To Follow or Unfollow, That is The Question

OK Lovelies

As I reached my first year blogging, I started think about the bloggers I have unfollowed,or refused to follow in that time.
I'm not sure if I have been fair, but here's my reasoning. Tell me what you think?

i)You can't be bothered to acknowledge your commenters!
OK, this is the "biggie" for me. I used to follow a very popular blog (I won't mention the name as many of you still follow her). I used to comment religiously because her posts were really good. But "hostess" NEVER, EVER acknowledged anyone's comments. C'mooooooon!! In this day and age when everyone is so "time-starved" surely to just thank the people who have taken the time to respond is not asking too much. Isn't it like asking people to your party, and then ignoring everyone?

Her number of commenters aren't that big, so even if "hostess" doesn't want to respond to each one, just a general thank you at the end of each post isn't too much to ask. A couple of times I e:mailed "hostess" about a particular post, and again she never responded. However, when she wanted me to advertise on her site, I received incessant e:mails all beautifully and sweetly written!! Not the kind of person I would want contact with in the real world. Thankfully with cyber-acquaintances they can be deleted too easily with just a press of a button, which is why I think more effort is needed to nurture these friendships.If you can't be bothered, neither can I?

ii) Backlink Baddies:
You only leave bland responses on a post simply so you can leave a backlink back to your post. Isn't that like gate-crashing someone's party and handing out your calling/business card? (sorry, we are back at the party again!) Usually I spot the same bland comment on a number of posts, by the same person, and it's very clear you haven't even read the post!

iii)I'm scared of you:
Yes, on your blog posts, you ignite the grenade, and then stand back and watch your commenters pull each others hair out. Not the kind of tribe I wish to belong too

iv) Ouch!:
You leave nasty comments on people's blogs. I'm all for discussion and different opinions (and love when someone plays devils advocate), but how you present your opinion will impact on whether I follow or press delete! Thankfully, I never encountered this. As an ex-Criminal Psychologist I would like to think I am a "goodish" judge of character ;-)

v)Originality passed you by:
I'm talking about the bloggers who only post image after image from the glossy magazines. C'mon! If I wanted to see all the images from Vogue, I would have bought it. Of course if it fits in with your post, that's a different issue. But if it's just the images with a "wow" thrown in here and there, you will have lost me.

So there you have it. Am I being to harsh? I just think we are all so pushed for time, that if I am going to spend precious minutes reading your blog, there has to be a good reason.


This means that all the followers I do follow, I seriously LOVE! You have all earned your place on my blogroll, and I appreciate each and every one of you for:
*the smiles you bring into my day
*the recommendations you have given me whether it be for a book, a film, a recipe....whatever
*belly laughs first thing in the morning (you know who you are)
*nuggets you planted in my mind, that really made me think
*escapism with your gorgeous images, art, story-telling (nothing better than breaking up the monotony of the day), and most important of all
*friendships without borders
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH



Are there anymore "nasties" that should be added to the "hit-list"? Am I being too harsh? Would love to hear your thoughts.

p.s don't forget to enter our Giveaway in the previous blog post!

Birthday Blog GIveaway!

OK friends, in honour of this blogs 1st birthday this is our giveaway:


I have selected the first bracelet (in black) as I figured everyone likes black!This cuff is really, really popular in our boutique, and looks good in summer or winter.

So here are the rules for entering the giveaway (you have to work a little for this one my friends):

i)Become a Blog follower and leave a comment.

ii)Follow us on Twitter (link on the right side bar) and leave a comment

iii) Follow us on Facebook (link on the right sidebar) and leave a comment.

iv) Grab our blog button for your blog (on the right side bar) and leave a comment.

(You don't have to do all 4, you can do whichever one you feel compelled to do).

OK, here's the caveat. Our blog followers must increase by at least 50 (from 106 to 156) OR our Twitter followers must increase from 1,197 to at least 1,300. Only if we hit ONE of these numbers will the draw be made on Sunday 7 August at midnight (CET). So this is what I mean when I say you have to work for this giveaway; work persuading your friends to follow our blog or follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Is that fair?

Please may I ask entrants to play fair. Don't just become a follower until the draw and then opt out; we are watching you ;-)

Good luck my lovelies. May the best girl win!


p.s competition is open worldwide!
p.p.s a "thank you" post to all my wonderful followers/blog friends will follow shortly.

Cocoa Power

Well as this blog is supposed to be about all things decadent (altho’ I do digress more often than not!), I thought this post would be on something most of us would agree is decadent............CHOCOLATE! But we are talking about high quality chocolate here, not the chemically-enhanced rubbish most of us snatch on the run.


It’s the Swiss, Belgians and French who spring to mind when considering the world’s great chocolate makers. But it is in fact the Spanish who should be given a congratulatory slap on the back for bringing cacao beans back from the New World in the 16th century.

Chocolate soon became very fashionable in Spanish high society and during the 17th Century, the Spanish court was renowned throughout Europe for its expertise in making hot chocolate sipped from dainty chocolate cups with saucers.

Today Spanish eat a huge amount of chocolate especially in Cataluña where they eat double the quantity to the rest of Spain. This could be because of their close proximity to France, and because of the port were it was previously brought into the country.

Petritxol is Barcelona's "chocolate street". The cafes which specialise in hot chocolate are always packed with customers on a Sunday afternoon.

Typical Sunday breakfast in our house is churros and chocolate.




These are like hot doughnuts sprinkled with sugar; as if these aren't lethal enough you then proceed to dip into thick hot chocolate!! Yes, a heart attack just waiting to happen. But you will die happy!


Where Hubby and I go to partake in this Sunday sin!


Inside the "den of iniquity".


Chocolate shoes! Does it get any better than this?



So friends, what's your poison? Is it chocolate, or is it something else equally as decadent?


p.s please take a look at the blog Hampton Hostess, and see the stunning photos of my adopted city where she holidayed recently.

No need to go Native!!

OK, so you don’t have to be a Native American to be able to wear one of this summers on-trend gems;turquoise.

There are really no limits to the functionality and utility of turquoise pieces, although we all can't walk around looking like Cher (as much as I would love too!).


For me turquoise epitomises everything that is summer; Mediterranean seas, crystal clear waters off the Greek islands, hot, sultry days in Ibiza.........I could go on.

For this reason turquoise is my “go-to” gem in Summer, but I never wear it during the winter months (altho’ I do have customers that do wear it all year round and they always look fab!)

The great thing about turquoise is that it goes with almost any color wonderfully, especially since there are quite a few different colors of natural turquoise.
Turquoise can come in all shades of green and blue, as well as yellow and brown. There are also other gemstones that are called “White Turquoise” which obviously would go with any outfit as they are white and black. The most common color of course is the traditional turquoise blue or aqua “Sky Blue” colored turquoise. This color is so beautiful and is the most highly desired.

Turquoise jewellery looks great with jeans and a t-shirt, but this summer many celebs have been seen using turquoise at evening events.



There is no one best way to wear turquoise pieces, but if you don’t want to look like a Navajo Indian, then I suggest you select carefully the piece you want to wear, and keep it to a minimum.

Crete pendant: This is definitely a "statement" piece composed of a vibrant turquoise drop framed by a hand-crocheted gold border http://bit.ly/h0w9nY

I know many would disagree with me and say, mixing the colors up makes one look more artistic and ethnic (and this is true if you are about to don your wellies and head off to Coacharella or Glastonbury, then I say "Go girl!"). But if you are over 40, I would say “don’t go there”. You will end up looking like someone’s spinster Aunt who still thinks she is 25 when in reality is 65 (you know the Aunt who always embarrasses you when she starts dancing at family weddings!).

Others also say that by not wearing matching pieces one appears more travelled and worldly. I ,on the other hand feel that one good piece makes the wearer look more sophisticated. Whichever look you choose, you will certainly be bang on trend this summer with anything turquoise .

Kensie Earrings-bright blue stunners composed of faceted turquoise stones interwoven with gold wire to create a mosaic effecthttp://bit.ly/hW6oHA Noelle Necklace: Stunning pendant composed of a delicate strand of grey freshwater pearls leading to a stunning drop framed in gold crotchet http://bit.ly/ffaZ2V




All featured pieces are from our boutique and come with a 20% discount until the end of July.

Weekend Hugs!

I don't usually post only images. But I couldn't resist this one!

So sending all my wonderful blog friends warm, weekend hugs from Spain. You ALL mean so much to me as I approach 1 year of blogging; I can't even begin to tell you how much joy your blogs,comments and friendship have brought me.

Hugs to you all!



(A Giveaway to celebrate our 1st birthday will be announced shortly).

My Baby has Grown Up!

Well I can't believe that I have been blogging for "nearly" 1 year (about 10 months) and I never thought I would get so wrapped up in the blogging world, not to mention some of the wonderful friends I have made (but that's for another post).

When I started blogging, my blog was just seen as an extension of my boutique; it was functional and served a purpose . But then something strange started to happen. I started experiencing "blog envy!" Yes I believe it now is a medical condition (at least in my house) and strange things started to happen.
I would waste hours just browsing some of these gorgeous blogs, wishing my baby had been born more attractive ( "she" really was ugly, there was no getting away from it!). I was starting to feel like the "poor relation" within my blogging group. I didn't even have a "button" to share when some of my blogging friends asked for it; you hear the violins playing in the background?

But I kept telling myself that content was more important. But subconsciously I was no longer buying into that little chestnut.

So I conducted a small survey amongst my LinkedIn contacts asking them for their opinions. (I couldn't conduct the survey amongst my blogging friends, as they were the source of the "little green monster" that was constantly perched on my shoulder).

Most of the men from my LinkedIn contact group thought the blog was fine as it was; functional, simple, got the job done. However, the women were definitely coming from a different place. And as one contact/friend said "Van, you are in the business of glamour, and your blog doesn't depict this!" That was it. The die had been cast. It was time for some surgery.

Enter, Danielle Moss my fairy Blog-mother. I'm not sure how I found out about Danielle, I only had a scribbled note in my business journal that said "Contact her!"

And so our relationship began. She has the patience of a saint and listened patiently when I sent her what now seem like ludicrous ideas. She never laughed (well not out-right), but gently guided me to what you are looking at now. Thank God she never listened to any of my suggestions! I only knew I wanted something classy and simple, with not too many colours. Danielle waved her wand, and here is the finished piece.

I am SO happy now. I feel I can compete with the "big glam-guns" (don't be modest, you know who you are ;-)

I feel this is more a representation of who I am and what my boutique represents, (more than the Blogger template did!) and more importantly I have a gorgeously cute button. Please grab my button if you want to make a proud mummy cry.


Danielle, still has some tweaking to do, but I couldn't wait to unveil the new look.

I would love your opinions and to hear what you think . One friend asked me what's the "divas" name. She looks like a Lola to me. What do you think?

Short Shrift!

It is July in Spain and savagely hot where I am, but etiquette rules of dressing still seem to occur even in this heat, and never melt away. One of them is wearing shorts/beach attire on the streets.

Women after a certain age i.e 30, never wear shorts on the streets. Spanish women still consider shorts to go shopping or run errands as truly unsightly, and they will not even run to the corner shop in a pair of shorts; even less so in the cities such as Madrid and Barcelona. Shorts away from the beach scream “foreigner” to Spanish women.


Typical attire for running errands in the summer

Unfortunately, it is the expat crowd that opt for shorts or even less clothing whilst away from the coast.
I get truly embarrassed when I see expats walking in supermarkets, or eating in restaurants (albeit by the coast) in bikini tops, men without tops etc. Truly disgusting!!! Why do Northern Europeans insist on doing this? Apart from being damn unsightly, it is so unhygienic. Northern Europeans/expats would never dream of walking around a supermarket in just their bikini and sarong at home, so why do it in Spain? When I have asked expat friends why they insist on doing it, the stock response is “because it’s hot!” Spanish women also feel the heat especially in the cities, but they would still never walk around like this.


Shopping in Madrid. I just love her smile!


In fact when I am at the beach, I can spot which women in a restaurant are Spanish and which are from Northern Europe (in particular the UK and Germany). Spanish women will always be covered in a pretty loose dress to have lunch. They never wear flip-flops into a restaurant (only on the sand),so they will have changed their shoes, taken off their sun hats/visors etc, and spruced up their hair before even entering a restaurant.
And despite the heat they always look remarkably cool and unflusterd.


Princess Letizia strolling in Mallorca during the summer, and not a pair of shorts in sight!


What do you think about wearing shorts or beach attire away from the coast, or in establishments near the coast i.e restaurants, banks, supermarkets etc. Am I getting on my high horse for nothing?

Would love to hear your views.

Swinging from the Chandeliers!!!

No! No! No! you naughty minxes. This post is not what you think it's about. It's about one of this summers jewellery trends; chandelier earrings.

A couple of customers and blog followers requested some posts on summer jewellery trends. As I suffer writers block more than I experience creative inspiration, I was so grateful for their suggestions.

OK, so this post we will look at chandelier earrings.


Elizabeth Hurley, gorgeous as always, with some mega-chandeliers at the Ark charity event in London, June 2011

OK, so do we all have to look like Elizabeth Hurley to carry of the chandelier? No, we most certainly don't, but not every chandelier style is right for every woman or every outfit. Choose the wrong style and you can end up looking like Dame Edna Everage on a bad day!!!


So here are my tips:

1. Never wear a chandelier earring longer than your neck. If it's touching the tops of your shoulders when you're standing, it's going to disappear down the ravine of your cleavage when you sit down; never to be seen again! Instead choose a style that leaves at least 1 inch between the bottom of the earring and the top of your shoulders.

2. If your face is broad or round, or if you have even a slight double chin avoid chandelier earrings with a wide bottom. Instead, opt for a longer, slimmer silhouette that elongates the face and trims your profile.
Celeste Earrings http://bit.ly/eSbRLw

Square Waterfall Earrings http://bit.ly/fFsoCt

If your face is very long and thin, give it more balance with a chandelier that offers more depth and width at the bottom to slenderize your face.
Channel your Spanish diva with these - http://bit.ly/iefHbq

3. You can wear a chandelier during the daytime for a bohemian casual chic look. But do choose a shorter length.
Gorgeous for day-time against a back-drop of white clothing-http://bit.ly/kX2g4x

Bohemian chic in brass - http://bit.ly/hdFzcR

4. If your hair is shoulder length or longer, opt for a longer earring to keep the look vertical. An earring that is too short breaks the line and can make your face appear fuller. If you don't want to wear a long chandelier earring than opt for a short drop earring with single stone or bead.

My "Martini" earrings for "anytime, any place anywhere!" http://bit.ly/jCwjRb

6. Never, ever, ever wear a large or showy necklace with chandelier earrings. Even a strand of pearls can be "over-the-top" if your chandeliers are significant, and you will end up looking like a walking Christmas tree, and we don't want that do we?



Two beauties "sans" necklace


So there you have a it- a brief lesson on how to wear chandeliers this summer without looking like the Las Vegas Strip, or Blackpool Illuminations (if you are from the UK!).

All LUXURIA products featured have a 20% discount for 1 week only! Offer ends Sunday 3 July

Tutu Gorgeous for Words

When I owned my first pair of ballet pumps ("ballerinas" in Spanish) I always assumed they came from France. Perhaps because about 25 years ago the only place to buy them in the UK was from a shop called 'French Sole'; hence my ignorance was born.
YSL's offerings for 2011

However since living in Spain, I now realise that this is a shoe that originated in Spain as far back as 1918 and has been a fashion staple for Spanish women ever since.


In 1918 they were first hand-made in Menorca and had no left or right foot; they were completely interchangeable.

Perhaps one of the reasons for their intense popularity in Spain (long before the likes of Kate Moss and Claudia Scheiffer were seen in theirs) was that in most towns in Spain, huge parts of the town still consist of cobbled stones, which wreak absolute havoc on heels. So unless you are going everywhere by car or taxi, ballerinas are the best way to hurl yourself across town during the day, without becoming wedged between two cobbles and being thrown 4 foot into the air with your knickers on display for the whole of the financial district in Madrid to see! (Yes, it happened to me!!!) So now you can understand why these have been my faithful companion ever since that fateful day over 10 years ago.

Jamie Mascaro's family started making hand-made ballerinas in the early days and since then have taken the world by storm, recently opening his flagship store in London Mayfair. He also recently just opened a store in Warsaw's prime shopping district as the Polish capital enters a new era of glamour.
Some of his new designs for Summer 2011-I just LOVE these!!

Unfortunately there are also many cheap copies being made that has taken the edge of this glamorous shoe. To remain as chic as they were intended, they still only look best in the softest leather possible for shoes and with the least amount of flourishes (for me at least).

As an aside: it shows how comfy and popular ballerinas are, they are also worn as part of the traditional matadors outfit (but always in black).
Discussing the best place in town for ballerinas

Will these form part of your summer wardrobe this year? Do you prefer plain and chic or colourful and fun? Or perhaps you can't stand them! Would love to hear your views.

Don't Forget Your Roots!

Since living in Spain I have been a huge fan of Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem.


I “loved” them (notice the past tense being used?). But I could never understand why no-one I spoke to in Spain had a good word to say about either of them. In fact the majority of people hate the two of them with a passion (and as you can imagine, the Spanish are very passionate people, so much so my "research" about these two had to take place in dark secret corners, in very hushed tones).
But is it a case of sour grapes? But how could it be as the Spanish LOVE Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffiths? This is what was baffling.

Watching the Easter processions from a balcony in Malaga


So in the interest of getting to the bottom of this, I decided to “interview” (I use the term loosely) everyone I could; ranging from age 14 years to aged 82 years! I spoke to all friends, clients, customers, waiters at my favorite bar.......you name it, I had a quick word in anyone’s “shell-like” (ears, for my US friends) and asked them “What the hell is the problem?

What astounded me was that the responses I got, irrespective of who I spoke to, what part of Spain they were from, what age-group they fell into, what political party they supported, what social class they were from.........they all said the same thing.

Here are the reasons they gave:

*Javier Bardem and his mother (who seems constantly stapled to his side at all events) have always been policital activists here in Spain. In fact they were regarded as EXTREME Communists! Javier Bardem on numerous occasions in the past, at rallies in Spain, has spoken about his “hatred” for capitalism and ALL things American.



In fact he openly said during this period of his activism that if he ever won an Oscar, he wouldn’t even go to the US to collect it!

Hmmmmmm-interesting?!

*The Spanish are really quite angry that neither of them give interviews in Spain. In fact Penelope has a reputation of being quite rude to journalists who want to ask her questions. Her stock answer is “it’s my private life!” And yet, both of them are on every talk show in the US talking about that very thing-their private life.

*Any time you see a photo of either of them in Spain they look so damn miserable. Why?

*And of course the final insult for the Spanish was when they elected to have their baby in the US.

Unlike Antonio Banderas who the Spanish love,this clearly isn’t a case of sour grapes. It’s deeper than that. And having conducted my” interviews” I too feel my support for them waning at a very high speed. I don’t have a problem with people re-inventing themselves, but re-writing history? Yes I have a problem with that.

Just as a closing aside. Most people now know that Penelope Cruz’s brother is now the “arm-candy” of Eva Longoria. He is always written about as “the famous Spanish musician brother of Penelope Cruz”. Let me just tell you, no one here has heard of him (never mind heard anything this famous musician has performed). Everyone in Spain knows she had a younger brother, but that was the extent of if. Famous musician??!!! When I show my friends magazines from the US or the UK they are seething. Why? Perhaps this is just another “social climber” in the family? Who knows.

Is it OK to re-invent yourself and move on from your past? Does wisdom come with age, therefore what was said 10 years ago shouldn’t influence people now? Should what we said when we were younger come back and haunt us now? Is being “politically astute” more important these days than being sincere, or have they sold their souls, and sold out on their roots? How far should one go to "re-invent" themselves?

Would love to hear your views?

French Chic versus Inspirational Italians!

OK friends,since being on the blogosphere (which has only been for less than 1 year) I am “intrigued” perhaps at times a little “astounded” by the number of blogs and books about emulating the French style of dressing (OK, before you go off the deep end, let me explain).

I love reading and following these blogs, but on the other hand I just don’t “get it”. Why? I am European (I am from the UK) and have lived in both France and Italy for short periods of time, and now live in Spain,therefore I should “get it”. But for me, I have to say when it comes to dressing and style, the Italians win hands down.

If you have read any of the books about dressing in the French way (and there are many), I have personally found them very formulaic and predictable. Nearly always the formula for “French chic” includes at least one of the following items:
*Chanel bag
*navy blazer
*Hermés scarf
*flat pumps or loafers
*Beige trench-coat

All very nice but predictable.

However, if you go and sit in any piazza in Rome or Milan, what you will see is a cacophony of style and glamour, but none of it predictable. Gorgeous cut clothes, killer heels, designer sunglasses, lustrous hair blowing in the breeze all while zooming around on their Vespas or strolling around the city.

Caught shopping in Milan

One thing I’ve learned in particular is that when it comes to Italian women and fashion, it’s all about "la bella figura";making a beautiful impression. This expression is a way of life for women in Italy, adhered to like a religion, no matter if they are at work, at home, or on vacation.


It’s not hard to fulfill this unwritten religious obligation in a country that has given the world such brand name fashions as Ferragamo, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Prada, and more. With so many high-end labels at their fingertips, Italian women have elevated fashion to a new level, almost to an international art form that many other nationalities aspire to duplicate.


Elisabetta Canalis


Altho' not all Italian women can afford a full designer wardrobe, what they usually always splurge on is designer accessories; bags, shoes, jewellery etc.

Never underestimate the power of Gucci sunglasses!


I have both French and Italian girlfriends. If I am meeting a French friend, I can more or less guess what she will be wearing (in terms of style). If I meet with one of my Italian girlfriends, I never know what she will be wearing, and it will always have the “wow” factor. By “wow-factor” I don’t mean over-the-top, in a cocktail/frou-frou kind of way. I mean “Wow, how can she look so damn good just wearing jeans, a t’shirt and a butter soft leather jacket with matching bag, and not a Hermés scarf in sight?” My Italian friends never fail to astound me with their style.

Elisabetta Canalis aka George Clooney's arm-candy


And perhaps “there’s the rub” (as my good friend Shakespeare would say); because the Italian style is so unpredictable, personal, glamorous and authentic, there are no books written about Italian style, because it is something that cannot be prescribed. On the other hand, the French style can be easily prescribed and replicated, therefore losing it’s authenticity.

This is written principally about the style of women, let's not even start about Italian men!!! Even my husband was astounded by their style as we sat at a coffee shop, people watching in Milan.

I am sure there will be many of you who disagree with me, and that’s fine. Whatever your thoughts, I would love as always to hear them.





(Images courtesy of Grazia)

Spanish Sparkles

OK, some of our Twitter friends already know about the wonderful Spanish designer
who has joined our boutique. But for those of you not on Twitter (and there are many!) here goes:

The wonderfully talented designer Carlos Madirolas joined our boutique about one month ago. As you can see from the images below, his designs are very contemporary, and so fit in perfectly with our niche. He has worked in Ibiza and Menorca taking much of his inspiration from these beautiful Spanish islands. But now his workshop (which is like an Aladdin's cave for me) is in Madrid. All pieces are made with Silver,24k Gold and semi-precious stones.

Just take a look at the images below.


It was seeing the ring on the left which resulted in me contacting Carlos re a collaboration. I just fell immediately in love with this ring.The gems used are, amtheyst,garnet, olivine, blue topaz http://bit.ly/jxrBu4



Gorgeous rings again using amethyst, garnet, olivine and blue topaz; you choose the stone you want when you order.http://bit.ly/iGGeYw


http://bit.ly/lxuicz


http://bit.ly/iS01j9


Absolutely LOVE this ring with my favorite stone http://bit.ly/iQiJlt


These lovely square rings really look gorgeous on the hand. It's just different to the normal round stones, and consequently these are the designs that are most popular since we have started selling them http://bit.ly/iet2mC

So what do you think? Am I raving for nothing? I would love to hear your views.
As a special introductory offer (you know how I love giving discounts-I will never be rich!!) we are offering 20% discount on ALL Carlos Madirolas pieces. Offer ends on Sunday 19 June 2011. Just enter code: CM06 on your order form.

If it's Good Enough for Bond............

As it is the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend, I thought I would re-post this thread I did on Monaco some time ago.

This blog is about everything decadent (as the tag-line for our company is “Decadence for Divas”) and what more decadent a place than Monaco.
If you are from the USA you have Vegas. But if like me you are from Europe, then we have to settle for this little principality.

I have been to Monaco a few times, but the thing that strikes me is just how over-crowded and built up it is.

Here are some more facts I’ve gathered about the “playground for the rich and famous” :-

*Monaco is only about the size of Hyde Park (London), which is only about 350 acres. Now you get a feel for just how small this principality is.

*70% of people rent their homes in Monaco, including one of their richest residents Sir Phillip Green (owner of TopShop).

*the average rent for a “normal” apartment in Monaco starts at 25,000 GBP/ $40,000 or 30,000 Euros PER MONTH!

*A 4 bedroom duplex, facing the harbour will set you back 60M Pounds to buy. That works out to about 30,000 GBP/squared metre!

* 1.5 Million GBP will buy you 47 squared metre; basically a shoe box with no garden, or no pool. The most basic accommodation you can imagine.

*There are more millionaires per squared metre than anywhere else in the world.
There are approximately 2,000 Millionaires and 50 Billionaires currently living in Monaco.

*There is NO crime, and the papparazzi are banned from the principality.

*Every car license plate is scanned and recorded as it enters Monaco.

*The streets are scrubbed clean every morning, and there is no graffiti anywhere

*40,000 workers from France cross the border everyday to work.



*Monaco is 6X the size of the Vatican

*It is the most densely populated independent country (as you can see from the photos)

*The Gran Prix started in Monaco in 1929,and is now broadcast to 100M people. It is now deemed the most glamorous Gran Prix in the world.

*Lets not forget the principle reason people move to Monaco; it is a tax haven.

* Jack Nicholson called Monaco “Alcatraz for the rich!”



So there you have it, some trivia about one of the most glamorous places in Europe.
If you could, would you want to live there in a shoe box simply because your postcode was Monaco? I’m really not sure I would. I think I would prefer to live just across the border in France and get more “bang for my buck!”
I would love to hear your views, and if Monaco is on your list of “Places to see before I die!”