Turning passion into business concepts

GRANT Ashford is an ex-banker from London who was so tired of paying sky-high markups for wine at restaurants that he started a private members' club for fellow wine lovers so that they could enjoy their favourite tipple at subsidised prices. The club - 67 Pall Mall - became so successful that he is now in Singapore to open its first international outpost where local wine lovers can enjoy the same privileges in a luxurious 15,000 sq ft penthouse in Shaw Centre next year.

Meanwhile, Lelian Chew is an ex-Goldman Sachs banker who spent seven years catering to the financial needs of tycoons in Asia. A health scare prompted her to take a break to plan her own wedding. Before she knew it, she was planning the nuptials of her ex-client's children and found a lucrative business niche for herself - wedding planner to the super-rich.

In Friday's issue of Weekend magazine, we speak to these two high-flying finance professionals and how they turned their own passions into groundbreaking business concepts.

We also speak with Amanda Lee Koe - a New York-based Singaporean novelist who talks about the writing process behind her latest book, Delayed Rays of A Star, which has been No 1 on Kinokuniya's bestseller list since it was released a month ago.

Elsewhere, we escape the heat of Singapore to Margaret River, where some of Australia's top wines can be found along with matching cuisine. And if you haven't been to a local wet market recently, revisit this iconic institution with a young Singaporean chef-turned-cookbook author.

Design-wise, we peep behind the bamboo veil of a house designed for both privacy and a unique aesthetic.

And for the style-conscious, we point you towards some of the must-know names in fashion today.

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