Camel Stop shop in the Lecrin Valley, south of Granada

If like me, you have a weakness for the extravaganza, the unique and the baroque, then you will love Gym's Camel Stop shop. For months Gym restored a former village ruin turning it into an amazing 3 storeys shop-house where she hoards her little treasures : chandeliers, mirrors, skulls, sumptuous fabrics, furniture found on fleamarkets and lovingly restored. Monchéri and I always could spend the whole day at Camel Stop (especially if Gym treats us to a mint tea under the Moroccan tent on the roof terrace). And we find it equally hard to leave the shop with empty hands. Gym's shop is so full of delightful surprises just like her actually. A self-taught artist, she never attended art school and became a very successful set decorator. Gym started decorating shop windows in King's road in London in the 80s. She also started a brief model career in Venice. Back in London, she gradually got commissioned by restaurants and shops to paint decorative murals. Her work took her to Holland, to Russia where she painted backdrops for the Bolchoï ballet and the Moscow State Circus. Recently, her last adverts jobs included the two Pepsi Cola ads featuring David Beckham, shot in Little Texas Hollywood near Almeria (remind me to take you there one day), American Express, Levi's, Toyota and the latest Guinness ad shot in Malaga. We (the little gang of friends in the valley) were all so proud when she got commissioned to decorate the George Lucas Star Wars' party premises during the Cannes festival a few years ago ! As you would have guessed, she also traveled the whole world in quest of beautiful fabrics and textiles. What amazes me is that Gym is always so humble about her many talents, the way true talented people are actually. And on top of that, she's such a loyal and very caring friend....oh..you would love her !

the entrance of the shop and its distinctive sign

the purple sofas corner

an old matador jacket
did you ever try one?
it weighs a ton !

skull reflected in a mirror

the ceiling in the kitchen area

handpainted cups and teapot

a metallic winding stair leads to the 1st floor

where the bedroom awaits you with a
nice collection of "petit point" cushions

the bathroom has a very funny guest
Gym found this weird old medical device
in a fleamarket on the coast

the clothes department with a zebra rug

Gym painted these amazing Indian figures fragments
on the inner wall of the shop patio

Hope you'll come one day !

photos by your devoted blogging hostess


ps : I meant to post on wednesday and this heat is killing me ! Monchéri and I have been on a cooking job these last few days. I will post about it tomorrow friday . Stay tune and wish you a very happy summer day !