Quaint Secrets
47 Haji Lane
Opening Hours:

Friday night saw the girls in the office out on a "Hiao Safari".

DIY fever has caught up with most of us and we are just going berserk making our own necklaces, earrings, bracelets, anklets, bag charms, Christmas decor ... etc ... we have officially gone mad.

Hence this series of posts will be about my latest fad, before it disappears like it ought to and there is nothing in my impoverished memory to remember it.

We chanced upon Quaint Secrets as we were making our way to Hoity Toity, which is just above this nondescript bead shop which I fell in love with.

The Owner:

I knew the owner. Jeremy San. I have seen him at most of the ROJAK sessions and we were even introduced before as we had common friends. However, take him out of the classic dark ROJAK context into decent bright incandescent light, without the swig of beer and a smouldering cigarette ... I have absolutely no idea who he is. We spent an hour in his shop, taking apart every shelf that you see above on the right wall of the interior, buying a collective couple of hundreds worth of beads and I BLOODY DID NOT RECOGNISE HIM.

Of course, our friend also forgot my name lah, I'm sure.
I did emerge from the shop telling my colleagues, "Oei, that guy look damn familiar leh. I think I know someone who look like him."

We were reunited the next evening on 10 June @ Rojak instantly as we chorused:
"Oei! I was in your shop yesterday leh!"//"Oei! You were in my shop yesterday leh!"
Alamak.

Re-acquaintance by projector light under the effects of alcohol ... how circa 1966 is that?

The Substance:
The main attraction is the way everything is packaged into small quantities and the illogical act of buying a string of 50 bakelite beads when all you need is one, is eliminated!

Kiaps, connectors, wires, clasps, crowns, etc etc ... you can find them all neatly stowed in the shelves (in the left wall of the shop as you enter).

Unique beads are abundant.
Chains are non existent but perhaps I didn't ask.
Tools like long nosed pliers and cutters are not there but also, I didn't ask.
Ribbons and velvet ropes are not to be seen either.

The Interior:
Going there for clever display is enough of an orgasm for me.
There is order, there is relevance, there is a compartment for anything.
You see, put me in a Toyogo factory in Toa Payoh, I go mad.
Put me in a Tupperware party, I go siao. Heck, just give me a Tupperware catalogue, I also go siao liao!
Leave me in Sia Huat, I am in kitchen heaven.

The Verdict:
Go Go Go!
Not that Jeremy is someone I know lah ... but there is really a lot that you can find here. We are not in business but we appreciate the small quantities of neccessities that can be found here.
ORGANISED ORGANISED ORGANISED!