Countdown to 2009 @ Helipad

We decided to head over to Helipad at The Central to welcome 2009 as Clarke Quay was too crowded. It was the first time we were there and it could be pretty hard to find. Luckily some friends already told me what to expect and how to find the place.

There was actually a line to enter! I realized that after a certain age, you just didn't want to queue unlike when you were younger. But since J wanted to check it out, we waited. It was good that the line moved pretty quickly.

When we got in, we realized what the attraction was....cheap drinks on a NYE. No cover charge but a 1st drink order. House pours and beers were at $11 each. The guy taking our order at the line recommended we ordered those as they were quick to prepare and cocktails would take a longer time.

I don't think Helipad was able to cope with the crowd. The first gripe J had with Helipad was that the staff took it upon themselves to pocket the "tip". For our 2 drinks, it came to $22, the change back from a $50 note was $25. We didn't bother quibbling or questioning the staff since it was NYE and we were in a party mood. But it was the principle of the matter.

The 2nd gripe of the night. We ordered a bottle of champagne but horror of horrors! No champagne glasses or flutes! They ran out of them. How could an establishment have that happen to them? We were given whiskey tumblers instead. How glam was that to cheers to 2009?

And this time, the change was not returned to J when she gave the server $150 for the champagne ($145). Even if we want to give the change to the server, the person should at least return it to us for us to do that. They should not just pocket the change.

How sad was it? To pour champagne into the tumblers.

There was basically no service, but then again, being so packed in there, it was likely to be expected. So drinks were ordered at the bar and taken from the bar.

Another mysterious thing which happened was the disappearance and re-appearance of our jug of vodka cranberry. J went to buy a jug for us and we only had a couple of sips each, meaning there was plenty left in the jug. After 10-20 mins or so later, when J wanted to drink, the jug had disappeared!

An entire jug was gone. The strange thing was that after another 30mins or an hour later, we saw the jug again. But it was empty saved for the ice and dregs of the drink left in there. Someone must have taken it, drank it and returned it.

Another thing we noticed of Helipad that night was the young crowd. There were more early 20s or mid 20s people in there, and young girls who could not hold their alcohol. They were tumbling and tripping all over.

From what friends told me, Helipad was usually a quiet place where people chilled and were made up of mostly professionals or older crowd (30s and above I guessed). And the music played was usually house music, unlike on NYE where retro music was played. I thoroughly dislike retro music! Retro music has been playing for 10 years or more now. Isn't it time we leave the 70s and 80s music alone?

I may want to go check out Helipad on a usual night and go up to the rooftop which I didn't have the chance to do then.