I almost couldn’t make it to Choices’ Fabulous Forties party since the day’s work ended with me totally exhausted. I was glad that I made it there though, albeit an hour late.... because the goodie bag made me very pleased!
I heart the Meiji collagen powder the most because I’ve been wanting to try it.... and they gave us a week’s supply of it! Plus Sally Hansen and I Nuovi products that I would have considered a splurge as I don’t spend too much on cosmetics. I also got to read Choices for the first time, and it turned out that I was wrong about the type of mag it was. It was more informative than I thought it was, and I liked the fact that it introduces a place or product by writing an article on it instead of merely mentioning its name. Back to the party.
The club was PACKED when we went in, and it was rather quiet as there was something happening on stage. I edged forward only to see the top of Nita’s head and the emcee saying, “Thank you everybody.”
And so my friends and I went in only to see the end of the event.
So we decided to stand around, to check people out and to be checked out, as per the drill of clubbing and partying. The bar was as packed as when we came in, but the potential of the crowd to engage in people watching seem to take away the frustration of individuals waiting in line for 15 minutes for a glass of bourbon coke.
I was supposed to be the Fabulous Forties Paparazzi, and notable mini celebs were amongst the crowd which I, if I were true to my profession, would have snapped pictures of them unknowingly to capture their worst moments. But alas, the active “looking at others looking at me” radar was on high alert in them that I gave up giving them the ego ride and took random pictures of frustrated and thirsty people waiting by the bar.
My friend, Peiting, and I were distracted by the PS consoles on stage and decided to give it a shot. Peiting, who urged me to be more sociable instead of looking at technology, attempted the game and was even more hooked onto it than I am. The irony of this girl is that she’s an irony even before she becomes an irony. (She’s so gonna make this an analytical process and intellectual discussion....)
So it was booze (for my friends) and chit-chatting.... and photo-taking.*
The buffet made everyone very very happy too, as you can see from Sam’s affirmative look.
The most exciting part of the party is perhaps the lucky draw section. The thought of getting something for free naturally put everyone to a high. It was funny to see people scampering around and looking at their invites. Some acted cool, some were enthusiastic, and I pretended not to care while I went around taking photos.
“Pretended” is key, because in fact, I wished I won the Meiji hamper. A guy walked away with it I recall.... I don’t even want to post his picture up.
And so it is, a hard day’s night, ended with a kick ass goodie bag, and Peiting getting drunk and thus the photo-taking ended in fear of her puking on my camera. Haha.
Thank you Nita for the invite!
*And I mean lots of pictures! I’ve just received an 8GB memory card courtesy of SanDisk – I will need to take many more party pictures before I fill it up....
Just like its name, Choice’s 40th issue re-launch party was indeed.... well, fabulous. There simply isn’t any better word to describe it. But before I go into the whole spill about why the party’s just so wonderful (and why you shouldn’t have missed it, haha), let me clarify some essentials....
Firstly, I was an absolute disastrous and inadequate paparazzi. Taking part in the Sandisk/Choices paparazzi competition, I thought the task was simple. After all, how tough could snapping a couple of pictures and writing a blog entry about your honest opinions be? Not to mention, I’ll receive a SanDisk 8GB MicroSDHC for FREE. Free! How could any true-blue Singaporean resist this?
Turns out to be, being paparazzi isn’t as easy as it seems on TheSuperficial and PerezHilton (two of my favourite sites). Your most basic equipment, the camera, needs to be of a substantial standard. As you can see from below, my pictures are horrible. Bad lighting plus lousy mobile phone camera just don’t mix.
Second tip to become a brilliant paparazzi: Make sure that your device is charged to full power before heading out! I stupidly forgot, and within half an hour of the party, my mobile phone died. Which explains my lack of pictures. The hot models and hot men (woo-hoo!) only drifted in after, which was very unfortunate.
And I’ve digressed! Pardon my rant. Back to the topic of the Fabulous Forties.
Held at Thumper, Goodwood Park Hotel, it is right beside Far East Plaza (read: very accessible). Prior to the event, at approximately 6:45 pm or so, the sky started pouring. Initially, I thought that it would mean a lack of attendance, but boy, was I in for a surprise! The place was packed! Like sardines. Thankfully, a friend had reserved a seat for me and I found myself sitting quite comfortably in a corner.
Honestly, I didn’t move around much in the event (No way was I going to give up my seat!). It was just too crowded. Nonetheless, I had fun catching up with ex-colleagues/friends/acquaintances that I haven’t met in a long time, plus chatting and mingling with friends of friends/random strangers/cute guys! Not to mention, the limitless free alcoholic beverages made the atmosphere really, really friendly. Oh, and on a random note, the meatballs at the buffet table were mouth-watering good.
It’s hard to describe what went on…. You have to be there to feel and experience it for yourself. So boo-hoo if you didn’t go; I enjoyed myself immensely.
All in all, the party was great heaps of fun! Food and drinks were delectable, people were beautiful and the music, head-bopping. One gripe I had though…. There were no drunken people or bitch fights. Now that’s something that would have spiced things up a little.... ;)
On 22 May 2008, we had our Fabulous Forties party to celebrate the 40th issue of Choices. It was a night of fun, games, yummy food, excitable lucky draw participants and fantastic goodie bags for everyone.
Held at Singapore’s only flair bar, Thumper at Goodwood Park Hotel, we were overwhelmed by the number of guests who turned up – 373 to be exact. Who turned up? Advertisers, sponsors, subscribers and readers. The two-and-a half hour party entertained guests with the yummy food, free flow housepour and beer, easy listening lounge music and also two sets of PlayStation®. A question-and-answer session and a lucky draw were held, and several lucky guests walked away with attractive prizes.
“We’ve always focused on providing up-to-date and interesting news on education, career and lifestyle. Whether it’s a new course, the opening of a new school, current job trends, employee prospects or even the latest fashion tip bits, we’ve got it in Choices,” said Perry Singh, newly-minted publisher of Choices, in his opening speech at the party.
Since its inception in 2004, Choices has brought aspiring students and young working adults the latest news and information on the education and career landscape in Singapore. Now under new management – publishing company Azer Pte Ltd – Choices aims to continue being a one-stop interesting and informative read, placing greater editorial focus on education and career information. The new and improved Choices will offer articles on brand new upgrading courses, diploma and degree programmes, as well as the career tips and advice on the most sought-after jobs in booming industries.
“It’s great that Choices is now a monthly magazine, I can now look forward to reading it more often,” said Cheryl Hoon, an avid reader of Choices, who attended the party with her friend Yeh Wei Xuan, also a reader of the magazine.
We’d also like to take this opportunity to give a big shout out and thanks to all our sponsors who helped make the party even more fabulous. A big kudos goes out to: Ashleigh & Burnwood and Infinity Fragrance & Gift, Cristalle21 and Cristalle de Paris, Coppertone, I Nuovi Professional, J.CO Donuts & Coffee, Laneíge, L’Oréal Vichy, Meiji, Rustic Nirvana, Sally Hansen, SanDisk, San Street, Schwan-Stabilo, Sonic Gear Lab, Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong, The School of Make Up, The Ling Boutique, Thumper and Universal Music.
Of course, not forgetting those who turned up – thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedules to celebrate with us. Sorry we couldn’t accommodate everyone who turned up; we didn’t want to risk overcrowding. We promise to cater to a bigger crowd for our next party, and bring you even more fabulous goodies and prizes. Here’s looking forward to many more successful years for Choices!
Luxurious fragrance brand from the United Kingdom, Ashleigh & Burwood is finally available in Singapore. With scented candles, incense, fragrance oils, aromatherapy and giftware collection, there’s definitely something for everyone. Available now at 5 Stadium Walk, #01-24, Leisure Park Kallang Singapore 397693. Call 6348-0122 for more details. Prices range from S$14.90 to S$159.90.
We have Ashleigh & Burnwood products to give away in our goodie bags, as well as a Infinity Fragrance & Gift product hamper worth S$285.30 to be won at our party! Hurry send us an e-mail to get your exclusive invite to The Fabulous Forties - The Choices 40th issue Re-Launch Party! For more information, visit www.choices.com.sg/thefabulousforties.
The Diva of all Divas is back with a brand new album! Mariah Carey releases E=MC² after the best-selling album of 2005, The Emancipation of Mimi in 2005. Mariah has just hit a career high with her latest hit single, 'Touch My Body', reaching the # 1 spot on the Billboard charts! She has already eclipsed Elvis Presley’s previous record of 17 #1 hit singles and is just 2 spots away from the Beatles record of 20 #1s. Other key singles to check out from the album include, 'Bye Bye' and 'I’m that Chick'.
Check out our review of E=MC² in our Mar/Apr 2008 issue of Choices:
This 11th studio album by pop/R&B singer Mariah Carey aims to repeat the success of her critically acclaimed previous album, The Emancipation Of Mimi.
Without even trying, Carey manages to duplicate that success with first single, 'Touch My Body', which became her 18th number one single, pushing her to second place in the list of artistes with the most number one singles. The rest of the album features Carey’s familiar R&B beats; nothing ground-breaking or out of the ordinary. She tries to insert her personal experiences in her songs though, which is a commendable effort – she talks about her marriage to Tommy Mottola in 'Side Effects', and her second single, 'Bye Bye', is about the loss of her father who died of cancer in 2002. Oh, and by the way, the album name means Emancipation (E) of (=) Mariah Carey (MC) to the second power (²), a reference to both Einstein’s famous formula and previous album The Emancipation Of Mimi. What We Like: Touch My Body, Cruise Control, I Stay In Love, Bye Bye Spin Factor: 3 out of 5
We have a Mariah Carey CD hamper worth S$100 from Universal Music to give away at our party! Hurry send us an e-mail to get your exclusive invite to The Fabulous Forties - The Choices 40th issue Re-Launch Party! For more information, visit www.choices.com.sg/thefabulousforties.
Practicality vs Artistry - the age old struggle of buying the right gift ends today. The Ling Boutique, a contemporary lifestyle product label, fuses form and function into working pieces of artistry.
The Ling Boutique believes in paying attention to the little things in life, the everyday objects that we see and use, beacuse it is the little things in life that matter most. Good taste pervades into the smallest things we see and use. Even the smallest things in life illustrate ones taste and ability to appreciate the finer things in life.
The Ling Boutique carries a comprehensive range of contemporary lifestyle products fusing strong functionality and practicality with taste in its design philosophy. Lifestyle objects found and used everyday by everyone across the world, bringing the joy of good taste to the little details of life.
Some products that can be found at The Ling Boutique:
Ice Radio - Cooler than ice, this radio will keep you entertained ever so stylishly. Tune in to your favourite station with a turn of the silver disc then up the volume with a twist of the icy surface. Let them stare with envy. You deserve to be cool. Retail price: S$78.80
Medallion Hub - This four-port USB hub will ease the plug-in clutter around your computer and add some colour to your workstation. When not in use, just retract the cable and store it away. Retail price: S$22.50
Ice Mouse - A transparent cute mouse to brighten up your workstation and your day at work with its 7-colours changing LED light. Retail price: S$35.50
The Donut - Never mind the donut fad going around town nowadays. These donuts are made to entertain you. They come in two ‘rich flavours’ - dark and white chocolate. Tune in to your favourite radio station by turning the upper and lower halves. With a total of zero calories, let The Donut be your favourite auditory snack. Eat at your own risk, of course. Retail price: S$42.50
Wave Mug - Be different and make it known. The wave mug will set you apart from other ‘drinkers’ with its curves of ceramic and steel. Comes in set of two. Retail price: S$45.00 per set
The Ling Boutique is located at The Cathay, 2 Handy Road, #03-11, Singapore 229233. For enquiries, please contact The Ling Boutique at 6887 4304 or e-mail enquiry@lingboutique.com. Alternatively, you may visit the online store at www.lingboutique.com.
We have The Ling Boutique merchandise to give away in our goodie bags, as well as a Philippi Statue i-Speaker System worth S$208 to be won at our party! Hurry send us an e-mail to get your exclusive invite to The Fabulous Forties - The Choices 40th issue Re-Launch Party! For more information, visit www.choices.com.sg/thefabulousforties.
Be our roving reporter by taking pictures and videos at our party with the 8GB SanDisk microSDHC card – you can capture about 32 hours of video or 14,400 pictures with it! Then send us a blog entry with the photos and videos, documenting the party and your experience!
Send an e-mail to inbox@choices.com.sg with the subject “The Fabulous Forties Paparazzi” and you stand to win one of five 8GB SanDisk microSDHC cards! Do remember to include your name, NRIC number, address and contact number in the e-mail.
In conjunction with the premiere of Made of Honor, a movie starring Patrick Dempsey, a wedding with a male ‘maid-of-honor’ was held at Golden Village Vivocity. For the first time, the cinema was adorned in streamers and flowers, decorated to celebrate the wedding of Kevin Foo and Ashley Thng. Hosted by the charismatic 51-year old Flying Dutchman, the wedding was graced by the presence of family and loved ones. In addition, the media and the public were present as well to witness a first-ever wedding in a cinema. Overwhelmed with well wishes, the bride and groom celebrated their union as man and wife. Decked in a gorgeous gown with a long train, she was assisted down the red carpet, by her friend and male maid-of-honor, Alvin Aw. Under the blessings of everyone, they exchanged rings and vows and brought the event to a close. It was a refreshing experience for all who attended, and a truly unforgettable experience for Ashley and Kevin.
Look out for our review of the movie, Made of Honor, in you upcoming June 2008 issue!
This summer, Coppertone introduces its new UV Cut Milk range of gentle sun protection products from Japan to protect and moisturise the skin, leaving it smooth, supple and sheltered from the sun’s harmful UVA/UVB rays.
Coppertone Perfect UV Cut Milk SPF 50, Coppertone Baby UV Cut Milk SPF 35, and Coppertone Kids UV Cut Milk SPF 35 are non-chemical sunscreens that are fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, with no artificial colour, and also allergy and dermatologist tested. Formulated perfectly for daily use, all three milky formulations are gentle enough to be used on both the face and body, while Coppertone Baby UV Cut Milk SPF 35can be used by young women with sensitive skin as well.
Coppertone Perfect UV Cut Milk SPF 50 60ml retails at $15.95. Coppertone Baby UV Cut Milk SPF 35 30ml retails at $15.50. Coppertone Kids UV Cut Milk SPF 35 30ml retails at $15.50. All Coppertone UV Cut Milk products are sold at all Nishino pharmacy, Guardian and Watsons outlets.
We have Coppertone UV Cut Milk product samples to give away in our goodie bags at our party! Hurry send us an e-mail to get your exclusive invite to The Fabulous Forties - The Choices 40th issue Re-Launch Party! For more information, visit www.choices.com.sg/thefabulousforties.
Normaderm, the skincare range from VICHY for oily and imperfect skin, effectively tackles skin problems such as clogged pores, red spots, shiny patches, blackheads and uneven complexion without the harshness and drying effects associated with traditional anti-acne remedies. Normaderm responds to the day-to-day needs of imperfection-prone skin with its active ingredients that target the causes of imperfect skin combined with VICHY Thermal Spa Water to help soothe and reinforce the natural defense of the skin.
The New VICHY Normaderm Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care is available from April 2008 onwards at VICHY counters in selected Guardian, Unity and Watsons and in all major hospital pharmacies.
We have VICHY product samples to give away in our goodie bags, as well as VICHY product hampers worth S$167 each to be won at our party! Hurry send us an e-mail to get your exclusive invite to The Fabulous Forties - The Choices 40th issue Re-Launch Party! For more information, visit www.choices.com.sg/thefabulousforties.
Duffy has achieved astonishing success as a new artist with her solo debut album, Rockferry. She has received critical praise from critics worldwide as well as managed to attain commercial success. Her first single, Mercy debuted at the #1 spot on the UK charts and remained there for 5 weeks in a row. Her sound can be best described as old soul with an edge. Other singles to check out include Warwick Avenue and Distant Dreamer.
Duffy - Mercy
We have a Duffy CD hamper worth S$100 from Universal Music to give away at our party! Hurry send us an e-mail to get your exclusive invite to The Fabulous Forties - The Choices 40th issue Re-Launch Party! For more information, visit www.choices.com.sg/thefabulousforties.
Stereophonics staged a gig last week at Fort Canning Park, and not only did Choices get to be part of the crowd, we managed to score an interview with band members Richard Jones and Javier Wayler.
Originating from Wales, Stereophonics was in town for their Pull The Pin tour, in promotion with their number one sixth studio release, Pull The Pin.
Stereophonics - It Means Nothing
Look forward to our feature article of Stereophonics in our upcoming June 2008 issue!
The Fabulous Forties - The Choices 40th issue Re-Launch Party
We're having a party and you're invited!
We’re celebrating a milestone for Choices magazine – our 40th issue! Now a monthly publication, we bring you an all-new re-hash of Choices, your top choice for up-to-date and interesting news on education and career prospects.
Date: 22 May 2008 (Thursday) Time: 7.00 – 9.30 pm Venue: Thumper, Goodwood Park Hotel * Free flow of soft drinks, spirits and draft beer from 7.00 – 9.00 pm, 1-for-1 on all housepours and draft beers from 9.00 – 9.30 pm
We have goodie bags and prizes worth a total of $50,000 up for grabs – CD hampers, product vouchers, product hampers, sound systems and much more!
Get your exclusive invite to this party by being one of the first 150 to send us an e-mail with the subject “The Fabulous Forties Invite” to inbox@choices.com.sg. Do remember to include your name, NRIC number, address and contact number in the e-mail.
* Shuttle bus service provided from Newton MRT Exit B to Thumper at the following times: 6.45 pm, 7.00pm, 7.15 pm
So join us as we celebrate the new and improved Choices!
PS We'll be keeping you updated about the party through this blog, so remember to check back regularly!
The Choices team was on hand to help Republic Polytechnic at their Student Life Fiesta on 16 April 2008.
This event lasted for three days at the RP campus, and it aimed to introduce first year students to the array of Co-Curricular Activities they can participate in. RP has all sorts of CCAs, including ballroom dancing, Japanese culture appreciation, rugby, drama, volleyball, etc.
The crowd was happening and this is one of the most interesting CCA drives we have ever been to! There were performances by the acapella group, the Malay dance group and the guitar club. Each CCA group was doing their best to attract members – some students were even dressed up in costumes to promote their CCA!
Early birds were given a reward – a goodie bag chockful of attractive vouchers and products, inclusive of a copy of the Choices magazine. As one of their sponsors (we sponsored 1000 copies of our magazines), our team was stationed at the goodie bag redemption booth to help give out the goodie bags.
As soon as the goodie bags arrived, students began crowding over, wanting to get their hands on it. By word of mouth, the number of students who knew we were distributing something free increased and the crowd got bigger. Who wouldn’t want freebies?
Our goodie bags were snapped up within two hours – all 300 of them for the day. Those who didn’t get one were told to come again early tomorrow or the day after.
We had fun meeting the students and experiencing RP’s Student Life Fiesta. Hopefully we can be part of this event again next year!
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