Creating The Next Nightlife Extravaganza

Nightlife powerhouse Sarissa RodriguezSchwartz talks about her boldest venture yet C.O.T.U, a new five-in-one entertainment and dining spot designed for long nights out.

- 

From David Beckham-induced pandemonium at Pangaea to parties with larger-than-life plushies at Bang Bang, nightlife maven Sarissa Rodriguez-Schwartz has been behind some of the industry’s most outrageous moments.

The Singapore-based New Yorker began her hospitality journey at just 14. She has since worn many hats in the industry, from bartending, working in bottle service to managing the coveted nightclub door in the United States.

The launch of the now-defunct ultralounge Pangaea brought her to Singapore in 2011, where she quickly identified a significant industry gap and tailored the VIP guest relations director role for herself. In the decade since, she has owned and operated iconic venues such as cocktail bar Employees Only and Bang Bang nightclub with her company SJS Group, which she co-founded with her husband, Joshua Schwartz.

She now brings her expertise to the table as the co-founder of C.O.T.U. (Centre Of The Universe), an ambitious lifestyle and entertainment destination atop CapitaGreen, slated to open in mid- to late November.

The audacious $12-million project is a first-of-its-kind venue, housing five unique concepts across 18,000 sq ft above Singapore’s Central Business District. Together with SJS Group, C.O.T.U. is co-owned by a team of industry veterans from homegrown nightspots, including Phillip Poon and Cedric Chong (Filter, Mink), Cher Ng (Amber Lounge), and Mikey M.S (Attica).

The sky tower’s five signature experiences on the 38th and 39th levels of CapitaGreen comprise Enso, a high-end steakhouse; Little Birdie, an intimate cocktail nook; Whisper Room, a jazzy New York-style watering hole; Dashi Sky Pool, an elevated “beach club”; and Dashi Go Go, a highenergy ultralounge.

A SEAMLESS NIGHT OUT

In September,