MY SASSY Neighbour and The Joker.

Turns out the sassy neighbour IS the joker, though that's not news to fans of comedy performer Patricia Mok.

Pat Mok, as she's called - except to a Pontian-style wanton noodle seller who uses her Chinese name, Xiao Ling - is best known for her funny parts in TV's Comedy Night of the 90s, and her role as My Sassy Neighbour in the Noughties.

Next up is a drama for Ch 8 "about civil defence", she said. Should be challenging, making civil defence palatable watching, just what you want in your living room at the end of a work day.

But then it does star Pat Mok, who is very watchable. And humble. And likeable. And did we say funny?

We tailed the two-months-short-of-her- 40th-birthday Pat on her regular shop-till-you- hop and you know what, not all celebs live and die by Gucci-Pucci-Miu-Miu-Zanotti.

"I love local designers, Ben Wu, Keith Png, Nick Wong."

Her stops were DC Comics, Topshop and Pique Nique. What? No branded labels in Paragon?

The super funny girl bounced into the superheroes store in Ion Orchard (2 Orchard Turn, B4-21/22) and went smack into comic mode, feeling up Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne (life-size figures in their fancy-dress costumes). Her heart just about broke when "he died".

A riddle? She meant Heath Ledger.

"I gave away all the Batman T-shirts, but I keep only The Joker ones."

DC Comics is marvellous. "Easy to buy presents for friends." (From $19 promo tee to $2,000 framed poster.) She tried Wonder Woman's metal tiara - on her waist. "Can lend to Prince Harry's future princess."

Sweat

Out of her handbag, a paper fan and a kid's face towel. "I cannot go shopping without these two things because I sweat a lot."

Nice.

Her other useful shopping tip: "Dress like this." She preened her shorts and singlet-style tee. "This way you can try clothes over (what you're wearing) if the changing room full."

She's not really a browser. When free of filming sked, it's Orchard Road retail therapy with pals.

We darted from Ion to Knightsbridge to Ngee Ann City and it's all halt for an ice cream.

"We have to finish ice cream before we cross the road, hor."

And she did.

A tourist asked for directions, she obliged. A fan asked for a photo, she struck a pose.

The limber shopper introduced us to PS (personal shopping) in Topshop (available only in Knightsbridge, 270 Orchard Road 01-05/06, by appointment, call 6733 4608).

"I trust the PS advice, go straight to the point. Like this (elaborate) choker, if your here big (pointing to the flatlands), you wear this, it will gather inside like that."

The PS, a Miss Anny Lin, picked out striking leggings and two tops to layer, and Pat selected the choker which best flattered her enviable under-four size.

On that sweet note, we ended at Pique Nique (391 Orchard Road, Ngee Ann City Tower A, B1-01-1-2).

It's the sweetest sweets nookery ever, especially its cakes and its packaging. (From $4.80 a piece.)

She said: "Actually, I don't like cake, but you see, I bought this one for David Gan. They have one slice box and the price not bad. You eat in here, like you are not in Singapore."

(Back in Singapore, the wanton lady who makes them special for Xiao Ling is somewhere in Far East Shopping Centre, secret address.)

This article was first published in The New Paper.