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between nine independent clubs, each in a different flavor. For a cultural experience, try
Dragonfly, with nightly Mandarin pop music shows featuring live performers and danc-
ers on stage. O r Movida, a dance club that specializ es in world beats. H ours vary from
club to club . 3 S entosa G ateway, #01-01. & 65/6270-7676. www.stjamespowerstation.com.
Cover charges vary from club to club.
Zouk Singapore's first inno vative danceteria, Z ouk intr oduced the city to house
music, which throbs nightly in its cav ernous disco, comprising thr ee warehouses joined
together. They play the best in modern music, so ev en if you're not much of a gr oover,
you can still have fun watching the party from the many levels that tower above the dance
floor. I f y ou need a bit mor e intimacy in y our nightlife, Velvet Underground ( VU),
within the Zouk complex, drips in r ed velvet and soft lighting—a good complement to
the more soulful sounds spinning her e. The newer addition to Z ouk, Phuture, draws a
younger, hip-hop-loving crowd than VU. Including the outdoor wine bar, Zouk is your
one-stop shop for a par ty; in Singapore, this place is legendar y. All clubs ar e open daily
6pm to 3am. 17 Jiak Kim St. & 65/6738-2988. www.zoukclub.com. Cover charges vary.
GAY NIGHTSPOTS
Singapore's gay clubbing scene is aliv e and w ell but still v ery underground. Bars come
and go, so to get the absolute latest happenings, y ou'll have to go bey ond mainstream
media. The Web has listings at www.utopia-asia.com , where you'll find the best updated
information about the most r ecent parties and hangouts. F or the latest info, I'd recom-
mend one of the chat r ooms suggested at the addr ess abo ve, and talk to the exper ts.
Velvet Underground, part of the Zouk complex (see above), welcomes a mixed clientele
of gays, lesbians, and straight folks.

9

WINE BARS
Beaujolais Finds This little gem, in a shophouse built on a hill, is tiny, but its charm
makes it a fav orite for lo yal regulars. Two tables outside (on the F ive-Foot-Way, which
serves more as a patio than a sidewalk) and two tables inside don't seem like much room,
but there's more seating upstairs. They believe that wine should be affor dable, and so
their many labels tend to be mor e moderately priced per glass and bottle. H ours ar e
Monday to Thursday 11am to midnight, Friday 11:30am to 2am, and Saturday 6pm to
midnight; happy hours runs from opening until 9pm. 1 Ann Siang Hill. & 65/6224-2227.
Que Pasa One of the mor e mellow stops along P eranakan Place, this little wine bar
serves up a collection of some 70 to 100 labels with plenty of atmospher e and a nice
central location. It's another bar in a shophouse, but this one has as its centerpiece a very
unusual winding stair way up the air shaft to the lev el above. Wine bottles and ar twork
line the walls. I n the front, you can order tapas and cigars. The upstairs VIP club looks
and feels like a formal living r oom, complete with wing chairs and boar d games. Hours
are Monday to Thursday noon to 2am, F riday and Saturday noon to 3am, and S unday
5pm to 2am. 7 Emerald Hill Rd. & 65/6235-6626. www.emeraldhillgroup.com.

3 THE PERFORMING ARTS

Professional and amateur theater companies, dance troupes, opera companies, and musi-
cal gr oups offer a wide v ariety of not only Asian-focused per formances, but Western