Curiously, the Royal Academy of Arts isn’t making too much of a fuss about the Haunch of Venison Gallery's Krug Happiness Exhibition. Leading designers and celebrities are donating items for sale - all proceeds going to the Academy's coffers (and all publicity to the sponsors and donors).
So is happiness really a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes? Is this what we are striving towards... the stuff of our innermost dreams and desires? Really?
With global economic problems affecting all of us, we may not think there’s much to look forward to in 2012. But the New Year is a time for resolutions - and making the right changes can help us to live happily ever after... yes, even without the luxury designer trimmings.
It’s not just our financial system that’s changed dramatically in recent years, social structures have been smashed up too – without recourse to moral or familial ties. Rules and responsibility don’t seem to exist any more. We feel like we’re victims… but aren’t we actually the culprits?
It’s never too late to start over again, but changing directions is always going to involve taking some risks. And we have to be brave…
I’ve read a lot of personal development books in my time and, after a while, they all start to sound the same. However, this book (left) takes rather a unique angle – helping us to develop “the habit of curiosity.” Did you know that curiosity is both a cure for boredom and the key to discovering what we really want? Georges Philips' book is full of useful ideas and exercises to help us crystallize our ideas – and, most importantly, to put our plans for the future into action.
For those curious to become happier and more successful, we’re giving away a signed copy of this life-changing book. To enter the draw for a free copy of a signed edition of Georges Philips’ transformational book, simply email us at info@shopcurious.com, quoting Change Directions by 31st December.
Oh, and do take a look at the Action for Happiness website too - their video says that, in terms of happiness, we're stuck in the '50s - well, I suppose we can always sell our memories:-)
Once in a blue moon you might get the feeling that it’s going to be a really curious New Year. Then again, every new day in London is pretty curious. Here are a few images, compiled over the past year, showing just how curiously varied and original life can be in our great cosmopolitan metropolis.
This shot, taken by Goldfinger, shows the beautiful blue moon in all its magnificent natural glory, illuminating the London sky last night.
In early February 2009, it snowed so much that the city was brought to a standstill. I even spotted an icy cool igloo in Wandsworth Park. Yes, there were actually people inside (or do you see Eskimos?)
At ShopCurious, we're very much in favour of all things slow, so when I saw this group practising the martial art of Tai Chi outside St Martin in the Fields Church in Trafalgar Square, I had to stop and take a picture. Funny, I’d never noticed the quirky window to the rear of the church building before… very arty and unusual.
The East End of London has become something of a centre for edgy, fashion-conscious types, so I was really surprised to stumble upon an old fashioned tea dance in full swing, as I walked through Spitalfields Market. Next time you’re in the area, why not dress up in some stylish vintage clothing, put on your dancing shoes and join in the fun?
Here’s another one by Goldfinger, showing the spectacular fireworks over the London Eye, as they lit up Big Ben at midnight.
Wherever you are in the world, I hope you have the best and most Curious New Year ever.
Overcome by seasonal busyness, I barely had time to get a hair cut… However, as I sat next to Rochelle - pictured here with the appropriately named Tangle, the larger-than-lap lapdog, I asked myself the vital question ‘why do people have pets?’ Aren’t pets just an expensive, time-consuming nuisance - an additional distraction, making the normal stuff of life even more complicated? Then I had a Eureka moment: The last decade was probably a great one … if you happened to be a dog. No need to worry about the recession, mass terrorist atrocities, the outbreak of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the tsunami, climate change, or being saddled with massive global debt – not, at least, if you were a dog.
In the New Year's Eve edition of the Daily Mail (see cutting left), there were pictures of Kelly Brook with her newly acquired ‘pug of love’ – aka Rocky. The puppy was a Christmas gift from her boyfriend, Danny Cipriani. Of course, there’s nothing more timeless and romantic than the gift of a puppy – some might say it’s as near as you could get to having your own offspring, minus the physical trauma. However, we should never forget that owning a dog is a huge responsibility – it’s not just for Christmas, it’s for life. But, at least you can sell a dog - or give it to someone with more time and patience, if you find you don’t have the appropriate qualities required for its upbringing.
Over the past decade, especially amongst the well-heeled, dogs have become the style accessory of choice. As a result, the dog business (no pun) has bucked the economic downturn, with significant growth in sales of dog foods, clothing, services and all manner of curious canine accessories. According to estimates from the UK Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association, dogs account for £1.1 billion in food sales per annum, while the doggy treat market is worth around £203 million annually. There are hypoallergenic and preservative free animal foods, gourmet/fine-dining pet foods and even specially formulated versions of human Christmas dishes for dogs. Incidentally, around one in three pets in the UK is overweight.
In London, Harrods has recently quadrupled the size of its pet department to 11,000 square feet and hosts an annual pet fashion show called Pet a Porter. According to the Telegraph Magazine, past shows have featured a £250,000 diamond dog collar by jewellery designer, Stephen Webstier, a miniature bridal outfit by Vivienne Westwood and a gold lame jacket by dog-lover, Ben de Lisi.
Stateside, Dara Foster, the self-proclaimed ‘pet stylist to the stars’ says that in the past few years there’s been a surge in people realizing that that their dog's appearance is an expression of their own style.
To this end, America spends approximately $43.5 billion a year on its pets – including luxuries and indulgences such as miniature mansions for cats and dogs at up to $35,000 a pop, on special flights via the cleverly customized Pet Airways … and even on pet plastic surgery.
In December 2009, the publication of the book Dogs in Vogue made it official: dogs are the ultimate fashion accessory. Click here to see some photos from ‘the book that celebrates 100 years of canine chic’. And, if that's not enough, why not join the many (more than 350,000 so far) who have viewed this video of ‘How much is that doggy in the window?’
Our dogs have come to define us, our humanity, our very raison d’etre: The Daily Mail, for instance, states that Kelly Brook’s “transformation from model to A-list actress is finally complete” due to her new pug, “a pet of the sort favoured by Hollywood celebrities.” It adds that “Cipriani’s decision to buy her the dog has led to more speculation about the growing seriousness of their relationship.”
By the way, the latest celebrity pet is said to be the micro-pig – reputedly adored by the Beckhams, Paris Hilton and Charlotte Church … and just what does that say about the style of these stars?
Needless to say, some dogs, like Mr Winkle, have been celebrities in their own right for many years.
Yes, dogs have certainly had it good in the past decade – in the press, you’ll find many examples of animals bequeathed funds in their owners’ wills. In 2007, Leona Helmsley reputedly left a staggering $12 million to her white Maltese dog – substantially more than she left her four grandchildren. Actress Lucy Gordon, 28, who recently hanged herself in her Paris apartment following an argument with her French boyfriend, left a net estate of £71,518, of which some £6,270 ($10,000) was specifically requested to go to “a trust fund for my dog Meelon to take care of her financially to the end of her days.”
According to the American Pet Products Association, 70% of dog owners now list their pet as ‘like a child/family member’. It’s hardly surprising then, that advertisers in the UK should want to offer you the chance to “talk to your dog”. Apparently, there’s “lots more to dog talk than just barking”. A special new guide offers “detailed step-by-step instructions on how to establish a truly meaningful two-way communication with your pet”, which is great if “you’ve always wondered what your dog is thinking”.
For the less dedicated, there’s always the option of a virtual pet. Neopets.com currently boasts around 260 million neo-pet owners…
Alternatively, you might like to invest in a cute little dog that’s a lot less troublesome to maintain, like one of these curiously quirky and collectable vintage pooch brooches from ShopCurious. There’s no need for feeding, walking, or grooming - though you’re very welcome to stroke your dog brooch if you wish, or even to talk to it, if you’re so inclined - after all, you never know what it might be thinking…
I rather suspect that ‘man’s best friend’ might be wondering if the dog of a decade that’s just ended will give way to a howler of one to come.
We’re all too busy to think at this time of year, which probably explains lots of things (yes, all those lost, missed, forgotten and overlooked ones...) Better write a list before you forget something.
If you’re curious to know how to save time wondering about what to buy for presents and shopping around to buy them, here’s a suggestion for some Christmas gifts that are very practical, reasonably priced and rather individual:
The item that always seems to get used is a notebook. Diaries are also useful, but best to buy the timeless variety (without dates), which can be used whenever and wherever you like.
You can find these curiously stylish, handy home accessories at ShopCurious – the covers are rather arty and the pages inside are illustrated with quirky designs, so each day is totally unique.
They’re perfect stocking fillers - and you know they’ll be appreciated, as they're great for all manner of jottings from writing a shopping list, outstanding tasks, projects, recording a New Year diet regime (heaven forbid), a daily schedule, notes for memoirs, memories, things to remember, friends to call, names, numbers, aspirations, dreams and doodlings…
Probably a good idea to buy one for yourself too - I’m sure you’re going to need it?
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