Crackers for Christmas cactus?

Is anyone a grower of cactuses – or should I say cacti? If so, do you have any of the variety that only flower once a year… usually around Christmas time? I’ve been doing a survey of cactuses cacti because they’re such curious plants. I spotted this giant flowering cactus in Sausalito - it must have been at least 10 feet tall.

And below are some scarily spiky cactus leaves seen in Laguna.  I rather like the idea of carving out a message for posterity… but I wouldn’t want to harm the long term health of the natural vegetation (or myself) in the process.

Closer to home, I saw this seriously strange looking specimen at the Chelsea Physic Garden.

Oh, and we’ve got some curiously exotic one-of-a-kind vintage style cactus brooches at ShopCurious. They’re made from upcycled stones, shells and glass - arranged into colourful mosaics by artist-designer Annie Sherburne.

Never mind Christmas, you can give unusual gifts at any time of the year.  And if you’re totally cactus crazy, the British Cactus and Succulent Society produces a quarterly magazine called Cactus World… 

Are you?

Hunting for curious eggs?

Have you been searching for eggs on London’s Faberge Big Egg Hunt? I wasn’t especially looking out for them, but on stumbling upon my first egg, I excitedly entered the keyword into my mobile phone, as requested. I promptly received a congratulatory message - which kindly informed me “This text cost £3”. Anyway, I’m sure it’s all for a good cause…












What with the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics this year, many of the eggs seem to be London or British inspired – though I was wondering if the butterfly themed number outside Scott's (restaurant) might be a Scotch egg?





The highest concentration of eggs seems to be in Mayfair, where those wishing to disport their wealth generosity must have had the battery hens on overtime. I think I read somewhere that the eggs are being sold off at a charity auction today. According to the website, Marc Quinn’s miminalist-looking contoured egg (see below left) has the highest bid so far.










Oh, and in Selfridges, there’s an interactive egg, which you can help decorate with your picture, by visiting Facebook.


























Meantime, at ShopCurious, we’ve our own curiosity egg in the form of a vintage porcelain hatching turtle. This quirky little fellow is curiously collectable - so perfect for an egg collector, or someone hunting for unusual Easter gifts...

Are you?

Crustacean curiosity for mother?

Sorry Mum, I realise that the title of this post could be misinterpreted, but I wanted to mention the time not so long ago, when we spent a few days in the sun celebrating your big birthday...

We were mainly eating and drinking - and my mother took to dining on lobster… I guess she was celebrating. And I was paying!









Anyway, I just wanted to warn you in case you're about to treat your mother, that a better investment might be this curiously collectable vintage Lucite lobster brooch from ShopCurious. It would make an unusual gift for Mother’s Day, or perhaps you fancy it for your own collection - as part of your lobster legacy?

Do you?

PS Order by 12 pm tomorrow for next day UK delivery.

Collecting memories: music for posterity

The outside of the building was bathed in icy blue light, perhaps in deference to the subject of the evening’s entertainment? I found myself thinking of the film, The Artist, as I sat silently in the auditorium at the Cadogan Hall last night. But this was a very different experience - in fact, it was almost the total opposite of watching a silent movie.












Whilst it is possible to get totally lost in music, classical concerts remain rather two dimensional – there’s just the sound we hear (though I suppose this could be described as a multidimensional realm in itself), and the musicians sitting on the stage, playing their instruments. But this concert, performed by the City of London Sinfonia, in association with the Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI), also incorporated photography and the spoken word - along with a small display of artefacts from the SPRI Museum, which were hidden away in one corner of the concert hall foyer.

Hugh Bonneville, of Downton Abbey fame, was the narrator in the first piece - Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Scott of the Antarctic. The readings were from Captain Scott’s Last Expedition, Volume One (of which I just happen to own a copy - and from which these images are taken).

















Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No 7, Symphonia Antarctica, was accompanied by photographs of the expedition by Herbert Ponting - historical treasures in their own right.




















And the concert also included the first airing of a new work by Cecilia McDowell: Seventy Degrees Below Zero was specially commissioned as part of the Scott 100 series of events.























Oh, and did you know that Scott and his companions found the first breeding emperor penguin colony? A proud mother with her offspring can be seen left.

Did you also know that it’s Mother’s Day on 18th March? So if you’re looking for something curiously collectable like these books, do check out the selection of unusual gifts at ShopCurious...

Will you?

Curiously sweet Valentine gifts

Did you know that St Valentine is the patron saint of beekeepers? It’s said that this may be related to the sweetness of honey, and sweet gifts as tokens of love. There are certainly plenty of Valentine sweets for sale in the shops – especially of the chocolate variety.










However, if you’d prefer to give your beloved something a little more unique and unusual for Valentine’s Day this year, we’ve some handcrafted, heart-shaped rings by Sagen at ShopCurious. They’re made from recycled porcelain and silver – and can be adjusted to fit any finger size.





















And we’ve got some curiously arty cufflinks for him too.



















I’m afraid you can’t eat them, but gifts like these should keep your significant other sweet for years to come...

Will you?

PS Order by the end of the weekend for UK delivery in time for Valentine’s Day. Gift wrapping available.

Curious folk trends

Does anyone remember the vintage BBC children’s television programme called Tales from Europe? There was a scary Soviet version of The Snow Queen – and the strangely haunting Singing Ringing Tree. I mention this because folk tales have been a major source of inspiration for fashion and home accessories designers’ forthcoming collections.

At ShopCurious, we’ve also got a bit of a folksy theme in the run up to Christmas. Our curiously colourful hand painted Babushka dolls (right) make really unique tree decorations, and would be great as an unusual gift.



We’ve also got a selection of dramatic vintage gowns for dressy Christmas parties – including fabulous, folk-style pieces from Gina Fratini and Thea Porter Couture.

Anyway, here are some little snippets of the Snow Queen - and the (not so) New Adventures of Heidi, to get you in the mood for what’s to come…

Are you?

Fishing around for Father's Day?

I was sorry to hear about the flood of sewage, caused by heavy rain last weekend, reportedly killing around 20.000 fish between Kew and the Albert Bridge. When the tide’s out, I’ve occasionally seen the odd angler bravely wading out into the River Thames – a tradition that must stretch back to time immemorial. According to a local fishing club, The Wandle Piscators, even Nelson fished the Wandle (a tributary of the Thames), with his good arm, until his death at Trafalgar.






I can see the appeal of fishing in the event of being marooned on a desert island - but why do people, especially men, become so obsessed with this curiously uneventful pastime? I decided to have a go myself – in an attempt to discover the allure of the strange sport… though being a fair-weather sort, I opted for a deep sea fishing trip in the sunny Caribbean. Not such a great idea if it’s not sunny, but STORMY.


Bravely overcoming my strong desire to bug out, I spent several hours inhaling stomach churning diesel fumes and foul fishy aromas, as the boat pitched at crazy angles. The vessel was equipped with all manner of curious fishing paraphernalia, which the captain and his mate put to use with professional nonchalance, even when the boat was at 45 degrees in a squall.




















Despite feeling a little queasy, I was determined to maintain my sartorial elegance throughout - but, boy was I glad when I saw the beach rapidly zooming towards us, as the boat accelerated back to shore at breakneck speed. And we actually brought in a reasonably decent catch - including a 25 pound Wahoo - a very tasty trophy.






















By the way, if your Dad’s a keen fisherman, then look no further than these fabulous vintage fly fishing cufflinks from ShopCurious, which would make the perfect Father’s Day present.



Anyway, there was I thinking that a more sedate form of fishy activity, like a trip to see Selfridges Project Ocean, might be a little less dangerous than deep sea fishing – but my curiosity to capture these strange chaps on film caused me to fall off the end of the escalator:

Will you?

PS If your Dad’s into something other than fishing, check out my special selection of unusual gifts for Dabbling Dads.

Stocking fillers for a capital Christmas

The last minute rush is upon us. There’s more cold weather coming too... I suggest you sit back in a comfy armchair with your laptop, so you can pick up a few stocking fillers without even going into town.

Here’s my choice of curiosities from London via ShopCurious, all available in time for Christmas (last UK orders 22nd December):

To start with how about a retro London powder compact, perfect for a liberal dusting of old fashioned charm...



Zarvis London’s divinely scented ‘mothaway cones' make a curiously useful gift, especially if you happen to live in London, where there seem to be plenty of moths. Are there any your way? In any case, there’s a special offer for a pack of two eco-friendly cones, which are available at a 20% discount.





If you’re going for the shock factor, there’s always The Little Shop of Horrors’ anatomical curiosity – the innocuously named Ted and Eddy, a freakish two-headed teddy bear. Eek!






Or for the traditionalist, choose from a selection of curiously collectable royal commemorative tins, starting at only £8 – surely the least expensive heirlooms in town?







The quirky and characterful Someday diary has no fixed dates, making it a totally timeless gift – but also perfect with the New Year just around the corner. And only £17 a pop too...








Keep someone warm this Christmas with a classic vintage men’s silk scarf. At only a little over £20 this is arty style that’s surprisingly cheap.







Or choose from a range of charming, old-style brooches, some attached to a pretty postcard, that are both reasonably priced and perfect as unusual gifts for ladies of all ages.

There are plenty more curiosities and gift ideas on the website, but I thought a few mentions might help you on your way. Take a look around, anyway... you never know what you might find, without eating too much into your capital.

Will you?

Arty, eco-friendly London style

How is it that Americans get two turkey days, whereas us Brits only get one? I think it’s rather curious to have another holiday so close to Christmas, when we’re already running around like headless chickens. Anyway, as you guys on the other side of the pond are probably having a few days off, I thought I’d focus on things a little closer to home today.

If you’re Christmas shopping in London, there are a few new places to visit, like the huge glass-fronted mall over at One New Change, opposite St Paul’s. There are some amazing views over London from the recently opened roof terrace (click on pics below to enlarge), where next year a rooftop café will also be up and running - hope the weather improves...






















Despite Jean Nouvel’s stunning architectural contribution to the City, the shopping centre is home to the ubiquitous selection of chain stores. However, it was refreshing to see a rather more original addition to the premises the other day, when photos of the new limited edition London G-Wiz were unveiled.






This quirky little electric car is now recognizably associated with London, where apparently there are now well over 1,000 of the vehicles on the city’s streets, prompting the idea for a unique, London inspired deisgn. Luise Vomittag of the designer, ContainerPLUS says, “So many stories intersect in this city, millions of people - all building a version of their own reality. It’s a topsy-turvy city - eccentric, outrageous and utterly delightful. The idiosyncratic and joyful spirit of the G-wiz, as well as the environmental outlook of the company behind this vehicle, immediately struck a chord.”

If you’re interested in seeing this curiously collectable designer car, you’ll be able to get a preview at the junction of Oxford Street, Market Place and Great Titchfield Street on Saturday 27th, this weekend, as part of the VIP, car free shopping day. Or, if you’d like to order one as an eco-friendly Christmas gift, you can even buy online, direct from the appropriately named retailer, GoinGreen.





It’s understandable that some budgets won’t quite stretch to £12,995, even for Christmas, but there are plenty of less expensive unusual gifts online at ShopCurious: Like this very reasonably priced and beautifully scented, naturally organic Lavender Crystals gift set from Zarvis London.

By the way, don’t forget to order your turkey.

Will you?