the Arriviste

Doorstep Luxury: Where all the cool girls shop

  

 
 



 

From top: Fleet Ilya clutches in peppermint and coral, Ranjana Khan crystal tie necklace, Ela Stone Mayta Torque Necklace and Blair Earrings. Photos courtesy of Doorstep Luxury.

I try not to use gratuitous italics when describing my finds (truly, so few things deserve to be described with such emphasis).  But when it comes to the fanciful jewelry and accessories carried by the eagle-eyed style setters at Doorstep Luxury, I practically think in italics.  The boutique has acquired something of a cult following since its launch in 2010, and one glance at the sorbet colored clutches above, or the cheeky crystal tie necklace, makes it obvious why.  Their leather goods and accessories are unique, eye-catching and finely wrought.  They're the kind of high-style pieces worn by the confident girl with a sharp style all her own--in short, the coolest girl you know.

Visit Doorstep Luxury online at www.doorstepluxury.com or at their showroom, by appointment only: 127A Telok Ayer Street. Tel: +65 6896 1661.

The Disgruntled Chef = Laid back drinks + serious food

 Top: Bloody Mary Chaser

I do like the Disgruntled Chef so very much.  In my humble opinion, they do both food and drink memorably well in their hip, unpretentious Dempsey spot.  Classic cocktails get an update, like the Bloody Mary Chaser shown above, a mix of vodka, homemade tomato sauce and mozzarella-stuffed olives.  And the DG's own bar creations, like the sea salt and chili margarita, are sophisticated, grown-up drinks.  What's more, the DG hasn't succumbed to the siren call of the obscenely priced $20+ cocktail, seen all over Singapore, which is practically bankrupting a certain arriviste. (Ahem, Nektar.)

And if the cocktails weren't enough, the DG's modern, Western fare recalls the New American cuisine of San Francisco or New York, which precious few restaurants here do well, in my view, that is when they do it at all. Be sure to order the crackling pig and lamb short ribs.

Style: Short and stripey

  
Is this arriviste muse not, as they say, fierce?

Style: Chains and skulls

Style: The grey

When I first moved to Asia I was struck by how much grey Asian women wear.  And envious.  There is something so sophisticated about the colors of clouds on an overcast day or before an approaching thunderstorm.  This lovely does grey beautifully, and with such stylish accents, from her zebra sunglasses to her gladiator sandals.

An Itinerary: The best of Orchard Road

 On Pedder  

I generally try to avoid Orchard Rd at all costs.  The crowds, the overwhelming amount of merchandise, the underwhelming quality of it all.  But chances are if you're visiting Singapore, you'll find yourself here at some point.  So here are my suggestions to steer you away from the stores you see every day of your life and toward the Arriviste's top Orchard picks.

First rule: Do not go on a weekend afternoon, especially a Sunday.  You have been warned.

1. Get off to a pleasant morning start at TWG in ION Orchard, which sits atop the Orchard MRT stop, for tea and exquisite pastries.  Do not leave without trying the Napoleon macaron, lovingly described here.  But don't eat too much...

2. ...Because Thye Hong in Wisma Atria is your next stop for hokkein mee, fried Fujianese prawn noodles. On my first visit to Singapore I asked my wise friend Sue which hawker to choose, and she wisely replied, pick the one with the longest line.  And so began my love for Thye Hong's $4 hokkien mee.  If you like spicy, the sambal adds great flavor.  NB, other outlets are not as good as this one. 

Standout store: Retail Therapy

Jewelry with character for ladies with character

      

Bottom photo: Retail Therapy, Mandarin Gallery, courtesy of Retail Therapy.

I've found that cool, interesting jewelry can be hard to find in Singapore, especially cool pieces that don't cost the price of three dinners at Marina Bay Sands (yum, Mozza) plus a bottle of champagne at Ku De Ta (yum, champagne). In other words, quite expensive.  

Enter Retail Therapy in Mandarin Gallery on Orchard Rd, solving jewelry problems!  While their pieces may still run you upwards of $150, boy do they have personality, like the New York-themed charm bracelet pictured above, the agate ring, or the punk-chic spiky gold necklace.  And jewelry with personality is money well spent, if you ask me.  

Retail Therapy also carries other covetables, like sparkly cocktail dresses.  Visit them here:

Retail Therapy, #02-22 Mandarin Gallery, 333 Orchard Rd and #03-13 Wheelock Place, 501 Orchard Rd

 

Drinking on Emerald Hill

 

Ah, what a disappointment to find that the really good cocktail bars are few and far between in Singapore.  (Tippling Club reigns supreme, but having said that I still have The White Rabbit, Baretto and Drink Culture to cross off my list.  So much to drink, so little time!)  The bars on Emerald Hill, all housed in pretty little shophouses--thanks, allegedly and disappointingly, to the work of one property developer--don't solve this problem, but they do provide a totally pleasant environment to have a glass of rose, as pictured above, after a marathon day on Orchard Rd or on your way out to dinner.  Friends of this arriviste stick to Que Pasa, but prices aren't bad at No 5 either. 

Style

In honor of Mother's Day, a shot of the leather wraparound bracelets made by this styling gentleman's styling mother.

Bali: Seminyak Gems

Top 3 photos: jewelry and silk sarongs from  Namu.  Bottom photos: Carga.

If it's your first time in Bali, a drive through Seminyak's shopping throng will likely overwhelm you with shopping options.  But while there are many stores that aren't bad, few are standouts.  Namu and Carga, sitting opposite one another on Jalan Petitenget, away from Seminyak's heavily-trafficked main streets, rise way above the rest.  Namu carries the lovely accessories in the pictures above (a certain arriviste got those gorge agate earrings for herself and a silk sarong) and Carga stocks Bali-chic (not a prevalent enough combination, unfortunately) home accessories: cotton pillows, candles, vases, wicker baskets, beautiful toddler-sized frocks and more.  

When you're done browsing, pop into Potato Head, a beach club with a silly name but an inviting infinity pool, mid-century modern decor that oozes laid-back cool, and damn good drinks.  Feeling for a local lunch instead? Warung Kolega, a short taxi ride up the road, will satisfy that fix in a very good way.

- Namu: Jl. Petiteneget 234X

- Carga: Jl. Petiteneget 886

- Warung Kolega: Jl. Petiteneget 98A

 

Style: Bali Hiatus II

Awesome hair.