The time has come again for another Halloween and this year there is no lack in the number of entertainment outlets to offer various kinds of fun and games or performances for such an occasion.

The nitez crew went for an adventurous club-hopping this year as for us; its’ always daytime some where around the globe so why bother sleeping on Halloween no less? From one corner of Kota Kinabalu city to the far end of Penampang district and as far as Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort did we venture throughout the night.

As variegated the night life is and as vibrant the people are on Halloween, whats’ separating 2009 Halloween from last year was the multitudinous of the peoples’ preferences on celebrating this affair.

As colorful and somewhat funny and scary at the same time, Halloween would not be the same without costumes and masks; but that is only among a fraction of what else was being worn or carried by the individuals that came out into the night.

D’Junction has its’ own way of creating an atmosphere where Halloween doesn’t have to only mean costumes and such but a night to enjoy a night of reverie with like-minded jovial spirits, literally speaking; I am of course referring to the drinking competition that was held among other trivias’ and games that night.

Drinking Contest

Though many would wonder about the ‘mysterious concoction‘ that the hosts’ have prepared for their would be contestants, it was a sight to remember indeed as the patrons faces were somewhat quite appalled yet ecstatic at the same time from drinking such contrivance.

Mummy Wrapping Contest

Performance by the resident band. dancing the night away with the late Michael Jacksons’ Thriller song among others’ was indefinitely a bizarre and fascinating show to witness as the dancers’ themselves were in undead costumes, so to speak.

Shenanigans’ this year did not have a short supply of patrons clad in both multifariously terrifying and comedic attires and masks. Even finding one of your friends in this place was as hard as finding a needle in a haystack. Though imagine that needle being the same color.

Jokers, pirates, ghouls, Charlie Chaplin, bunny-costumes, devils’ horns and cartoon or anime characters’ aside; twas’ for sure not a night to be staying at home. With a cumulative ambiance of conviviality and reverberating sounds of standing too close to the speakers of not one or two but many clubs; it was both hard to resist(or hear after wards) and difficult to ignore so many luring invitations from different places and from different faces to enjoy this festive night.

Happy Halloween !~!

From us at borneonitez.com we leave you with this authentically scary and real background image of what to expect only from the nitez crew . . .

~I Will Be Watching You~

A night of glitz, glamour and dazzling Oriental beauty

Straight from the state capital of Sabah, The Miss Oriental Beauty Pageant 2009 held its’ 1st Heat on 23rd February at D Junction Fun Pub & Bistro which is located opposite Lido, Penampang. 20 gorgeous ladies participated in this pageant and only one will be crowned Miss Oriental 2009.

With an amazing line-up of sponsors which includes Bellini Colleczion Boutique, Rich Girl Boutique, G-Cuts Gallery, New Sabah Times, Mari-Mari Culture Village to name a few; it was already promising to be a night to remember. The winner of this pageant will win cash prize of MYR 5000, while 1st and 2nd Runner-up will earn MYR 3000 and MYR 1000 respectively.

The Place . . .

What do you get when you pack a club with great music, awesome company, fascinating dresses and raiment; and have some of the most extrinsicly-entrancing ladies to fashion them? All that accumulation of ostentatious qualities would result in this very pageant. One can’t help but feel the atmosphere with a certain conviviality and jovial excitement with a hint of eloquence added to the mix.

With ample space for both the stage and bar with enough room for the patrons (and fans of the participants) and the numerous photographers; D Junction is absolutely the perfect spot for this particular event. Patrons started filling up the place as early as 7.30 pm and even as late 11.00pm the doors didn’t stop swinging, welcoming more and more people in.

Harajuku in the house . . .

The line up of apparel started off with the Lolita collection, sponsored by Street-2; this particular outfit is influenced by Harajuku street style (an area in between Shibuya and Shinjuku in Japan) and is gaining popularity among the youths within Malaysia.

The ladies were simply gorgeous in multitudes of colors which mostly consists of white, pink, red and black which is characterized by this kind of garment which is also known by some as Sweet Lolita, Gothic Lolita or Lolita-Maid costumes, the participants that went up stage looked more than just adorable; they were charming and appealing.

Feels like the Red Carpet

The evening dresses that night was sponsored by the Sueno Ninas boutique. Its’ selection was an assemblage of august and resplendent attires; glamorous and brilliant perfect for an evening of formal-wear or just a casual night out hitting the clubs and parties.

In its’ iridescence and chromatic arrangement, which were chosen for this event was flawless and immaculate not to mention au courant as well. It portrayed each and every one of the participants with an air of felicity, sophistication and splendor; qualities that which Sueno Ninas have proven time and again with their exquisite collections.

Combined with the beautiful grace and eloquence expressed by the ladies adorning these exceptional apparels; the ambiance was reminiscent of a night at the Grammys’ and a dash of savoir-faire.

Exotic and Immemorial . . .

The last ensemble for the women of the pageant was an interesting twist. Each participant were to pick out their own choice of traditional Chinese cheongsam dress which they are to wear that night. Cheongsam is a one-piece dress which was made fashionable back in 1920s’ largely worn by the socialites in Shanghai which represents class, refinement and luxury.

Alluring and captivating were the ladies that the crowd went into a frenzy since the moment they first went up on stage up . What made them even more entrancing were due to the magnificent make-up artists that did a brilliant job upon our exotic participants with an ensemble of products sponsored by L’Oréal.

Stay tuned dnd don’t miss out on the Semi Finals of the 2009 Miss Oriental Beauty Pageant which will be held this Friday (6th February).

More riveting coverage and awesome images coming soon, only here at borneonitez.com . . .

Its that time of the year again where you see lots of glowing jack-o’-lanterns and somewhat scary and even colorful costumes. Some might choose to go trick-or-treating, visit haunted attractions or watch horror movies with friends. Though in Sabah, Halloween is celebrated with just a ‘hint’ of difference.

While for those that enjoy the night life would surely be seen in some of these venues within the Kota Kinabalu city and party till the break of dawn. And so the nitez crew might be at one of these places or all, who knows. One thing for sure is; the best excitements happen at nite.

Shenanigans’ Fun Pub
Hyatt Regency Hotel

Rumba
Le Meridien Hotel

Cocoon

Jade
“Night of Mayhem” – Halloween Costume Party
3-1-1, Block 3, 1st Floor, Api-Api Centre.

D’Junction
“Fright Night”
D’Junction Square, Jalan Penampang, 88000 Kota Kinabalu

on All Hallows Eve, where will you be?

The borneonitez.com crew went to check out Shenanigan’s last Friday. We heard that there’s an international female DJ from Venezuela was performing since last Wednesday so we thought might as well check it out. According to our sources DJ Meg has been performing from Japan and all the way to Puerto Rico.

We went in roughly after 11 p.m to find the place quite packed with the normal patrons from regulars and new comers alike. The band, Passionistas were performing their last show for that night after being there for 3 months. It seemed quite a night to reminisce and nostalgic for those that have been close with them which includes the regulars and some of our friends too.

We had to wait for quite sometime as we found out that DJ Meg would only be behind the DJ console around 1 a.m. much to our dismay. But for what its worth, the waiting was definitely more than just wasting time around lounging in the pub. DJ Meg presented an awesome array of music which was simply sparked the crowd which have been waiting eagerly since 10 p.m.

DJ Meg started her sequence of music with her mixed version of The Uninvited from Alanis Morissette. It was enthralling to say the least when it comes to describing her repertoire of sounds that is simply causative of having the crowd fill up the dance floor and even moving around the pub was an effort in itself.

It was majestic to say the least. From the atmosphere, people and her music. A crescendo and collision of sights and sounds which was amazing and impressively done by DJ Meg. I can’t stop movin’ and groovin’ and everyone else around me were far from leaning on a wall or glued to their seats. It was a night that none would simply forget.

The event was organized by Amir Yussof of Freestyle Avenue. Check out more details on DJ Meg’s performance here.

Where the catwalk got its claws, all you fashion know-it-alls,
With your underground malls in the world of Harajuku,
Putting on a show, when you dress up in your clothes,
Wild hair color and cell phones,
Your accessories are dead on.

- Harajuku Girls by Gwen Stefani.

Being a guy who grew up through the 80’s, I honestly thought the world was going to be that way for years to come. Enter the 90’s, and suddenly everything changed: fashion, music, trends, lifestyle, hygiene. Everything. The colourful era of the 80’s – wild hair-dos, glam make-ups, outrageous oufits, leathers – disappeared, just like all the other eras before it.

Well, maybe not entirely.

Harajuku Night…

Wednesday night last week was Harajuku Night at Hyatt Hotel’s Shenanigan’s Fun Pub. Just in case any of you had a blank stare upon reading the word ‘Harajuku’, it’s actually a name of an area around Tokyo’s Harajuku Station in Tokyo, Japan. The area is famous for its extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles, and it’s regarded internationally as one of Japan’s defining pop culture identity. It’s like being in the 80’s, but better, wilder and with the world’s craziest fashion nation at the forefront. Shenanigan’s Fun Pub – Shani’s or Shan’s to the locals – brought a little bit of Japan to KK for one night last week during Ladies’ Nite (which is probably the main reason why my friends and I went there to check it out).

… at Shenanigan’s

Shenanigan’s Fun Pub is, without a doubt, one of the most popular night spots in KK. It set the standards for bars, pubs and clubs in KK since the early 90’s and it endures to this very night. It is KK’s longest running pub-slash-club, and famous for its nightly live band performances. It had changed very little over the past decade, yet the legendary club still attract loyal followers through its entrance almost every night, especially during Ladies Nite.

We were more than eager to see what will come out when you bring in Japan’s latest and most extreme teen fashion onto the floor of KK’s most classic and veteran of all clubs.

Welcome to Shenanigan’s, D-sama

It was raining that evening, but we were determined to see this Harajuku Night. At around 9:00PM, as the four of us made our way into the age-defying club, entering Shan’s was like seeing long-time friends and families; a live band performance was there as usual (a Filipino import called Passionista) playing a mix of old time hits and latest chart toppers, with the DJ spinning dance tunes in-between each play. Business as usual.
Earlier on, we counted only four ladies dressed in Harajuku stylee, one of which was a friend of ours. Then we caught sight of a group of wildly-dressed youngsters.
They were dressed in attires fit for a Japanese rock show or somewhat. Despite our (abysmally) limited lore in Japanese fashion, we were able to identify influences of punk, goth and Victorian maids which was, coincidentally, the same style as what one of our Harajuku lady friend was wearing. Regardless, their style of dress was striking.

“Harajuku Girls … You Got The Wicked Style!”

The events unravel as the night played on, and soon our group of four became six, then nine (three of which were dressed-up for the event). Those group of wildly-dressed youngsters that I mentioned just now were actually models from Fairuz Modeling Studios, and they got some wicked outfits in their line-up. It soon became apparent that Shan’s had planned a Harajuku fashion show for its visitors. Shan’s and the Harajuku models treated the audience with a barrage of Japanese attire, all colourful and wild.
They also invited those from the audience that don Harajuku-style wear to come up to the stage to show their stuff. Towards the end of the night, the host would give away prizes to those mentioned previously for being outrageous and wild in their J-Style fashion.

Old and New, J to KK

Shan’s is one of KK’s old time favourite night spot. So when they brought in an event as wild, young and extreme as the Harajuku culture, one would expect a night totally different from any other regular clubbing night. But that was not the case for Shenanigan’s Harajuku Night. Shan’s management was adamant in maintaining the club’s long-time image; despite the fact that they were having a Japanese-influenced event, they didn’t put on Japanese-pop (or J-pop) music when the models went on stage. The DJ played the hottest dance tunes and remixes, yet none of those tunes were Japanese clubbing music. Instead, all the music that were played that night was characteristically Shan’s – live band performance, playing a mix of old time hits and latest chart toppers, with the DJ spinning dance tunes in-between each play. Business as usual.

Good Night Tokyo, Good Night KK

We walked out of Shan’s with a few things: First, two of our friends in Harajuku outfits walked away with a prize each (one won Most Funky Hair, while our Victorian-Maid lady friend won the Most Funky Make-Up). Second, Shan’s is still the same old Shan’s. Third, KK is slow to pick-up new trends. That aside, my first local experience of Harajuku was less than stellar, but it’s good to know that KK isn’t rotting slowly in the fashion race. The future night of KK (and perhaps the whole of Borneo) lies in the hands of our trend-embracing youngsters, whether the world likes it or not.

Final Note: The Victorian Maid outfit our lady friend wore is called a Loli dress. It’s a rad-looking dress, more so if you’re a cute lass. Being a maid is not a pre-requisite. And check out LifeInBorneo.com on their post on Shenanigan’s Harajuku Night.

Anyone who has ever been to Blue Note for the past couple of years or so will know that the place hasn’t change much. The stage went through a lot of re-designs over the years (depending on the event in promotion) but the looks and the crowd have always been a familiar sight and sound: cozy, wood-brown, pub-ish, live-band and typical Sabahan patrons. That’s pretty much it, until my friends and I went there last April to check it out – after they had a complete makeover.

Facelift
Blue Note is the long-loved night spot of Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa. Over the years it has garnered its own loyal following – both local and from abroad – and the recent facelift has only increased the number of night owls coming in every weekend.

When we went there for the first time after the record-setting makeover (it took them four days to reconstruct and refurnish EVERYTHING), the first thing we noticed was the presence of a lady attendant by the entrance. Dressed in white top and white skirt, she smiled at us and coyly told us that we must pay for the cover charge before we are allowed to enter the club. They usually would only impose cover charges during special events, like on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. But this was just a regular weekend. So we knew immediately that something was up.

A brighter shade of Blue Note
As we made our way inside, we were treated to a completely new Blue Note.

Click to Zoom

The walls were painted bright white, while the seatings, couches and tables were of similarly white and bright colours which in turn gave the interior of the club a more spacious feel to it. Candles of artistic arrangement adorned the club’s walls and pillars casting a warm, intimate glow upon the surrounding.

Clear white and cozy candles are central to Blue Note’s fresh new look. Additionally, the dance floor features a stylish and petite new bar complementing the hi-tech visual stage. They even flew in DJs from some of best nightspots in KL to spin the latest tunes (which I believe, at the time of this writing, is the club’s latest crowd magnet).

They made a new section in Blue Note, where a small section of the club was walled behind crystal-clear glass panels, floor to ceiling. We didn’t went in there to check it out of course, since we were reluctant to leave the ‘hot’ dance floor (and also probably because we could see what was going on inside). But we figured that patrons prefering a more intimate and private corner to socialize could do so behind those see-through barriers. Only the addition of a curtain (which they didn’t install) could’ve made it more intimate and more private.

The clean, white looks of the walls and furnishing gave the club a new, stylish feel totally different from the club’s former appearence. The glass-walled private-section was a welcomed addition, as the former Blue Note lacked such an offering. The techie-looking stage is the club’s focal point, pulling in the masses with a line-up of today’s most buzz-worthy DJs, every Fridays and Saturdays.

White is the new blue
We went to Blue Note with a mix of curiosity and skepticism, but left Blue Note that night with amazement and a sense of awe. Blue Note has set a new standard to what clubs in KK should be like. The night will never be the same.