollar)

29 Sept 2005, Singapore

Maids dying for a day off
By Stanislaus Jude Chan

SINGAPORE - Gruesome as it was, the discovery of the severed head and limbs of a Filipino housemaid, abandoned in a travel bag on fashionable Orchard Road, has rekindled an old debate on whether foreign domestic workers in this affluent city-state should get a weekly day off or not.

The immediate concern in businesslike Singapore, following the recent discovery, was that the rather overworked "Maid in Singapore" headlines were beginning to overshadow the "Uniquely Singapore" campaign slogan, carefully crafted for the tourism department.

There were few tears shed for Jane Parangan La Puebla and none

for Guen Garlejo Aguilar, arrested for the murder of her compatriot and "best friend". They were just more trouble than the usual run of "havoc maids".

But the scene was different in the Philippines where demonstrations were mounted in front of the Singapore embassy demanding that Aguilar gets a fair trial and justice. Parallels were drawn with the controversial hanging of Flor Contemplacion for the murder a decade ago of fellow domestic worker Delia Maga.

Contemplacion's execution strained relations between Singapore and the Philippines and caused many Filipinos to vent their frustration at governments in both countries that were, seemingly, not doing enough to prevent the abuse and stress that are the lot of Filipino overseas workers.

This time, Manila appealed for calm, urging local media to cease sensational reporting on the La Puebla murder. "I appeal for sobriety from everyone and not to come to rash conclusions on the basis of media reports or stories being circulated," Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Belen Anota was quoted by newspapers as saying.

Officials fear the sensational reports could stir up public sentiment and set off an unwarranted reaction against Singapore - though there was relief that this was a case of one Filipino maid allegedly killing another, rather than extreme violence between Singaporean employers and foreign domestic help.

Singapore courts frequently hear cases of housemaid abuse - or those concerning retaliatory murder, the usual plea of defense lawyers on behalf of their clients being that they were driven to homicide after suffering extreme abuse. Last month, Singapore's image as a destination for foreign job-seekers took yet another beating when homemaker Sazarina Madzin was arrested for the abuse last year of her Indonesian maid, Wiwik Setyowati.

The 28-year-old Madzin was charged on 80 counts of abuse, including bludgeoning her hapless victim, Setyowati, with an assortment of household items, including shoes, a tomato sauce bottle and a plastic chopping board. Apart from fines, Madzin now faces seven years in prison for threatening to kill her employee.

On the other hand, two Indonesian maids who robbed and killed their employer, Esther Ang, were found guilty of manslaughter last month but escaped the death sentence.

The judge determined that Juminem, 20, "was suffering from a psychiatric disorder of a depressive nature" and handed her a life sentence, while he gave 17-year-old Siti Aminah 10 years in prison after noting that she was only 15 at the time of the crime and that she was "intellectually and psychologically immature".

The three cases in the space of a month have dented Singapore's reputation as a safe and lawful city, besides leading to concern over the treatment of migrant workers here.

There are currently some 150,000 foreign maids working in Singapore. Most of them are from the Philippines and Indonesia, with the rest from Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.

But more than 27 years after foreign domestic helpers first started working in Singapore, debate continues on issues such as whether maids should get a day off and also how much they should be paid.

Filipino maids who can converse in English usually receive about $215 a month while Sri Lankans rate less at $150. Indonesians get paid about $120, slightly more than the $117 levy that employers must pay the government per worker.

The wages - and that's for round-the-clock work - seem exploitative in a country with one of the most affluent societies in Asia and a per capita monthly income exceeding $2,000.

"Even machines need rest," said Filipino domestic worker Ellen Elancanal, who has been here for eight years. "We work so many hours. We must have a day a week, whichever way we want to spend it." She gets to spend her Sundays with a church choir or helping fellow workers in trouble.

"Not giving people time off can make people disgruntled and stressed," said Helen Tan, spokeswoman for the Association of Employment Agencies, Singapore.

But many employers are wary of "social problems" and choose to keep their maids at home. Employers in Singapore risk forfeiting a US$3,000 security bond if the maid goes missing - or if they fail to repatriate her at the end of the contract or in the event of pregnancy.

"They [domestic helpers] know that if they do that [get pregnant], they stand to lose everything. It's not in their interest to jeopardize the money they send home to their families," said Braema Mathi, president of Transient Workers Count Too, an agency defending the human rights of workers here.

"If employers are worried about pregnancy, then workers should have sex education. We can't control human behavior to that extent and say that we are protecting her by not giving her a day off."

On the ground though, many employers are skeptical about days off. "They have boyfriends and all that!" said Mary Lee, 58, a Singaporean homemaker who has employed several domestic workers over the last two decades.

"Some even go to Geylang [Singapore's red-light district] and earn extra cash, you know? We can't control the maids, so it's best that when we employ the maid, we tell the agent we don't want to give days off."

Fear of "social problems" causes employers to deny maids a day off and the stress of working without a break results in pent-up frustrations that create rather than solve delicate problems that can be tackled with responsibility and understanding.

"The bold maids are often those who have worked here for some time. Their employers trust them and some abuse their privileges," said Alice Cheah, owner of the Singapore agency, Caregivers Center, stressing that "havoc maids" are in the minority.

"Maids should be given days off. It'd be unhealthy psychologically if the maids are cooped up in the house every day. If the maids treasure their jobs, they will behave well."

17 Sept 2005, Singapore

70 suspects nabbed in weekend anti-drug raids

Seventy people have been nabbed in two anti-drug raids last weekend at four nightspots in Singapore.

Twenty-seven of them were arrested at Top Ten Club, Naughty Girl Pub and Ipanema Music World Club in Orchard Towers and 43 at Club Shanghai in Marina Grove.

The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), acting on information received, mounted the operations early Saturday morning.

Of those arrested, 17 tested positive for consuming a controlled drug.

Two have been sent to the Drug Rehabilitation Centre.

A Thai national has been referred to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority for repatriation, while two others, believed to be illegal immigrants, have been referred to the Police for further investigations.

A 23-year-old man was referred to the Police as he is wanted by them while a 23-year-old male absconder wanted by CNB was arrested for follow-up action.

The remaining suspects have been released on bail pending urine analysis by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).

A 24-year-old woman arrested for possessing what is believed to be controlled drugs has also been released on bail pending analysis of the substances by HSA.

- CNA

27 August 2005 Simple Simon wants to be Sultan again

By Gregory Leow

THERE was a time when Mr Simon Lim was called the new king of Mohamed Sultan.

And at the top of the heap was his Wong San's, an iconic club which ruled the stretch by introducing hip partying into conserved shop-houses and drawing the yuppies in.

But, the recession came, as did 9/11 and Sars, claiming many victims on the nightclub scene.

Wong San's shut its doors in 2001, as did five more of Mr Lim's clubs. The man himself faded out of the limelight.

Today, Mohamed Sultan isn't quite the same as before. The stretch resembles two worlds separated only by a road, or as Mr Lim calls it, 'the right side of the track and the wrong side of the track'.

But the 38-year-old isn't about to give up his turf.

He has invested more than $300,000 to renovate the remaining three outlets he owns in UE Square - Eastside, Eastside Terrace and Siam Supper club.

And he has just opened another - a wine bar called Vino Vino that occupies Siam Supper club's terrace. The revamp has brought about a feel of unity to the four outlets, which firmly cater to a more upscale crowd.

This contrasts with the other side of the road, where the collection of shop-houses, that were an attraction to the hip and cool in the early '90s, is now populated by young Ah Bengs.

'To say that Mohamed Sultan's image has not dipped and not affected us would be a lie,' admitted the nightclub mogul and head honcho of Wong San's Group.

'Over the years, we have had to work harder at marketing, promotions and events to draw in the crowd and to keep business going. We have been lucky to be able to hold on to our places.'

There was a time when people thought Mr. Lim could do no wrong.

At 34, he was easily the most successful nightclub operator, who, at the height of his career in 2001, had nine pubs and cafes under his charge.

Between 1997 and 2001, Mr. Lim opened eight outlets from owning only Wong San's in 1994, after buying over fellow nightclub pioneer Peter Wong's stake in it.

In 2002, he introduced three outlets - Indigo at Mohamed Sultan, The Bar at The Box At Gemmill Lane and The Met at the Capita-Land building on Battery Road.

But, just as quickly, the closures began. Wong San's closed down because the police clamped down on it several times for admitting too many people.

The Oxygen Bar and Two Rooms folded in 2003 and The Bar at the Singapore Repertory Theatre, The Bar At The Box, The Met and Indigo closed down soon after.

Mr. Lim admits to making wrong decisions.

The biggest one perhaps related to Indigo, a lounge-cum-dance bar which played popular music and club hits.

'I threw everything but the kitchen sink into it but it didn't work. Some said the layout was bad, some said the place was haunted. Till today, I have no idea why it failed,' said Mr. Lim.

While other nightclub owners, hit by the bad times, threw in the towel, Mr. Lim retreated into his own chambers to draw up his next battle plan.

'It was a period of consolidation. I took time out to buffer the company, to consolidate and build a war chest for the future,' he said. 'It was also a good time to see where our strengths and weaknesses are and to work out opportunities.'

On a more personal note, the time out helped him to start a family. His two sons are now aged 3 1/2 and nearly 2.

'That has taken a lot of my attention away as I wanted to become quite involved in my family's affairs. Even opening Thumper last year was quite tiring and it took up a lot of my time and it is tough to split the time with my family,' he said.

Today, in addition to his seven bars and cafes, the 11-year veteran - who's also the chairman of the Pubs and Clubs Industry Panel - has stakes in bigger clubs like China Black and Thumper.

The Wong San's Group crossed the $10 million mark in annual turnover in 2004.

Having seen the ups and downs of the business, Mr. Lim can afford to introspect.

'I've learnt that if a business isn't making money, you should cut your losses. There have been situations where I let the business continue for too long and it affected the whole group.'

Added Mr Lim: 'The mistake is that there was one time when I could do no wrong, whether in the media's eyes, my eyes or the customer's eyes. Then you have a failure and it's a humbling experience but it grounds you. I've grown to realise that a lot of times you are only as good as your last job.'

Even so, others in the business agree that Mr Lim has stayed true to his entrepreneurial instincts.

Peter Wong of Towkay Wong's Group says that Mr Lim has grown and rightly come into his own.

'It was brave of him to expand into the Orchard area with Thumper and China Black, when his home base was Mohamed Sultan, something which I would not have dared to do,' Mr Wong said.

'China Black was admittedly a big risk, especially when the space was huge at 10,000 sq ft.'

While Mr Lim has no plans to expand further in Mohamed Sultan, he is developing a 'new, fairly big nightspot within the year end'. That was all he would say.

He still hasn't given up on Wong San's. 'I am keen for Wong San's to come back, once we find the appropriate location, that is,' he said.

Today, Mr Lim is no longer the new king of Mohamed Sultan, but then, he never liked the term in the first place.

'It still gives me goosebumps,' he said.

'I'd rather hand that term to Peter Wong, he was the king. I came after him.

'I was merely one of the 20-somethings who had a higher profile. I do not see myself as royalty, it does not fit my personality.'

________________________________________

Sunshine on the horizon?

MOHAMED Sultan's glory will return one day, though it might take a while.

That is what nightclub entrepreneur Simon Lim is predicting.

He cites new up-market condominiums, like City Developments' Pier and Sim Lian's Pearl, being developed at Mohamed Sultan as sunshine on the horizon.

'There will be a need to serve the growing mid to upscale community. There are already restaurants opening up. I think there are about 10 Japanese restaurants in a kilometer radius around here,' said Mr Lim.

He also attributes his hope to the fact that shop-houses at Mohamed Sultan boast big spaces and high ceilings.

'With the exception of Clarke Quay, I do not know of any other area which has such roomy space. It's a good manageable size for a bar.'

But Ms Heather Seow, CEO for the Emerald Hill Group, which owns Dbl O on Mohamed Sultan, doubts that the stretch will ever regain its hip, yuppie crowd.

'Mohamed Sultan has firmly established itself as the place to be for the heartland clubber. I do not know whether it will get back to where it was,' she said.

Despite the decreasing popularity of Mohamed Sultan, Mr. Lim said that the crowd at his UE Square outlets has remained constant.

'It is just that after too long a time, you start to notice the dust on the walls. You need to revamp and give the place a fresh look,' said the 38-year-old.

NEW LOOK

Eastside regular Eugene Tan, who has been frequenting the bar for three years now, welcomes the new renovations to the seven-year-old joint.

'Previously the furniture was a bit old and it seemed more cramped. It feels more spacious now,' the 30-year-old said.

To keep the crowd coming, Mr. Lim has introduced three-for-one Happy Hour drinks, $4.99 steaks and $12.99 pastas throughout the week.

The latest offering is a $25 limo service - a 5-series BMW - that will pick you up from your doorstep and take you to any of Mr. Lim's UE Square outlets and back home.

So you do not have to worry about driving home drunk.

25 August 2005 Cajun-Creole fare at Bisous

By Adeline Woon

THERE'S a pub in the middle of the financial district that we consider our family hangout, even if it's full of men in long-sleeved shirts at the end of a work day and enough jocks and wide-screen TVs on football nights to qualify as a sports bar.

It has a little to do with the bartender serving our dog a Styrofoam bowl of water, unasked, along with our drinks when we sit down outside.

And it has quite a bit to do with the food. Ranging from solid steaks and juicy burgers to salads and quesadillas, there's a selection to suit everyone's appetite.

But Bisous (French for kiss) serves more than the usual pub grub - even if the bangers and mash are pretty yummy.

Thanks to executive chef Miguel Henning's New Orleans roots, it offers some pretty good Cajun-Creole specialties.

GRILLED SPICY SAUSAGE

But previously, the menu was confined to just a card and the specialties to the set of the day.

Now, the menu has been extended to a folder full of reading material and what used to be available on a rotating basis as specials have been moved into the a la carte menu.

And about time too.

Featured as regular items on the menu now are popular New Orleans fare such as grilled Andouille sausage ($9), Bourbon Street chicken ($14.50), Creole eggplant parmesan ($12.50) and PoBoy French bread sandwich ($15), which comes with a meat or fish filling of your choice.

We had previously enjoyed the Andouille sausage, a spicy pork sausage made to chef Henning's recipe, as a topping to salads and a filling in quesadilla. Now, it is available on its own.

The Bourbon Street chicken used to come as a burger. Now, the spicy blackened breast that is tasty yet tender holds a deserved place on the menu.

The best entry to the a la carte menu for me is the New Orleans bread pudding, which previously appeared as a dessert in the daily special set.

Nowhere near the stodgy English bread pudding, this version is chockful of taste, flavoured with cinnamon and nutmeg and served with caramel and rum sauce.

New to the menu are firecracker prawns ($17.50). The dish is not as spicy as its name suggests. Actually, the name comes from the original way in which the prawns are prepared - flattened butterfly style and then deep-fried with a chili slice coated within, making it look like a firecracker.

Chef Henning's version takes into account healthy eating and the prawns are pan-fried instead and served with a sweet chipotle pepper sauce.

But the food's not confined to Cajun-Creole.

Chef Henning also cooks international, and the menu has pasta aglio e olio ($10), bangers and mash ($14), fish and chips ($13) and Indian chicken tikka wrap ($14).

FYI

WHAT: Bisous Bar

WHERE: 25 Church Street, Capital Square 3, #01-01 (tel: 6226-5505)

WHEN: 11am-1am Mondays to Thursdays, 11am-2am Fridays and eve of public holidays, 5pm-2am on Saturdays.

A la carte menu from 11.30am to 10.30pm, snack menu from 2.30pm to 10.30pm.

23 April 2005 (late Entry) This freezing bar is hot (closed as of Nov 7 2005)

S'poreans are chilling at a Tanjong Pagar nightspot boasting wintry temperatures

WALK into this bar and it feels like winter. Literally.

It's not just office or shopping-centre cold with temperatures at a comfortable 18 deg C. The bar is actually at temperatures of zero degrees and below.

WALK into this bar and it feels like winter. Literally.

It's not just office or shopping-centre cold with temperatures at a comfortable 18 deg C. The bar is actually at temperatures of zero degrees and below.

This ultimate way of escaping Singapore's hot and humid climate can be found in a tiny bar along Tanjong Pagar Road. Called Eski Bar, it has been open since early February.

Eski Bar co-owner Elaine Teh, came up with the idea: 'It is so hot in Singapore and drinks warm up in a normal bar environment, so why not? The other thing is that there is no chance to show off your fashionable winter clothes anywhere, so this is the place.'

The bar has such unusually low temperatures that experts advised that it put a health warning outside for people with heart problems, asthma or who are pregnant.

The front part of the place with the bar counter, called The Freezer, has a constant temperature of 0 deg C, which is maintained by a huge industrial freezer. The back section, called The Chiller Room, is kept at a more reasonable 18 deg C.

Customers who come dressed in their winter clothing are given a 10 per cent discount on their drinks bill.

The bar also loans out heavy winter coats for those who get too cold in The Freezer.

The winter theme is emphasized by the white-and-blue interior with ice-cube-shaped lamps and cocktails like Eski Blue and the Sleeping Polar Bear.

The waitresses, known as 'Eski girls', dress in puffy white fur-lined jackets and super-slim jeans tucked into white winter boots. Black winter jackets keep the bartenders warm. Staff also wear ski caps to protect their ears.

Reactions from customers who first step into the place have been mixed.

A 24-year-old national serviceman, Mr Yeo Puay Lim, could bear being in The Freezer for only five minutes. He said: ''I only have one word to say, 'Seow (crazy)'!'

His sentiments were echoed by Australian expat Natalie Lowe, 26, a communications specialist: 'Even with the heavy coats that they provide, it gets too cold.'

But IT professional Carl Kimball fell in love with the place the instant he stepped into it. He has been back 10 times in the two months it has been open. 'It reminds me of my hometown, New York City. I am used to seasons, so it is nice to feel that you are in winter for a change,' said the 39-year-old permanent resident.

For Ms Celine Ng, Eski Bar came at a time when she was getting sick of going to the same clubs and bars with the same themes. Said the 21-year-old SMU student: 'The place is really unique. It also helps that the chill-out room at the back is nice and the staff is friendly.'

The proof is ultimately in the numbers.

Eski Bar has been packing in the crowds every weekend since its opening.

That was enough to convince husband-and-wife owners - Mr Andy Lim, 33, and Ms Teh, 35 - to open a second outlet along Circular Road. It is having its soft launch today.

The second outlet is twice the size of the one at Tanjong Pagar, with even lower temperatures of minus 10 deg C.

The owners are also having a bar counter made out of ice, just like those found in ice hotels in Northern Europe.

IT consultant Andrew Kwek, 29, thinks that Singaporeans will take to the idea of a bar with sub-zero temperatures: 'It is a great idea, but if they want to retain the crowd, they probably have to do something more beyond the novelty.'

________________________________________

He has to keep booze 'warm'

SETTING up a freezing cold bar isn't easy. Here are the technical challenges managing director Andy Lim overcame:

•  The bar counter material is made of glass mosaic instead of stainless steel, so that people's elbows do not stick to the counter.

•  Heating elements had to be installed into the water pipes to keep it just above freezing point, so that the water will not freeze.

•  The drinks and alcoholic beverages are placed in chiller fridges with temperatures higher than that of the ambient temperature, so that they will not freeze.

21 August 2005 ANGEL ON HIGH

AS a dancer, Angel See enjoyed the attention of hordes of patrons, not a small number of whom would come specifically to watch her perform.

The former 'bar-celebrity' used to grace the bar top of the old Coyote Ugly at Mohd Sultan Road. One of her admirers then was soccer celebrity and former Manchester United star Lee Sharpe

'I was his girlfriend whenever he was in Singapore,' says Angel.

She was introduced to Sharpe by a sports presenter who told her that Sharpe used to play for Manchester United.

'I told Lee, 'Oh God, I hate Manchester United'!' says Angel.

Sharpe's response to that was, 'It's okay, I hate them too', says Angel of one of our English Soccer Masters, who left United to play for Leeds.

Was she not afraid of annoying a celebrity at their first meeting?

'I am not impressed with celebrity because, really, I am one myself,' says Angel.

But perhaps more importantly, at least from a foot-balling point of view, Angel's affections are reserved for Arsenal, a team she has supported since 2002.

'I like Arsenal because I had a friend who was supporting them, and I was fascinated by this French player, Robert Pires,' says Angel. 'There's something about his style, the way he plays.'

What about Thierry Henry?

'He's good,' says Angel, but with a lot less enthusiasm.

'And yes, there's this Italian player, Filipo Inzaghi, he's really good,' says Angel, with much more feeling.

'And yes, he's just so great looking. I don't know about his sexual orientation, I've heard some say he isn't...

'But he's so handsome,' she adds, beaming.

So what happened to Lee?

'I googled him (that is, to run a search on google.com) and realized what kind of a player he was,' explains Angel.

Like, she didn't like the way he played, or his famous way of celebrating goals?

'No, not that kind of player,' says Angel. 'He has lots of girlfriends.'

But shouldn't she have known that when she went out with him?

'I guess,' she concedes wistfully, but was sparing about the details.

And did he call her when he was in Singapore at the start of last season?

'He did, but I was seeing someone when he came back to Singapore, and I can only see one person at a time,' says Angel.

Poor, heart-broken Lee was left to his own devices, and it has been reported lately that he was going to marry UK TV show host Abi Titmuss, who has been described as Britain's most pointless pin-up girl. The two met when they were guests on Celebrity Love Island.

Now the marketing manager of Fluid Bar and Kitchen at China Square, Angel has her hours spent on the bar to thank for where she is today.

She was studying banking and finance at a polytechnic but decided that banking wasn't her cup of tea.

She went into sales instead, selling photocopying machines, before seeing an advertisement by Coyote Ugly in the newspapers calling for bar celebrities. Line is overdrawn 'I responded immediately because I watched the film and I loved it,' says Angel.

From her 'exalted' position performing on top of the bar, she rose even more quickly, and was promoted to assistant manager in two years.

'I was enjoying myself so much, having so much fun, and it didn't feel like work at all,' says Angel.

Why did she get off the bar then?

'Well,' she says. 'It was time to move on because after two years, it didn't feel spontaneous anymore.'

She had by then amassed enough money to do something she had always hoped to do - travel and see the world, which she did.

'I started by going to Switzerland on a skiing holiday,' says Angel. After her long skiing adventure, Angel went to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Switzerland again, Amsterdam, Indonesia, spent three months in Hong Kong, and her last trip to Australian cities Sydney and Melbourne.

Friends who have known her noticed she had acquired a posh and consistent English accent which they swore hadn't been there prior to the start of her travels.

'I had to come back because I had run out of money,' she says.

She returned to Singapore to study mass communications.

And then she found this appointment at Fluid Bar, which occupies the premises of the old Carnegie's.

Fluid is also the official venue for Singapore's Newcastle United Supporters Club.

'I wish it were Arsenal's fan club venue instead!' says Angel, though she's quite happy to invite patrons of any persuasion.

Now that Sharpe is nowhere on her radar, is she seeing anyone else?

'No,' she says, the twinkle in her eye returning.

'Maybe it is me,' she says, unapologetically.

'The guys that I went out with said I couldn't give them a sense of security,' she explains.

Were they looking for a mother?

'No! It's just that I'm a people-person, I enjoy socializing and many of the guys just couldn't stand me hanging out with and paying attention to other guys.'

It's just that they couldn't stand her flirting outrageously, night after night.

'Don't knock it, flirting is good. It is very healthy,' she says.

'As long as you know where the line is and don't cross it.'

________________________________________

Fez up, fluid down

ANGEL See is marketing manager of Floors2, a venue consisting of two bars - Fluid Bar and Kitchen on level one and the Fez Bar on level two.

Floors2 occupies the 5,000 sq ft space in Far East Square that used to be Carnegie's.

Fluid's kitchen is open for lunch and after hours, the kitchen serves tapas.

Later in the night, Fluid transforms into a hip nightclub.

The Fez Bar on the upper level is the reincarnation of the five-year-old bar that used to occupy Boat Quay.

Football fans can watch live or recorded matches on a giant projection TV at the venue, which, according to Angel, is also the home ground of the Newcastle United Supporters Club.

06 August 2005 Devil of a Tuesday

Devils Bar's singing contest pulls in the crowds on a slow weekday

TUESDAY nights. The beginning of the week, when business at night clubs is presumably slow and patrons just want to chill out.

By Gregory Leow

TUESDAY nights. The beginning of the week, when business at night clubs is presumably slow and patrons just want to chill out. Tell that to Devils Bar at Orchard Parade Hotel.

Ever since it introduced its Devils Idol contest three weeks ago, the place has been packed, making the bar resemble a weekend on a weekday. Based on the American Idol concept but set in a bar, the audience were witness to the third of five heats of the Idol contest last Tuesday. Eight contestants showed their warbling skills. Half went on to the quarter-finals.

The grand prize? A singing contract worth $30,000, another $10,000 in cash and $8,500 in prizes sponsored by FJ Benjamin. In comparison, Singapore Idol winner Taufik Batisah only got a recording contract.

Host Emelda Paulo, 33, who's been with Devils Bar since it opened in 2001, said that since the start of the competition, crowds on Tuesday nights have jumped from about 200 to more than 300 in the Live Room, which has a capacity of 350.

Friends of first-time contestants have been showing up to support them.

Last Tuesday night, it was contestant Denise Khoo who garnered the most screams when she did a cover of Al Green's Let's Get Together, thanks to placard-waving fans.

Fifty per cent of the votes come from the audience, who are allowed a vote with every $10 they spend. So the mood is decidedly jovial. ''It does not take much to work up the crowd. A bit of banter and a song to introduce the contestants. And the alcohol puts smiles on everyone's faces,'' said Ms Paulo.

A William Hung was missing, but it was still an interesting mix of contestants, as there is no age limit and one can pick any song one likes.

Last week, the audience watched 72-year-old Walter Koh, the oldest contestant, strut his stuff to Elvis' Can't Help Falling In Love.

This week, it was contestant Cheong Eng Kok, a truck driver, who delivers ice to Devils Bar. He wowed the audience with his rendition of Qing Ren, a Jacky Cheung classic.

It also helps that there are judges like Singapore Idol contestant Nana and singer Emilee Kang to boost the beautiful-people quotient.

There was no dearth of snappy comments, which kept the audience entertained.

''Good singing, but please take your hands out of your pocket, I do not know what you are scratching down there,'' said Emilee to Shamraj, a male contestant.

''Can I have your babies? With more women like you, Singapore is sure to have a population explosion,'' joked judge and Power 98FM deejay SuperMario to contestant Julianna Cheng.

Stealing the judges' and contestants' thunder were the She-Devils, professional dancers who attract a steady clientele even on a weekday.

Pole-dancing on the bar-top with nothing more than a bikini top and hot pants, one dancer, Hannah, goaded male patrons to join her. She even proceeded to take their shirts off - much to the delight of friends of the ''victims''.

So, want to know how to make a weekday happen at a club? Go ask Devils Bar. It has the answer.

KUMAR is the well-known face of Singapore's latest nightspot, Gold Dust, a Boom Boom Room-style club at Orchard Towers. But those who have been following the local entertainment scene will also recognise the name - if not the face - of Mrs Gwen Khoo. She has been involved in many well-known clubs and pubs that have opened and closed in Singapore in the past 20 years. When she became the general manager of Rumours in 1986, she earned the distinction of being the first woman here to hold a managerial position in the nightclub industry.

In 1992, she became the manager of Boom Boom Room, started by Dick Lee, Alan Koh, Nigel Mosbergen and Jacob Isaac, and also managed 3 Monkeys restaurant for eight years. Mrs Khoo is now director of Gold Dust, the new theatre bar at Orchard Towers that will see Kumar hosting a more streamlined Boom Boom Room-style show. In her 20 years in the nightclub business, Mrs Khoo said that she had not heard of another woman manager. 'I don't know why it has not happened. You find public relations and marketing girls, but that's about it.'

She reckons that marriage may be a factor. But the 45-year-old mother of two, who is married to a businessman, doesn't understand why that had to be.  'Why does your career have to stop after marriage? Mine didn't.' Having a late night schedule for 20 years has not spoilt her family life, she said. Instead, it has made things easier.

NORMAL HOURS DON'T SUIT

'When I get back at five in the morning, I stay up to see my kids off to school. (At night), I get to put them to bed before going off to work,' she said, adding that she wouldn't want a nine-to-five job anymore.

Mrs Khoo's career started in the mid-'80s when she was working for Music Force, an entertainment company handling some 25 clubs in Singapore. She was responsible for local celebrity DJs like Hamish Brown, the Flying Dutchman and Moe Alkaff. When she was made general manager of the then-newly renovated Rumours bar at Forum Galleria, she found that she had to prove herself. 'They were suspicious whether I could do my job well as I was a woman. You have to understand that they had never had to deal with a woman in the trade before,' said Mrs Khoo. She recounted how suppliers did not have confidence in her and how the band would question her authority in their choice in songs.

She said that her management style was different from that of men.

'While I concentrated in making everyone a team and a family, men in similar positions would operate in a more top-down style.' After all these years, she said, although management styles have improved, the industry is still primarily male-dominated. Said Mrs Khoo: 'Maybe women don't see a senior position in this industry as a serious career move.'

16 July 2005  Orchard Towers

Bored with usual night haunts, local yuppies find bars at Orchard Towers a great place for. Just hangin' out YUPPIES. You know the type: Professionals, very often English-educated and usually found in chi-chi places like Balaclava, Bar None, Sound Bar and the like.

YUPPIES. You know the type: Professionals, very often English-educated and usually found in chi-chi places like Balaclava, Bar None, Sound Bar and the like. So, what are they doing at a place like Orchard Towers, dubbed by some as 'four floors of whores' and better known for catering to Caucasian men?

Some local yuppies who have started hanging out there are not there for the sleaze. They just want a change of scene and to have a good time.

A 28-year-old writer, who wanted to be known only as Anna, 'discovered' the place when she decided to take an out-of-town visitor somewhere off the beaten track last year. It was her first time and she liked the place. Since then, she has gone back now-and-then, mainly to the three most popular bars in the building - Top Ten, Crazy Horse and Ipanema.

She said: 'It is a scene you would not expect to find in Singapore.  'It's initially shocking to see your male friends get felt up by the women there, but after a while, it becomes pretty funny to watch.  'But it's disgusting when you see a lot of old men with young girls,' she added. She said that she and her friends go there to just hang out.

Mr Sherwin Siregar, 27, a marketing manager, said that at normal yuppie hangouts, he always bumps into his colleagues or friends.  But at Top Ten, nobody knows him. 'Being anonymous means you can really let your hair down and be as crazy as you want and have some real fun. Imagine doing cheesy gongfu moves and jumping at Zouk! The crowd would look at you weirdly,' he said. He has gone to Top Ten four times with friends. About his experience there, Mr Siregar said: 'It was like being out of Singapore. It is refreshing to see different faces.' And it's not just young urban males who are heading to Orchard Towers.

Ms Marie Ng, 28, a marketing executive, said that she goes to Orchard Towers because she finds the general clubbing scene a bit tiresome. She spends most weekends drinking wine at Dempsey Road with friends. 'Whenever I go there, the bartender is always visibly shocked that I, probably the only woman there, go up to the bar to order my own drink. Orchard Towers was a definite eye-opener, to actually see the sleaze right in your face.'  Ms Ng has returned to Orchard Towers - going to Club Romeo, Crazy Horse and Top Ten - six times in the last three months with groups of friends. 'The prostitutes will politely ask me if any of the guys in the group is my boyfriend. If not, they just proceed to feel up their buns,' she laughed. She said that she has the best time in Top Ten, as she finds the band there a throwback to the glam and cheesy top 40 era. 

The last time she was there, she said, the bar had upgraded its sound and lighting system, so that at one point during the night, two large TV screens descended from the ceiling, showing large eyes, while an elaborate lighting system flashed the images of angel wings. 'Then, a deep, booming voice said something ridiculous like, 'you can't handle the music'. 'Some drunk Caucasians went wild and were dancing. Then, the disco music suddenly cut in. It was fun.'

TOILET NOISES

Angela, 29, who works in the medical profession wanted to be known only by her first name. She has gone to Orchard Towers about seven times in the last six month with male friends. She laughed: 'I remember during my first visit, I went to the toilet at Crazy Horse, I heard a lot of knocking noises in the next cubicle. After a while, a man came out followed by a woman 30 seconds later.' But she said that the place is not as bad as one might think because everyone leaves you alone. 'It's harmless sleaze, which you can laugh off .'

She even made friends with one of the transvestites at Crazy Horse. 'She was from Thailand, on a two-week holiday visa. She was very pretty with short hair and did not hide the fact that she was a transvestite or a prostitute,' said Angela.

Another yuppie who became a fan of Orchard Towers wanted to be known only as Ken. The 31-year-old first went there three years ago and, for about two years, returned almost every week, mainly to Crazy Horse. He and his friends went there to play pool and drink beer and were not harrassed by anyone. He advised: 'The unwritten rule is that if you hang out at the pool table, the prostitutes do not disturb you. He admitted, though, that the sleaze is not something everyone would be comfortable with. He stopped going there frequently about a year ago, saying that the novelty had worn off.

The general manager of Top Ten, Mr Peter Bader, told The New Paper that his bar mostly catered to expats. When told of the local yuppies visiting, the 50-year-old said: 'We do not attract many locals, so this bit of news is surprising.'

Singapore July 2005

The Asoka Upgrade
Owner of upgraded Asoka club wants to improve Indian nightspots' image: No more drunken fights, please
 

Ask lovers of Tamil and Hindi music where they like to chill out, and you can bet Asoka club will be at the top of their lists.

In a business where longevity is a rarity, Asoka Music Lounge has been around for 12 years, catering to the local Indian market.

There are about 10 Indian pubs or clubs in Singapore.

For most of its years, Asoka was lodged on the third floor of Kallang Leisure Park.

About three months ago, it moved into a 7,200 sq ft space at Shaw Plaza in Balestier, giving the club a spanking new look and feel. It even has a new name - Asoka Music Singapore. Dropping 'Lounge' from the name was a marketing move, said Mr James Bala, the owner of Asoka (seen in his new club, below). 'I have to cater more to the youngsters now,' the 45-year-old proprietor told The New Paper recently. 'Lounge is so old-fashioned. Asoka has to be more than just another Indian club.'

Hence its tagline: 'Asoka Music - a place with a touch of class.' One of the reasons Mr Bala moved was that Kallang Leisure Park shut down last September for a two-year redevelopment. 'We were also looking for a bigger space to move into where it was more central. We looked at many places in Orchard Road, Clarke Quay and Boat Quay, but nothing interested me.'

Mr Bala explained the rent was either too high or the location didn't fit his requirements. The search began in 2003, but it was only when Mr Bahtera Khalim, Asoka's manager, saw the Shaw Plaza space, that things fell into place. They instantly knew this was what they wanted. The 'upgrade' as Mr Bala calls it, was also to change the image of Indian pubs. 'People think Indian pubs are all about the guys getting drunk or getting into fights,' said the father of two.

'I want Asoka to be a sophisticated place, a club on par with a classy Orchard Road or Boat Quay club or pub.' Its selling point is safety. Mr Bala, who was in the security industry for 14 years before becoming a club owner, has a zero-tolerance policy for unruly behavior. When he first opened Asoka in 1993, hooliganism and frequent ugly brawls affected his business. The authorities clamped down hard and limited his operating hours. 'After that, I decided there would be no more of such nonsense at my club. In 1996, I started a members-only policy to keep out the troublemakers.'

The membership policy is still in place: $450 for men, $300 for women. Explaining the price difference, Mr Bala said that men buy more premium drinks like whisky than women. Currently, he has about 1,600 members. While he accepts walk-in clients who pay a $18 cover charge, he reserves the right to boot them out if they look dodgy or misbehave. At any one time, there are 14 beefy security personnel, who look out for potential troublemakers and patrol the floor hourly. We turn away anybody who doesn't look right or who is drunk. We don't want people loitering outside as well. If they wolf-whistle or get unruly in the club, they are out immediately.'

Another house rule is, if a member brings in a guest, that member is responsible for the guest. 'If the guest misbehaves, we deal with the member. 'We'll tell them they had better deal with their guests or they will be banned,' said Mr Bala. It is a life ban and there are no second chances. 'It's okay if we lose business - I don't want to lose my licence over a few jokers,' he added. The clientele is not complaining.

Customer Selvan Pillaai, 28, who runs a props design firm, said: 'The safety (in Asoka) is pretty reliable, there are rarely any fights. In other places, the fights just escalate out of control. The management here keeps things under control.' His female customers applaud the strict policies, too.Ms Sue Nair, who goes to Asoka with friends about once a week, feels that other pubs or clubs can't guarantee her safety. 'Look what happened to that poor girl at Serangoon Road. That's why this is the only club I come to,' said the 25-year-old personnel executive.

Ms Nair was referring to Miss S Yogeswari, 24, who was killed outside the Moon Music Lounge in Little India last month when she tried to stop a gang brawl. Said Mr Bala: 'I don't want things like that to happen at Asoka. I am strict and I will keep on being strict. That is the only way to run a business like this and to change the image of the Indian pub.'

5 July 2005 Singapore

  Singaporeans meet on Net for wild outings

  Venues range from HDB flats to top hotels

  Some groups have 30 active members

T'S a wild equation.
A single girl wanted a twosome with a guy, and ended up having group sex in a room with five girls and 20 men.

By Adrian Tay

IT'S a wild equation. A single girl wanted a twosome with a guy, and ended up having group sex in a room with five girls and 20 men.

Joan's story started when she wanted sex, and went on the Internet. 'I went there just to look for sex, not to find a boyfriend,' said Joan (not her real name). After she posted her particulars on a website, she got 20 to 30 pieces of e-mail a day. That's how she met one guy who introduced her to the wild party scene. Wild parties, according to sources, are held regularly at hotels and participants' homes.

The participants usually get to know one another through the Internet. Some meet for a drink or meal to chat and see if they are comfortable with each other. But once they get to the party, the lights dim, and they get cosy. Most parties are small with four to six people. But, according to Joan, the biggest party she has been to had 20 participants. One organizer of such parties, Peter, told The New Paper on Sunday that he mostly meets people for his parties through adult dating Internet sites.

He first joined in as a result of a foray into the Internet a few years back. Peter, 35, is a businessman who is married with two children. He and all party participants spoke on condition of anonymity. The participants of these parties are a mix of Singaporeans of all races, and foreigners.

Joan, 24, a graphic designer, said she has met Chinese, Malay as well as Chinese Indonesian girls at these gatherings. The age range is just as wide, from as young as 18 to those in their late 40s.  Most of them are relatively well educated. Joan, for example, is a graduate from a local university. But, Peter stressed, they are never underaged.  He noted that in most cases, many of these fun lovers are 'normal people' with professional jobs. Joan said: 'I know of one who is a childcare teacher. Many of them are in sales.'

One party-goer, Siti, 29, a secretary, said that most of them met through Internet chat sites, some of which are by invitation only, so participants have to know someone who is already in the group to join them.

Joan noted that some of these Net chat groups have as many as 50 members, of whom about 30 are active members who organize or participate in such parties.

The parties take place as regularly as once a month, Peter revealed. Last year , he organized and took part in more than 12 wild parties. He claims he has since 'toned down' due to work commitments.

The number of participants depends on who is hosting the party and the venue.

HOTELS FIRST CHOICE

Hotels are the first choice for many organizers. Rooms range from suites in six-star hotels to budget hotels for smaller groups. The participants split the room cost. 'Hotels are usually preferred as they are more discreet than an apartment,' he said. But, he added, such parties also take place in HDB flats, condos and even on a boat.

Peter said that from the outside, these parties look no different from any other gathering. People greet each other politely, with welcome hugs at the door. But the difference becomes apparent when the door is closed and the curtains are drawn. Most of the time, when people arrive, alcohol is served and games like strip poker are played, so that participants get in the mood. But still, said Joan, some do remain anxious and have problems getting intimate later. Joan, who has been in the wild party scene for two years, said the biggest party she has ever attended had over 20 men and just five girls. It took place at a married couple's new Housing Board flat in Tampines, which was sparsely furnished and didn't even have a number on the door.

Maria, 30, a food consultant and mother, was invited to that party too, but didn't go as she didn't like the odds.  She has been to smaller parties, though. 'I can't remember the exact address, but the party I went to was somewhere in Jurong East. It was a couple's three-bedroom flat on the fifth floor.' Peter said he has not heard of any couples who have split up as a result.  But they all also draw the line at hosting such parties if they have children at home. So do they ever get complaints from neighbors? No, said Peter. Noise levels are kept low, as participants understand the need to be discreet.  

Joan, who has been to two parties at HDB flats, noted that noise is never an issue. They also take precautions, like dressing in an inconspicuous manner. Peter said the women dress sexily but not so 'havoc'. Most of them also practice safe methods when getting intimate. There are also certain rules that have to be portant rule is, 'No means followed - as Peter stressed: 'The most imno'!'  

  Adrian Tay works as a content producer at SPH AsiaOne.

Wild parties okay by law if...

NO crime is committed if a group of consenting adults has sex in private.

Lawyer Suresh Damodara said there is nothing that says it is 'against the rules for a bunch of heterosexual people to have consensual sex in an enclosed private premise'. Commenting on the scenario where a person is giving oral sex to a partner of the opposite sex, he said it was all right, provided it is a prelude to sex. Ms Jennifer Lim, a criminal lawyer, noted: 'If there is sodomy, anal sex, or bestiality, these are criminal offences.'

Pastor Andrew Choo of Andrew and Grace Home said these parties are socially and morally unacceptable. An experienced counselor, he thinks that people who go to these parties are trying to escape - from reality, from their problems and the stresses of life.

'ATTENTION SEEKERS'

Pastor Choo added that some may also be attention seekers. He said: 'Women stand to lose a lot. As for the guys, they may enjoy now, but when their conscience creeps in, that's when they'll feel it.  'People who keep saying they enjoy it are just denying it. Eventually, there will be a loss of self-worth.'

Executive director and senior counselor with Family Life Centre, Mr David Kan, said they need to examine why they surf such websites. 'There may be an emotional need to find companionship,' he said. But one should be careful.

The 'honey-coated' messages on the Net could be deceptive, he said. 'In person, it could be something different altogether. Professor Peter Lim, a consultant urologist who runs clinics at both Gleneagles Medical Centre and Changi General Hospital, said women find it easier to approach men online.

'In Asia, if a woman tries to befriend a man in a bar, she might be considered too upfront as the man is, traditionally, the initiator.' He said that the Internet, compared to a bar, allows women to make contact with men without having to deal with peer pressure from companions. 'Going into Internet chatrooms lets them experiment in private, which is important for the Singapore woman who lives with her parents.' He also noted that women with average looks may not have the same socializing opportunities as an attractive-looking woman.