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.

An amble around Chinatown and its environs

 
   

Top: Shophouses in Chinatown.  Bottom: Thian Hock Keng Temple.

On my first visit to Singapore, having come from Hong Kong, I skipped Chinatown altogether.  What, I thought, would there be to see in Chinatown that I didn't already know very well from the real China? (Okay, Hong Kong isn't exactly real China, but you get my point).  Well, it turns out that Chinatown is one of the best places to see Singapore's distinctive shophouses.  The colorful low-rise buildings originated in 18th century colonial Singapore and traditionally housed the family business at the front and living quarters at the back. 

Here's a suggested itinerary that will give you your fill of shophouses and includes a food detor at the end (or perhaps the begining if you start hungry), as well as some distinctive shops and sights to pop into. 

The Chinatown MRT station is the closest stop to this itinerary. 

- Walk: Start at the corner of South Bridge Road and Temple Street and wander up and down Temple, Smith, and Sago streets, which are choc-a-bloc with food stalls, cheap market items and lots and lots of shophouses.  

- Shop: Head up Ann Siang Hill and around Club Street for independent boutiques, cafes and restaurants.

- Eat: If you're hungry (and not interested in your reward below), drop into PS Cafe, tucked at the end of Ann Siang Hill, for reliable, if pricey, continental food.  (New Yorkers: One look at the ground floor and you'll swear you stumbled into a Lower East Side bar, reproduction tin roof and all.)

- Walk and shop some more: Take a left out of PS Cafe and head through Ann Siang Park to Amoy St.  Wander up Amoy and over to Telok Ayer for a peep into the beautiful Thian Hock Keng Chinese temple.  Be sure to stop into Hide and Seek and the utterly sublime Doorstep Luxury for beautiful accessories from international designers (more on that to come!). [Update: Hide and Seek is now at 77 Bussorah St in the Arab Quarter.]

- And now your reward: the inimitable Chinese burger at Lau Pa Sat!

Faux sneaks

B-Sided espadrilles at Hide and Seek

I'm not big on writing about shopping, I find it a bit snooze-inducing actually.  But I recently happened upon Hide and Seek, a quasi-hidden shopfront on Telok Ayer St, and these "artificial sneakers" by B-Sided totally stole my heart.  On first glance I thought, wow, the Topsider trend is really big in Singapore (which it is, endearingly).  And then I realized that they were only painted to look like boat shoes and sneakers, and were really canvas espadrilles--a triumph of trompe l'oeil!  These cuties, $69, are hand sewn in the Basque region of France.

Hide and Seek also carries gorgeous small-label perfumes, vintage sunglasses and fashion from local designers.  

Hide and Seek, 176 Telok Ayer St.

Where can an arriviste find a cheap cup of coffee around here?

Oriole Coffee

Okay, so it's true that one can find a cheap, and quite good, cup of kopi, the local brew, at Singapore's many local coffee shops. And a rich, caramelly kopi with condensed milk is a fab afternoon treat, especially at the local institution that is Killiney Kopitiam.

But for your daily espresso fix?  You may have noticed that the average price of a caffe latte in Singapore is, well, extortionate. $5.30 for a tall latte--really, Starbucks??? And most chains charge similar prices.

But there are excellent, reasonably-priced espresso drinks to be had.  The Rotisserie, an Aussie lunch spot near Far East Square by Chinatown makes a perfect latte--all velvety milk and not a hint of bitterness--that will only set you back $3.50. Da Paolo's Gastronomia, whose four locations up the odds that you'll be near one at any given time, also serves a quality latte for $3.50. 

Oriole Coffee

And, if you happen to be in the market for an expensive cup, bypass Starbucks and head straight to Oriole Coffee for a cold-brewed iced coffee. Buyer beware, though: this is a strong one and they don't serve decaf. Barrista-policy. 

• The Rotisserie, 51 Telok Ayer St
• Da Paolo's Gastronomia, The Paragon, Orchard Rd and various locations
• Oriole Coffee, 96 Somerset Rd and 9 Raffles Place
• Killiney Kopitam, 67 Killiney Rd and various locations