The 11th edition of the world famous outdoor beach party, ZoukOut 2011 promises an onslaught of top-notch acts including Gui Boratto (tech-house), Ladytron (electro-pop), Armin Van Buuren (trance), Scratch Perverts (hip hop) and Bob Sinclair (sexy French house)—a perfect close to an already mega year in dance music. You know the drill: Lots of sweaty, half-naked boys and girls moving from sundown to sunrise at Sentosa’s Siloso Beach. Apart from fabulous music, there will also be the R.FM cinema screening, part of the Singapore Design Festival 2011 which will provide perfect visual fodder for the dance acts, and lots of crazy fireworks.

Survival Tips

Zouk’s marketing manager Sofie Chandra clues us in.

1. He who fails to plan will miss Armin Van Buuren's set. The program map is key.
2. Minimal is the way to go when it comes to dressing. Less is more.
3. Wear heels and you will be condemned. It is not a fashion show, so leave the Chanels and Balenciagas at home.
4. Bring a friend who drives and doesn't drink.
5. Drink sparingly, toilet queues are long.
6. Eat then drink, then you can drink more.
7. Sunrise cometh, sunglasses bringeth for the morning set.

ZoukOut 2011 takes place December 10 at Siloso Beach, Sentosa.

I wasn’t a pretty girl growing up so I spent a lot of time feeling inadequate and wanting to grow into something or someone else.

I fell in love with this boy at church, Emmanuel. I then learned in Bible study it was one of Jesus’ many names and felt bad for liking him. He didn’t fancy me but whatever; I didn’t care.

I used to eat two double cheese burgers a day and fries. And ice cream.

My first boyfriend was someone I grew up with. I stalked him on Facebook and basically called him a lot. We went out for about a year. It didn’t work out so well.

Currently, I hang out with this one person 99 percent of the time. He helps put my mind at ease. I also have a band, but they’re all over the world and have crazy jobs so whenever we’re all around, we make music. I love them an insane amount.

I’m so emotional. I’ll refuse to admit I’m in love, but I secretly think I always am. Not just with someone, but with everything that’s happening. Like the sky. Haha, the sky. I sound like a hippie.

I still listen to Modest Mouse quite a bit. They were one of the first real bands I started listening to that I really liked and could relate to. They remind me that... not a lot, apart from the really important things, like my mom, matters.

Rice influences me. It makes me more Asian. And, it reminds me to moderate. When I have too much, my pants don’t fit right.

I think I left my heart in Los Angeles a month ago. My family’s there. I don’t talk to them every day, but they understand me.

The last time I was truly happy was just this morning when I gave my friend’s eight-year-old son a big hug. And he told me to get off him but I refused to. I do it every day.

Fame means people wanting to take a picture with me. Duh. Just kidding. I don’t even know.

In my spare time I write my work blog and personal blog. I also comment anonymously on forums and watch lots of Conan O’Brien.

I pray.

1. In estimating the “value” of any carpet, three distinct qualities are to be considered:

a) Rarity depends on the age of the carpet, the locality where it was made or its type. For instance, Persian carpets made in the 50s are among the rarest.

b) Artistic Beauty depends on the design and coloring. All weavers do not have the same artistic talent. The charm of the carpet depends on the graceful flow of lines, the careful balance of different parts of the patterns and the proper coordination between border and field.

c) As for Utility, one must determine the quality of the material and the dyes. If inferior material is used, the carpet will wear out very fast. On the other hand, the color will run when wet or fade quickly if poor dyes are used.

2. The number of knots itself does not demonstrate the quality of the texture, since a carpet may have fewer knots of coarse diameter and yet firmly woven, but in the same class the better carpet generally has more knots than a poorer one.

3. One must also observe the back of the carpet fully and not just the front. If the back of the carpet shows firmness and skillful painstaking work, the front will correspond with distinct colors and designs.