Dempsey Hill is fast becoming a lifestyle area. Like many stores here, Jones the Grocer has a fairly short history thus far. 
Just opened in the last year or so, its reputation had already reached far and deep into the expatriate community in Singapore. I remembered visiting this place just some 6 months ago, there was little traffic then. But now, it's a bustling all-in-one bakery, delicatessen, restaurant and grocery. Its rustic decor lends a natural and fresh ambience to the place that's perfect for the theme. 
Almost everything cooked or served here can be purchased from the store. The store's layout is inviting, with vast open spaces and high ceiling. 
A cafe station is located at the centre of the store, allowing easy traffic flow. A variety of Australian treats (fudges, nougats, muffins, scones, brownies, cupcakes) lined the glass display counter around the cafe station. 
To add to the impromptu atmosphere, a chef was seen conducting a live cooking demonstration at one corner of the store. Dressed in a "Jones the Grocer" apron, he looked every part a celebrity chef (that reminds one of Jamie Oliver's or Curtis Stone's program). A small crowd had gathered around him as I nudged my way in to snap some pictures. 
Chef Chapman was offering a free lesson on cooking risotto with fresh wild mushroom and French Summer Truffles. Looked easy enough. Clearly, he had a mission - to sell the fresh truffles available in the store as well as all the accompanying condiments for the dish. 
It was only about 10.45 a.m., but almost every seat in the restaurant had already been taken. All three of us ordered something different from the breakfast menu. Yan went for a meaty breakfast with Australian sausage, bacon and eggs. Conscious of my weight, I opted for a plain breakfast of banana and pecan bread, served with cream spread. Yan's mum, being a vegetarian, had little choice but to go for the only vegetarian dish on the menu - focaccia served with grilled portobello mushroom and rocket leaves. The breakfast menu was decidedly Australian, just like the ambience, and almost every product sold here. Many Australians living in Singapore will find this place close to home. Some will keep coming back for nostalgic reason.
The sign board at the basement carpark lift of the Singapore GoDown building at 25 Tagore Lane says, " Warehouse Sale". We obligingly took the lift up to the third floor, followed the arrow that led us to a nondescript warehouse full with crockery. It was about noon, and there was already a long line at the cashier as we entered the store. On closer inspection, all the goods were made in Indonesia. 
There was a white minimalist collection on display, branded "Verdi", which must have been intended for export to Europe. There were also those with painted designs which looked like designer stuff. Prices ranged from as low as S$1 (for designer breakfast bowl or mug) to S$12 (for large pasta plate), which would have easily cost 5 times more in a retail store. 
What a steal! This is why this place is very popular with home makers and bargain hunters in Singapore. Many expatriates have come to know this place, religiously returning for more goods, and even introducing it to many of their visiting friends from abroad. This warehouse has been around for many years, and yet it remains one of Singapore shoppers' best kept secret! Definitively worth a visit if you are looking to fill up your kitchen with reasonably priced but good-looking crockery and you are thinking of Ikea as an option.
Koreans love Chanel. Both real and fake. These days, it's hard to tell the difference. Fake goods from Seoul are so good that would make one question why get the real thing. Take this bracelet for example, would you have thought this is a fake, and cost S$50? Perhaps so but it matters not to many young ladies in Singapore. A store called "The Dresser", owned and run by a mother-and-daughter team (hailed from Korea) knows this well. New arrivals from Seoul are met with undying enthusiasm every week. There is a certain consistent following that is almost like a cult. It has a repeat crowd and the number is growing. Business is brisk, and profit margin should be great. I suspect they profit a dollar for a dollar for every piece of garment sold. Barely half a year, this hip mother-and-daughter team, now owns two other stores in the same mall, all carrying Seoul made clothes and accessories. With each store being slightly different in concept, they maximize their daily takings through clever product differentiation. Not bad at all.
What a fruitful morning at Angelux today. S$340 for the entire "loot", imagine that! And the latest Marc Jacobs' spring collection! Can one beat that? Do not be fooled by the nondescript shop and its uninspiring interior, Angelux is a shopping mecca for many Tai Tais in Singapore. A place where one can stretch the dollar, and where VIPs get additional 10-15% discount. To be on Angelux's loyal clientele list, one just need to be a consistent shopper, as you would have expected. No privilege card will be issued, but they know who is and who isn't a target customer. Be forewarned, a visit to Angelux can be a dangerous proposition!
This Karren Miller "bomber jacket"-styled top is yet another great find today, that I am extremely pleased with.
