A Weekend Retreat to Capella Singapore

I have to admit - Capella is my favorite hotel in Singapore. The old colonial house on a hill, paired with modern architecture in its spacious rooms,  three swimming pools including one big lap pool, and really world class service is its winning formula. Oh, and also for the fact that it is set in lush greenery in Sentosa, offering a nice respite from the city.

Shopping Guide - Tiong Bahru for the Hipsters

I've been meaning to do up a Tiong Bahru Shopping Guide for so long now, and finally I have the chance. I love discovering interesting little boutiques and independent cafes and stores and I feel that more people should know about them instead of always visiting the same high street labels around Orchard Road all the time. Tiong Bahru has always been a very homey place for me since I first visited it two years ago. Over the two years, many new cafes establishments have opened, together with a burgeoning mix of lifestyle and fashion boutiques. The neighborhood has always held its charm and the allure of an old neighbourhood - Hardware stores, provision shops, coffeeshops, and a central wet market provide an interesting backdrop for this new wave of homegrown cafes and retail shops.

I did a Haji Lane Shopping Guide a few years back that is one of my most popular posts to date (and badly in need of an update honestly). 

So here you go - enjoy exploring one of my favourite neighbourhoods!

Yong Siak St

Yong Siak Street must be the ground zero where things really began shaking up with 40 Hands, one of the first few independent cafes in Singapore, as well as BooksActually, my favourite bookstore in Singapore.

BooksActually, 9 Yong Siak St
BooksActually is home. It is hard not to feel welcomed each time as you step in and breathe in the crisp smell of paper, marvel at the well curated selection of books stacked from the  floor to ceiling, with miscellaneous knick knacks and small quotes littered around the store. On top of that, BooksActually stock a lot of independent magazines and zines from all over the world, as well as their self-made stationery products and supports local authors by publishing their works and holding reading sessions and Meet the Author events frequently at their store.

At the back of the store is a petite vintage section, where you can find homeware, vinyls, and miscellaneous knick knacks from the golden era. It is always a joy around to poke around - you'd never know what you'd find!

Strangelets, 7 Yong Siak Street
Just next to BooksActually is my next favourite shop - Strangelets. Just as its quirky name, Strangelets lifestyle, home and furnishing shop stocking an eclectic mix of designers worldwide. Founded by an interior designer and architect who were frustrated by the lack of furnishings with a focus on design, Strangelets is the result of their trips of their travels to cities worldwide, bringing some modern European aesthetic, mixed in together with Asian references from smaller accessories such as cushions and tea sets.

If I had the money, I would literally buy everything from the shop!


Nana & Bird I, 79 Chay Yan Street (Just off Yong Siak Street opp PV Bakery)
Nana & Bird began as when the co-founders first starting selling clothes sources from around the world out of their apartment and quickly grew to expand, to stock emerging designers carefully curated by the two founders. I especially like that they have a strong selection of Singapore designer labels such as Yumumu and Aijek, as well as regional designers from Malaysia and Indonesia.

Look out for the spiral staircase for their boutique!

Cafes and Eating 
Plain Vanilla Bakery
Best cupcakes in Singapore, with a really comforting ambience with wood fixtures and furnishings, coupled off with lots of great magazines. Enough Said. 

40 Hands
One of the grand daddy of independent cafes, 40 Hands is a veteran in this now saturated cafe industry. Coffee is reliable, but its recent revamped menu has some really honest, good grub that draws in crowds even on weekdays.

Flock Cafe, 78 Moh Guan Terrace
Minimal decor and white paint reminds me slightly of a Scandinavian aesthetic in this cafe with good, smooth coffee. 

Feeling more peckish? Pop over the Open Door Policy for some great bistro-style small plates, gourmet food and wines or IKYU for some really good Japanese food with fresh sashimi. 

^Last photo of PV Bakery credit to Penguinsandpolars.

Eng Hoon St

Eng Hoon Street is the second hub where most of the retail and cafes are located. It's just a short walk away from Tiong Bahru Market as well, where you can a big food center in the second floor, with lots of local hawker dishes that packs some serious wok hey.

Nana and Bird II, 59 Eng Hoon Street
Here's Nana and Bird's flagship store, where you can find a wider selection of apparel and accessories.

MTJ Jewellery
Marilyn Tan is one of Singapore's longest standing jewellery designer, having been around for several years. I really like her unconventional pieces and fluidity in her designs.

Bloesem, 59 Eng Hoon Street
Bloesem is a cute little boutique filled with light, stocked with thoughtful homeware and stationery. It also regularly holds classes and workshops on styling, photography, calligraphy and other creative elements, often taught by very qualified Instagram personalities.

Cafes
Tiong Bahru Bakery
Tiong Bahru Bakery is opened by the Spa Esprit Group and French patissiere Gontran Cherrier. I love this place for its croissant and kouign aman. The croissant is always crisp with layers of pastry and a soft, fluffy interior, while the kouign aman is roll pastry layered with sticky sugar syrup. Extremely yum, but so very sinful!

The Orange Thimble
I like The Orange Thimble for its vibe and interiors, but the food and drinks here leave more to be desired.

Seng Poh Lane

One Olive
One Olive is a charming florist and lifestyle boutique - Step in and lose yourself in the flowers, both dried and fresh, the perpetual lavender scent and French jazz music in the background. Very characteristically recognized by the wheelbarrow of dried flowers outside the boutique.

There's also the famous Por Kee Eating House opposite - They're known for their crabs and Chinese style cooking.

Nearby 

Whisk, 58 Seng Poh Road
I've never visited Whisk cafe since it's relatively new, but I like its clean, white decor and the huge WHISK signboard outside made from marquee lights.

White Space Art Asia, 79 Chay Yan Street
One of the art galleries I visit quite frequently in Singapore! This one carries contemporary artworks from experimental and emerging artists, with Chinese artists being the focus. I especially love Du Xue,  a Chinese artist whom specializes in abstract female nudes drawn with Chinese Ink on Silk.

Others

For food, Tiong Bahru has a never ending stream of cafes and casual eateries, mixed in with traditional Singapore hawkers. Some notable ones include Bincho, The Dispensary, Sin Lee Foods, PS Cafe Petit (for a relaxing vibe), Drips Bakery & Cafe (Best Chocolate Tarts). You can check out this guide here for more details.

Enjoy and let me know if you've managed to visit any of those places!

Shopping Guide - Haji Lane

I've decided to compile a few shopping guides of Singapore's lesser known shopping districts (not Orchard Road) to allow foreigners or even locals to get to know Singapore's boutiques better. Haji Lane is the first on this list, and I'll be covering Club Street/Ann Siang Hill, Tiong Bahru and some other places as I chance upon them.

Haji Lane is located just a few minutes work from the more commercial malls Bujis Junction and Bugis+, where you'd find your all too familiar high street brands. I suggest you skip those malls and come to this quaint little road instead, with colorful shophouses lined along the sides. I really like the feeling of exploring this lane - checking out its beautiful murals on the walls (a really rare sight in Singapore), peeking into the shop windows and enjoying the wonderful visual merchandising that each boutique boasts. Below are some of my favourite shops which I suggest you check out. I wouldn't say this list is very comprehensive, it's just a list of my personal favourites. 


Threadbare & Squirrel
660 North Bridge Road (Bali Lane)
Threadbare & Squirrel would be the first store that I recommend everyone to visit. They stock mostly Singapore designers on the first floor where you can find Max Tan, Al&Alicia, By Invite Only, AKA Wayward, Kae Hana and several others. They have a narrow staircase leading up to the second floor where you can find a really good selection of jewellery and accessories. I especially love the ones from Mandy Wu, who is a Hong Kong designer.

Soon Lee 
73 Haji Lane 
Soon Lee has been one of the oldest tenants along Haji Lane I suppose because it's been there for as long as I can remember. I love this little shop with welcoming interiors stocking local and regional designers. The shop contains a well curated selection of designers that fits in with the Soon Lee aesthetic, which is slightly European ladylike elegance and a touch of whimsy, especially embodied through their shoe selection. They also have my favourite local designer, aijek.

Wicked Laundry
Located just opposite from Soon Lee, I love Wicked Laundry for its bold color palette. The clothes are mostly from Hong Kong, Korea and regional designers. Simple, clean silhouettes that are really on trend, with really kick ass shoes and bags to boot.

A Thousand Tales x Cafe Fables x Bar Stories
55 - 57 Haji Lane
Ok so this is not a fashion boutique but a design furniture store with a second storey cafe & bar concept. A Thousand Tales is the furniture store that seats in the first floor when you first enter and it is filled with tastefully selected furniture sourced from Scandinavian countries and some of them are even vintage. Cafe Fables is a cafe that operates during the day and then transforms into a bar, Bar Stories, at night. I really love the ambiance in this shop, especially its skylight, that lets in natural lighting into the store during the daytime. The chairs placed next to the constructed stone wall and just at the bottom of the wood stairs make it a perfect spot to chill and enjoy a cup of coffee all day. I suggest you check out the bar at night too for its customized drinks menu using no artificial colors or flavors.


K.I.N (Know It Nothing) & sifr
51 Haji Lane
There are several menswear boutiques along Haji Lane stocking mostly Korean imported apparel, but for some really good quality and serious tailoring, I suggest you head to K.I.N instead. KIN dresses for the well-traveled man with refined tastes and an appreciation for quality and details. The designers stocked are mostly European and American and are up and coming designers for those regions. Clothes are organized by designers on their racks and each section comes with a small tag introducing the brand and the designer, highlighting unique details of the designs. Be prepared to fork out slightly more for the quality though! Sifr is a local menswear brand that shares the shophouse space upstairs and I can personally vouch that their tshirts are really comfortable and made of quality cotton, having personally felt them and talked to the designers. These guys appreciate and understand the importance of good fit and their tailoring is precise and well engineered. 

Victoria Jomo
9 Haji Lane & 47 Haji Lane
Victoria Jomo should be the oldest tenant along Haji Lane - standing with two boutiques down the same lane - with more than 10 years of residence already. The more 'upscale' Victoria Jomo boutique stocks plenty of local designers and would be a good experience to those who wish to find out more about Singapore's designers. It also comes with a cute shoe corner lined up with colorful maryjanes and court heels of Thai designers and the space upstairs houses vintage costume jewellery together with a great selection of dresses.

Shop Wonderland
53 Haji Lane
Once again, this is not a fashion boutique but I'd have to say this is one of my favourite stores in Singapore, ever. I feel so happy whenever I step into this cute little store full of fresh flowers, garden gnomes, handmade terrariums and beautiful homeware. I think the interior facade of the store has changed slightly since my last visit - the owner recently sold some of her furniture in the store and replaced it with new ones. I would highly recommend Shop Wonderland and Wonderland for Detailed Planners for any events that you may have, weddings especially, - they specialize in stunningly beautiful floral arrangements and flower bouquets and also Tiffany chairs rental.

Maison Ikkoku
70 Kandahar Street
Located slightly 'off-track' from Haji Lane is Maison Ikkoku, which is a very unique retail and dining concept store - I believe it's probably the only of its kind in Singapore - so definitely worth a visit. Walk into the first floor and you'd be greeted by the wonderful aroma of freshly brewed coffee, which is the house specialty. You can also enjoy light cakes and its signature Mizuki bun - which is a slice of SPAM (luncheon meat ham) in a Japanese lotus bun. Go up to level two and you will see the menswear retail space with quirky visual merchandising. Most of the labels are imported from Japan, France and other European countries and are made for men who likes dressing casual, yet presentable looks. Current themes are travel, military and sailor, as embodied by the striped and plaid shirts and leather/suede moccasins. Finally, go up one more floor for the cosy bar, where their inhouse mixologist can mix up something really good for you as you enjoy the sunset over Sultan Mosque in their outdoor balcony.

That's all of Haji Lane for you! Hope this guide would be of use to you and do let me know your feedback :)