Zouk- a part of me

I don't even know how to start. 

To finally embrace how this feels like - knowing that a place that means so much to me and I have come to call home, will potentially disappear, forever.

To say I am saddened, does little or practically no justice to how I actually feel. Not because I might potentially lose my job (that really is secondary at this point in time) but that I am essentially losing a part of myself. 

Just like 99% of 18 year olds in Singapore, I lost my virgin clubbing experience at Zouk, specifically at Phuture and Mambo Jambo: the Wednesday rite of passage.

It is where I discovered my love for Tequila shots, refined my taste for single malt whiskeys and celebrated every single birthday and Christmas and New Year's since I was 18. The place I was lost in love and fell in love, lost and found myself and where I have learnt the purest kindness and loyalty and also seen the worst sides of human nature. 

In May 2006, at the age of 23, fresh out of school, I joined the Zouk family. I have spent 8 years growing, learning, living and breathing Zouk. I am truly blessed, to not only enjoy what I do, but know that everyday I am inspired to take the brand to new heights. And I'm not saying this because it sounds great on a blog post dedicated to how i feel about Zouk or our pending expiring lease, but because if you know me, you know this is the truth. 

Zouk is possibly one of the most intriguing brands that exists today. Catered to the masses, yet still having a unique identity of its own. A club in itself, having world class DJs and musicians grace our decks and take on our stage, yet also having developed into a sub culture of its own. Part of the local fashion, design and creative communities, Zouk has taken music as the binding factor to bring together people and inspirations.

A home grown Singapore local brand, yet internationally known. 9 time award winner of the Singapore Tourism Board- Best Nightspot Experience Awards and top 7th club in the DJ Mag Top 100 Clubs in the World Poll. It isn't even about the accolades anymore, as I write this, I realize it is about how Zouk has touched each of our hearts and our lives.

Break ups, engagements, weddings, birthdays- how many of us have raised our glasses in each of these occasions at Zouk? Drowned our sorrows, laughed our joys and danced till our feet ached and our hearts rejoiced, all at Zouk? Let's not even start talking about ZoukOut- where below that one sky, we have danced under the stars and watched sunrise together with friends and loved ones and wished it was all a dream that we never had to wake up from. It's not even an exaggeration. And you know I am right.

I have always believed that in life, I was meant to inspire and that the people I meet know they matter, no matter at what level it might be- a friend, a working partner, a colleague. Zouk has enabled me to do just that. To share the music, the dance floor, the ideas and that many bottles of whisky over never ending conversations, life long partnerships and simple moments. 

I write this with a heart that is truly hurting. For a place that means so much to me. For the Zouk family that have become my very own family. Surely this can't be the end? Everyone says Jiak Kim Street is Zouk and Zouk is Jiak Kim Street. It's like peanut butter and jelly- it can't possibly be peanut butter and kaya right? It's just not right. 

If you had your first sour plum shot at Zouk or shared a jug of long island tea with your army mates in Phuture or downed the glass of Velvet Rope at Velvet with your girlfriends or cried in the corner at Wine Bar over a break up or danced on the TGIW console on a Wednesday dreading Thursday's work, then what next? 

We aren't just a club. That's the difference. Zouk belongs to everyone of us. 

www.save-zouk.com

#SaveZouk 

Cross roads & ZoukOut 2012

It's 1 week to Christmas. It's my favorite time of the year, or at least it used to be. And because of how terribly conservative I am, though I know it doesn't appear so at all, such holidays, special occasions and birthdays, I always have to have my family have dinner together.

Since my mum started the restaurant- Table at 7 (www.tableat7.com), we haven't really kept to this ideal dinner situation in my point of view. I remember how i always tried to set the tradition, 1 present each to open when the clock struck midnight on the eve and the next morning, drag the brothers out of bed to the Christmas tree to devour the presents.

The 3 of us

This year we have no tree at home. I'm rather upset but I know that it's also because of how our lifestyles have changed. Ok mine hasn't. I'm still in the same job for 7 years and doing the late night/wee hours of the morning.

ANYWAY, I blog too long winded-ly. But i also realize that I've changed. I used to be more sticky, stubborn and uptight about pretty much everything. Everything has to be done in the way i deemed it to be perfect, everything in an ideal situation of mine. I guess people change over time. I don't see it as a good or bad thing. Change is always the only constant.

I'm taking a long break in January. And i was pretty excited about going to Korea to do my eyes, but I'm starting to get serious jitters. Pre plastic jitters. HAHA. Ok judge me all you want but I could be undergoing mid-life crisis of sorts, so i want to do this. Life is mundane enough, time to shake it up before i get the government's letter on my official change of ID and passport pictures next year. So hopefully all turns out good.

And i wasn't going to hide it. But this is how I look now.

Me at ZoukOut 2012

Which brings me on to talk about ZoukOut for a bit. I had wanted to do a dedicated entry on what it means to me, but despite having it all in my head, when it came down to it, i couldn't blog about it. But since I chose to post a picture at ZoukOut, here's some tiny tiny thoughts i have.

It was my 7th ZoukOut this year. People always ask me what I actually do for the festival. Simply put- i seek partners and sponsors willing to part with cash and to build pre-event campaigns in line with the festival that would add value to ZoukOut as a whole. I shall not go into the depths of how I do it, what I do or anything of that sort.

Each year for me, there would be a certain kind of magic from ZoukOut that I would take with me. I remember dancing till dawn to Dennis Ferrer with the then love of my life and Pipi's sunrise set from many ZoukOuts back, which remains to be one of the best memories for me. There have been many moments, tucked away in the vault of my memory bank. But for me, each year it is also a very gentle reminder of how fucking amazing the Zouk family is. Seriously, which event on such a large scale is planned, strategized and executed completely in-house? It's about the people behind the scenes, people like Simon, Rexx, Jeremy, Benny, Joyce, Yasee, etc. This is the true magic of ZoukOut. The people that make it happen. And when i thought about it once more this year, i am honestly humbled to be working alongside these few amazing souls.

ZoukOut 2012

The sheer scale of the event still overwhelms me. And this year, i took a moment away alone when Knife Party came on. I needed to soak it in. And I did, in all its entirety and rawness. I reflected back on my years at Zouk, my first ZoukOut and I am grateful.

ZoukOut 2012 Crowd

As with all things in life, nothing lasts forever. Another ZoukOut gone, a passing memory. So let's not dwell too much on what was but let's look towards what will be.

7 days to Christmas. 14 days to 2013.
For the heart seeks what the heart knows best, to love and to love more.
Till the next time. x