Travelling in arty Aussie style

The curious incident involving Monsieur Depardieu reminds me how much air travel has changed over the past few decades. An in-flight experience used to be the height of luxury (and politeness), but these days on board lavatories are just as bad as they are on inter-city trains. On my flight back from Spain this week, one loo had soap and no hand towels, whereas the other had hand towels and no soap.

Anyway, I’m glad to be back because I wanted to show you this rare reminder of the air travel style of yesteryear. I love the curiously arty design of this Qantas airline souvenir from ShopCurious. The vintage silk scarf is colourfully printed with bold images of tourist destinations from around the world. Funnily enough, the clashing colours remind me of the outfit worn by Australian nomad, Trudi, whose photograph appears in our latest Curious Trends article.





Talking of memorabilia, do have a read of my RetroProgressive post on the official merchandise for the London 2012 Olympics over at The Dabbler today – and let me know what you think of the uniquely contemporary designs.

Will you?

Holy Romans, ruins, romance... and rain

Regardless of your religion, or desire to hear the Pope’s Easter message, there’s no place quite like Rome for a weekend break. I doubt that anyone can fail to be filled with awe and wonder on visiting a city so stunningly laden with artistic and architectural treasures: the legacy of ancient history and a rich cultural heritage.





Top of your list of places to see will be the Vatican Museums, encompassing the Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Basilica and so much more… If you’re a lover of art and sculpture, you’ll probably want to spend a few weeks camping out here (if only that were permissible). Other amazing monuments include the Colosseum, the Forum and surrounding Roman remains, the Pantheon and lots more besides.




If you like shopping for antiques, Rome’s quaint patchwork of narrow streets, alleyways and courtyards is home to plenty of high end emporia, where you’ll find fine quality pieces, mixed in with quirky curiosities – though all at a price. There are also vintage flea markets, especially on Sunday morning, where you’re more likely to find a bargain – though best to dress down and leave your fancy handbag at home.



Keep your eyes peeled for hidden gems too, as tucked away in side streets, on corners, or atop buildings, you’ll find secret places - including theatres, pizzerias, shrines, sculptures and curiously enticing ice cream parlours.

Rome is also the perfect place for a romantic retreat, as featured in Raymond Peynet’s curiously charming book, The Lovers’ Travelogue (see right) – an original 1955 copy of which is currently available at ShopCurious.

One thing you’re also almost always guaranteed when you travel to Rome is sunshine.



















Typically, when I last visited, the heavens opened and it poured down.

The fact that it rained for just one day had taxi drivers constantly moaning about how miserable this made them feel – thank goodness they don’t live in London!







Anyway, in my opinion, the best thing about Rome is that the city actually seems to reflect all the celestial inspiration that’s gone into creating its glorious buildings and artworks, making everything just as beautiful come rain or shine.







Rome will be eternally loved, whatever the weather...

And I’m already looking forward to my next visit.

Are you?



Wishing you a happy and holy Easter!

Thalassomania?

How about taking your mother away for a weekend break to celebrate Mothers’ Day? Mine has hinted she’d like to see Rome, as she’s never been before.

I noticed something curious about Rome last time I was there: the city’s simply bursting with sea-inspired art, sculpture and cuisine:































































Your mother may well be a thalassomaniac (fanatic of all things to do with the sea), but you don’t have to travel to Rome to please her. These intricately hand-carved natural stone boxes from ShopCurious would make perfect Mothers’ Day gifts.






If you’re looking for something stylish that’s a little unusual, reasonably priced and useful too, they’re just the thing. Even better if your Mum’s got one of those fishy starsigns - like Aquarius, Pisces or Cancer. Or perhaps you’re one of those signs, in which case you’ll just have to buy two of these beautifully handcrafted boxes...

Will you?

I love New York, but...

Fast isn’t always best. Bette Midler once famously said “When it's three o’clock in New York, it's still 1938 in London.” Okay, New York has been, and may still be, the world’s most happening city… If you visit regularly for New York Fashion Week, you’ll probably discover recently established places and new things to see and do, every time you’re there. But I like to find hang-outs that are a little more off-beat and unusual - where things happen at a slightly slower pace.







Even if you start at the digital centre of the world, you can always slow down later: The new NYC Information Center, close to Times Square, has 16 enormous flat screen monitors, where you can use Google Earth to create your own virtual tourist trail. You can even download the route onto your mobile ‘phone. Or, if you prefer to do this is in advance of your trip, there’s also a website, which you can check out here.








If the pace gets a little too much and you find you’re need a bit of a breather, why not stop off at Paley Park – an urban oasis on the site where the famous Stork Club used to be. Privately funded by the ex-CEO of CBS William Paley, and built in 1967, this ‘pocket park’ is a small cobbled area, with walls on three sides that are decked out with a huge fountain and hanging ivy to blot out the noise from the passing traffic, creating a Zen-like environment that’s rather a curiosity…






It’s perfect for taking a few moments out, allowing you to collage your memory with a curiously handy journal from ShopCurious.

Of course, you could also make a hasty retreat to The Meatpacking District (MPD) - with a heritage of over 250 slaughterhouses - and now a favourite hang-out for actors and fashionistas. Thankfully, the area has recently become home to The High Line, a former freight transportation facility that’s been transformed into a stylish green walkway, raised up above road level.





Originally in use from the early 1930s to around 1980, the line was derelict until its recent (and ongoing) reclamation. Planted with grass, shrubs and even decked out with sun-loungers, the 3 mile long, eco-friendly track is a great way to see what’s going on from above.

You can also pop by one of the newest bistros in the area, Recette, where the chef is Gordon Ramsay trained Jesse Schenker.

After all, you may need to take another breather before London Fashion Week hits this ‘slow’ town…

Do you?

Love is...curiously French

The other weekend I was lost in France, when I forgot to take my camera. Okay, I wasn’t actually ‘lost’, it’s just that I’m so used to having a camera with me when I travel, I felt curiously lost in Paris without it. Good job I took plenty of photos on my previous trip, which I’ve just found - so at least I can write this post, about how curious it is that we identify France with love – and love with France…

France has always rated highly in terms of style, and not just for couture and cuisine. As well as being world renowned for its fashion, France is known for its lovers – perhaps even for its love of love. And France isn’t just famous for its culinary artists either, but also for all manner of talented artists and creative types – and, if you've any other additions to this list, just let me know.





However, I’ve noticed that, in recent years, that Paris has rather lost its edge in the culinary stakes. You’d think that Paris, the French capital of love and romance would be producing the most imaginative and desirable dishes in the world, but in most places, you’ll find the menu consists of three main ingredients: jambon et fromage (ham and cheese) – plus that curiously un-optional extra: du pain.





What I find amusing when I go to Paris is that the hotels invariably offer rather strange and soggy croissants, sometimes dusted in sugar or even, (sacre bleu!) icing sugar, for breakfast - along with a selection of sub-standard, pre-packaged cheeses, hams and the obligatory crusty (crunch your fillings variety) bread rolls. Or am I simply staying in the wrong places? Oh, and lunch is usually a super-sized and over-filled baguette - your choice of jambon, ou fromage... or jambon et fromage.



How refreshing, then, to stumble upon a small local restaurant - close to where I was staying, near the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre - serving les produits de la region (no, not the Paris region, but the South West of France). A lovely couple called Sebastien (a sort of Gallic Gordon Ramsay) and Emeline (the gaminely flirty French waitress), set up the restaurant a few years ago.







I’ve now visited a few times and, what always surprises me, is that I find myself sitting amongst familiar, returning customers on every occasion, the majority of whom are actually French. This has to be the tell tale sign of a good restaurant, or at least a welcome culinary oasis in the midst of a foodie desert.

By the way, Sebastien and Emeline come from the Isle d’Oleron, so are very proud of their Marennes oysters and fresh seafood dishes, which is right up my street.





I’ve noticed another odd thing about French cooking is the curious lack of greenery. If you’re used to Italian-style cuisine, with large dollops of spinach and Mediterranean vegetables, you’ll always feel a little less than satisfied in Paris, where there’s simply no respite from the platefuls of creamy coloured food and sauces, with only the occasional token sprig of parsley… or the odd tomato garnish here and there.





Anyway, if you’re unfortunate enough to be staying in the area, I can highly recommend Saveur et Plaisir as one of the few decent restaurants around – and, in addition to daily specials, they usefully offer two menus: the ‘saveur’ being more basic, and the ‘plaisir’, purely for pleasure (though possibly a little less pleasing on the wallet).

And now on to the plaisir d’amour, sadly, unsampled during my brief visit to the so-called 'city of love', but hopefully more varied and imaginative than the cuisine.







If you’re searching for unusual gifts for your loved one for Valentine’s Day, you might be interested in some amusing 1950s and ‘60s books for lovers by French author/cartoonist, Raymond Peynet. These beautifully illustrated, vintage collectors’ editions, available at ShopCurious, make highly original, quirky Valentine gifts.









In fact, rather than rushing off for a romantic weekend of jambon et fromage in Paris, I’d suggest you stay at home and enjoy a good giggle over Peynet’s charming, witty … and curiously French… approach to love.

Will you?

Retro holiday souvenirs

Moving swiftly on from 1950s Great Yarmouth, where many spent their vacations within the happily controlled confines of a holiday camp, or in the dubious splendour of a thoroughly modern caravan, to more cutting edge travel in form of the first ever package holidays.






Cheaper air travel was becoming available for the first time and, although still not yet bargain priced, the British economy was booming - and society was becoming more adventurous and experimental in its taste.







Those with the spare cash wanted to travel further afield and sample the delights that new and exciting parts of the world had to offer. The fashion for air crew style carry-on suitcases and compact little vanity cases started around this time.







The Spanish tourist industry really began in the 1960s with the birth of package holiday deals, offering the irresistible combination of cheap air tickets, accommodation and car hire as an all-in-one offer. Resorts such as Benidorm on the Costa Blanca, Lloret del Mar on the Costa Brava and Torremolinos on the Costa del Sol took off in a big way.





Those lucky enough to venture on the first trips to these hitherto unadulterated shores were keen to bring back trophies of their explorations. Kitsch tourist memorabilia and holiday souvenirs ranged from cheap sombreros and straw donkeys to bottles of sangria, imitation bullfight posters and much treasured works by local artists – many of whom were called Juan or Carlos.



At ShopCurious, we’ve a pair of particularly fine examples of Spanish souvenir poster style paintings of flamenco dancers – totally original, and signed by the one and only Carlos!



Some travelled to even further-flung places and found more unique and unusual curiosities, like this quirky and individual hand painted oyster mushroom vase from Malta. The more design orientated sought out furniture and decorative pieces to bring back home – a curious Castillian lady lamp base perhaps?




At this time, Hawaii was the ultimate in stylish tourist destinations, as it included all the key attractions of the seaside, palm trees, sun, sand and even grass skirts. America’s 50th state, Hawaii, has always had strong links with the UK – after all, the Hawaiian Islands were discovered by Captain Cook. Hawaii’s fame was further added to by Elvis Presley (who adored the islands) and, of course, the cult TV show with the legendary theme tune, Hawaii Five 0. By the way, did you know that President Barack Obama was born in the state capital, Honolulu, in August 1961?





Anyway, I think that’s enough globe-trotting for now, my head’s getting a little dizzy, but I’d love to hear all about your retro holiday souvenirs. I’m sure you must have some really curious vintage tourist memorabilia that you want to share with us ...

Do you?