Going nuts for glamping?

Let’s face it, you’ve got to be mildly mad to go camping in Great Britain. Despite our homeland’s name, the weather on offer to holidaymakers isn’t exactly great. That’s probably why we’ve invented a clever new pastime called ‘glamping’. The idea of glamorous camping is much more appealing – better still, glamping doesn’t even have to involve a tent.






Some of my friends in the northern Cotswolds have two shepherd’s huts in their wood (one sleeping two, the other four), which they’re letting out to glampers. James Kerr’s photographs right and below give you an idea of the style of accommodation. There’s also a composting loo, which I’ve been assured isn’t smelly – and a ‘hot outdoor shower through a bucket.’







You’ll note there’s no sign of rain in either of these photographs. Email us if you’re interested…





Alternatively, if you’re determined to try out some authentic camping, young designer Ross Pugh has designed a pop-up tent that can be erected and dismantled in seconds.

His tents can also be connected together to create a camping community – and then folded away into easily transportable carrying bags.







Oh, and whenever you’re camping, it’s always useful to have some practical accessories around. Curiously eccentric (OR WOT!) Mark H has created a handy clip called Le Croc, which is quite the perfect accessory for glamping – and is available exclusively at ShopCurious. The ultimate crocodile clip, Le Croc is 18 carat gold plated by a company that also works for the Royal Mint. Made in the Midlands, every clip is trimmed with an individually customized tie hook. Cracking!






Talking of Mark camping, do you remember Mike Leigh’s hilarious Play for Today, Nuts in May?

Do you?

The gold that got the cat

I was just waiting to hear the last part of Keith Floyd’s autobiography, Stirred but not Shaken, on BBC Radio 4. I've so enjoyed sharing Floyd's curiously all consuming passion for food and drink over the course of the week. In the process, I caught the end of Desert Island Discs, something I usually go out of my way to avoid, mainly due to the off-putting opening music. Thankfully, all I heard was Julia Donaldson being told by Kirsty Young that she couldn’t have a cat on the island.

At around the same time, I received an email with a link to this very curious ‘Cats for Gold’ website.

Am I hallucinating, or is this for real?

I’ve often thought it would be rather nice to have a big fluffy cat around the house, though not in exchange for my jewellery! However, in case you’re looking for some gold to swap for a feline friend this Christmas, we’ve got some fabulous necklaces, earrings, bangles and rings at ShopCurious. Check out these stylish designs by Marcelle Lawson Smith and Sarah Bond. Actually, never mind the cat, any of these pieces would make a suitably unique and unusual gift for Christmas... and I think even Floyd would have approved of Ornella Iannuzzi's golden fruits de mer.

Do you?

Bags (and pots) of gold

Not quite done with gold yet – one more post left (did I detect a snore?) Apologies if you're totally fed up after all the gold you’ve seen on the catwalks this season, but I'm going to be so bold as to suggest that you seriously consider gold’s long term investment potential and point you in the direction of this very comprehensive article from the Telegraph website, listing 10 ways to invest in gold…





By the way, I’ve come up with a curiously clever 11th way of investing in gold – how about these vintage gold handbags from ShopCurious? They’re unique, timeless pieces that may turn out to be collectors’ items and could actually appreciate in value too - plus they look great and are accessories that will work with a multitude of other colours.




The bags are also very reasonably priced, though if you want to invest a little more we’ve also got a luxury gold satin evening bag with diamante trim and exquisite kid lining (left), handmade by top designer Anya Hindmarch in her pre-'it bag' days – and it’s on sale!

There’s no doubt in my mind that the fashion for all things gold is only just beginning to gain momentum. I was even tempted to go searching for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow the other day, when I saw this magnificent arc of colour (see below) on the South London horizon – probably somewhere in Wimbledon. The rather ugly tower blocks either side add to the dramatic effect, don’t you think?








Anyway, at least this colourful addition to the skyline leads us nicely into our theme for July. If you’re curious to know more, join me in my next blog, where I’ll reveal all.

Will you?

Fool's gold?

Just thought I’d better point out that, in addition to bona fide pure and unadulterated gold, there also exists what is commonly known as ‘fool’s gold’. Take what seems to be a curiously generous proposition - add some disclaimers, plus a wadge of small print - and it's probably not nearly as genuine an offer as you originally anticipated ...





It’s worth taking a look at the gold rush phenomenon, which happened in various parts of the world in the mid-late 19th century. For instance, gold was first discovered in California on 24th January 1848 at Sutter’s Mill on American Fork River, when James W Marshall had the curiosity to examine some quartz rock lying in his mill stream. Shortly thereafter, immigrants were travelling from all over the world to San Francisco to dig for gold – however, as soon as winter 1850, the time for making fortunes was already almost over.




The events of the Californian gold rush prompted San Franciso born David Belasco to write a play, which in turn inspired Puccini to write one of his most dramatic operas, La Fanciulla del West – an abject lesson in the perils of speculation and a tragic tale of innocent lives lost in the pursuit of fool’s gold.







It used to be the streets of London that were considered to be paved with gold, but perhaps now it’s a city somewhere in the Middle East. I recently visited Dubai and, outside the entrance to my hotel (the highly recommended Royal Mirage), were these incredible hand painted gold camels (above) – curiously cool, if a tad over the top. Gold seekers who are into such conspicuous consumption might like to consider this rather unique gold plated baby pram, left.



I also heard that it’s possible to eat gold. I found this fascinating blog about edible gold and ten different ways to eat it – if you’re so inclined you can even feed 24 carat gold caviar to your dog! By the way, I also noticed that Waitrose’s brand spanking new branch in the Dubai Mall has what looks like gold leaf lettering instead of their usual green corporate logo …I suppose it blends in with the surroundings, but personally, I prefer the more authentic approach of the Organic Foods and Cafe, which seems to stand out as being altogether more original – and it’s much more eco-friendly and natural too.




Which leads us on to fool’s gold: it’s probably not a great idea to be taken in by the dazzling glitz of gold - and it’s definitely best to know about the provenance of any piece of jewellery you are buying. All of the stylish gold accessories in Sarah Bond’s Saretta collections, currently available at ShopCurious, are not only ethically sound, but have been hallmarked at the London Assay office.






Of course, these days, even with a relatively small amount of money, you can also invest quite sensibly in gold ETFs or buy gold coins with a value that is recognized the world over. I know what sort of gold I’d prefer to invest in though – I simply love this exquisite gold arm cuff...

Do you?

Green's the new gold at Royal Ascot

Shortly after arriving at the race course for Tuesday’s Royal Ascot meeting, I found myself amidst an eclectic group of Lladro-meets-Vettriano-style statues that looked to be made of copper – or at least they were green … a colour that just happened to match my outfit. The new additions (click on pics to enlarge), created by much-lettered sculptors, are representations of ‘The Establishment and The Working Class’, so it was somewhat appropriate that I should be standing betwixt the Queen and Prince Philip. Curiously, it looks as if the Queen is without a hat.




I was on the lookout for gold clothing and accessories and spotted a wonderful old-school style gold horse brooch from Royal Ascot days of yore, worn by throroughly professional member of staff, Sheila (right), who certainly gets my gold star for helpfulness. I also spied these gladiatorial gold sandals under a table (left) … mmm, not so sure about those. And there were plenty of traditional gold waistcoated men (see below).



I noticed a lot of gold jewellery, but nothing quite as unique and original as the vintage Swoboda pendant from ShopCurious. I’m really surprised that this amazing bargain of a gold and semi-precious stone pendant (right) hasn’t been snapped up yet. Vintage jewellery can be a great investment as it's usually timeless and you can wear it year after year – and real gold pieces might appreciate significantly in value too.





‘Green’ hats are also sensible style – create your own, or invest in handmade works of millinery art by designer Sandra Bamminger, or Laura Wellington. Clever ladies tipped their hats to a hint of green. Isabell Kristensen, for instance, with her delicious looking strawberries and cream creation: New season’s fruit that looks just as fresh as the ever-youthful designer herself, pictured left with her beautiful daughter.


The most stylish ladies were distinctly natural and understated – but they said it all with their hats … and with one simple word: recycled. Those with style and brains know that recycling is ‘old hat’ – ie get out an old hat and spruce it up with some embellishment like a corsage, some foliage, unusual bits and pieces that will set you apart from the crowd. Vintage and homemade hats were the order of the day.

Alice (right) discovered she had left her hat in the car, which was driven away by a chauffeur. She quickly cobbled one together from a newspaper (inadvertently picking up on the fashion for gold coins) and some other bits of stuff - more of which were added as the day went on - making for a quirky, individual look. Good job it wasn’t windy.


The lovely doctor pictured left (married to dishy actor, Marcus Gilbert, who was sadly absent) told me she was a dab hand at sewing sutures, so she decided to handcraft her own Ascot hat. How curiously cool is that?

By the way, I’ve designed and decorated my own hat for later this week – details to follow shortly, plus the chance to win a rather natty summer hat.

Will you?

Goldfingers

Early civilizations equated gold with gods and rulers and, as a result, we almost intuitively place a high value on gold - equating it with power, beauty, and the cultural elite. From the ancient Egyptians to James Bond, gold has shone out as something of special significance.

The pre-Incan Moche civilization in Peru, for instance, sculpted extraordinary items from gold – jewellery, ceremonial vessels and memorial pieces like these gold votive burial hands. Gold was later considered by the Incas to be the ‘sweat of the sun’ that reflected the glory of their sun god and was handcrafted into all manner of stunning adornments for tombs and temples.





More recent evidence of our fascination with gold: Ian Fleming used gold as a theme throughout his Bond novels. Shirley Eaton’s gold makeup in the Goldfinger film apparently took two hours to apply for only five minutes of filming. A doctor was on set at all times in case of possible skin suffocation.







A much safer and quicker means of gilding your fingers (and perhaps your arms too) is with a pair of these gorgeously glamorous vintage gold gloves from ShopCurious. We can’t guarantee that our gold opera gloves will give you the Midas touch, but you’ll look like a movie star without being painted – and with no need for Turkish baths to sweat out the gold from all those pesky little nooks and crannies.



If you’re a fan of unique accessories, you might also like to adorn your fingers with some stylish gold rings, like the ones designed by Sarah Bond for Saretta. These days, you don’t have to blow up Fort Knox for gold, it’s fairly affordable - plus it makes the ultimate romantic gift and can be a great investment too. Hope you’re taking notes Miss Moneypenny.

Are you?

Golden memories

The latest Ken Loach film, Looking for Eric, starring Eric Cantona, is full of golden memories – rather like a cinematic psychotherapy session – and Steve Evets’ acting is simply brilliant. I love a good tragi-comedy … and this film is to drug and gun culture what The Full Monty is to the dole queue.

It’s true, we need to ‘have danger to go beyond danger’ (and there are bound to be a few bad memories in life's lot) – but legends like Cantona have the ability to influence us - and, with the 'elp of great coaching credentials and a philosophical turn of phrase, can inspire us to better ourselves and seek out happier, more fulfilled lives.



A bit of laughter also goes a long way – and there was plenty when I unearthed this old photograph of me (left) wearing the couture designed gold sequined GoldenEye dress that’s now on sale at ShopCurious.

The legend that is 007 was Pierce Brosnan at the time - and when I wore this dress to the premiere of his first Bond film, he and his wife, Keely, stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of me walking towards the cinema. No, they didn’t break down in fits of giggles, but were simply awestruck at the gorgeous glittering glow of my glamorous designer gown.



The dress was specially created by celebrity fashion designer, Isabell Kristensen, back in the day when structured eveningwear was big on the red carpet, as it is to this day, though apologies for the curiously un-cool colour combo of the floor covering in this shot – it has nothing to do with me, I can assure you!

Now something of a collectors’ item, this dress would be great if you have an awards ceremony, or a special party to attend. The dress also has one of Isabell’s trademark built-in corsets to ensure the perfect hourglass figure.



Funny how fashions have changed: In the early-mid 1990s, it was stylish to dress in a grown-up, sophisticated manner that meant you could end up looking a rather like Krystle Carrington from Dynasty. Around the time of this photo, new trends were evolving and, by day, true fashionistas opted for the cutting-edge and creatively unstructured designs of Prada and Marni, as well as Voyage’s Bohemian hippy chic style. Designs later became even less formal, morphing into grunge fashion, but the trend for recycling and the vintage look that started all those years ago is only just beginning to be taken seriously.






Ooh aah, golden memories and precious pieces of history recycled for future generations to appreciate, learn from and enjoy.

Will you?

Golden gifts for Fathers' Day

This month’s blogs have the theme of anything and everything to do with gold. And, with Fathers’ Day coming up soon, I’m sure an awful lot of you must be considering stylish and unusual gifts for all of the uniquely individual and very special Dads out there? So, if your father’s worth his weight in gold, how about a little something that positively glows with your love and appreciation? Here are some ideas for gifts that rock like the golden oldie 'king of bling' himself ...










For the father who indulges in the occasional spot of air guitaring (sadly, I know a few), I’d like to recommend this gloriously gold lame tie (right), beautifully designed and hand-finished by fashion designer to the glitterati (and a fair few rock stars too), Sir Tom Baker. I’ve noticed several gold ties around lately, but none quite as cutting edge or eye-catching as this.






If your Dad’s a bit of an ageing hippy, he might also like this hand painted recycled suede jacket by Baifall Dream (right) … very 1970s Earth, Wind and Fire.

The more traditional man might like to stick to something he feels more comfortable in. Just make sure he knows that the ‘only true test for gentlemen’ is determined by whether or not they wear double cuff shirts and cufflinks ...



If your father’s the suave and sophisticated type, it’s highly likely he’s a fan of James Bond’s curiously cool style.

Christopher Lee’s Scaramanger may not be your number one fashion icon, but these vintage ‘golden gun’ cufflinks (left) from ShopCurious are certainly the sort of accessories that any well dressed gentleman would like to have in his wardrobe.



Of course, your old man might actually be more of a medallion fancier, who’d prefer a lorry load of bling around his neck. All I’d say is that you is that, whatever you choose, it’s really nice if you manage to find something that’s timeless in its appeal, something your Dad can keep and cherish forever - a gift that’s got a bit of provenance, that might even be collectable and can be passed on to future generations as an investment. All the more reason to pick something that you're rather fond of too.

Are you?

Sailing by the Silk Route

When it comes to maps, I tend to get a bit enthusiastic. I don't often mention that I'm a geographer: hence my curiosity about global trading patterns over the past millennium or so. Long before that, probably around 139 B.C, the Silk Road started as a chain of caravans, transporting goods from China, across central Asia to mainland Europe.



The commodities traded included not only silk, but other rare and unusual offerings, such as gold for coins and jewellery, jade, tea and spices (reminds me of what's available at ShopCurious!) Since the capacity to transport these goods over long distances was limited, luxury goods were the main products that were traded (rather like today, except now it's fuel prices that are the main factor affecting the transfer of goods). It was during the Roman era that sea routes in the Mediterranean basin and India first became fashionable for shipping produce, which was then taken by camels inland to the Nile. River boats moved the goods to Alexandria, from where trading with the Roman Empire was carried out. Arab traders, who controlled the maritime routes, gradually took over from the original overland transportation along the Silk Route from the 9th century onwards.



Much larger quantities could be transported by ship, stimulating even more trading between the various nation states and territories of the time. The main maritime route started at Canton (Guangzhou) and passed through Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and on to Alexandria. There was also a trading route to the Spice Islands (Moluccas) in today's Indonesia.


The spread of religions such as Islam and diffusion of their principles also took place at this time. Many of the rules and ethics of commerce have their roots in religion. Meantime, the Europeans were developing their own maritime technology and from the 15th century onwards, they achieved sufficient power and influence at sea to overthrow the Arab control of lucrative trade: European style ships were simply able to shift commodities faster and cheaper ... and by the 16th century the Silk Road was already obsolete.



Nonetheless, exotic places along the route still make for stylish and unusual travel destinations today. And no doubt they now have their fair share of designer boutique hotels too. I'm certainly curious to explore some of them.

Are you?