Glamping

While I must say that I'm more of a luxury resort in an exotic location kind of girl, my darling friend Victoria is expected to participate in an outdoorsy camping trip and wanted some tips on "glamping" - aka luxurious, glamorous camping. I cannot leave one of my dearest friends in a flooded campsite with a leaky tent shivering in a smelly, borrowed sleeping bag...so here goes!

If given the appropriate amount of time, resources, and ability to govern the trip then research, research, research. Many campsites now have tents complete with carpeting, down duvets, and electricity as well as on-site hot tubs and saunas and a variety of activities ranging from horseback riding to kayaking. If you really plan ahead you could end up at a site with a walk-in tent with beds, heated blankets, and a mess tent serving haute cuisine. Of course, if your significant other is a "rough it" type of individual...you should consider a new significant other bwahahahaha, just kidding. I guess you're out off luck and now you're on to plan b! (although I strongly recommend that you carry the number of the nearest hotel just in case it does rain). Here are my "glamping" necessities:

1. Jimmy Choo's Hunter Wellington Rainboot. Made cool when Kate Moss wore wellies to the Glastonbury Music Festival, the cool new Choo boot is of course rubber, but the material has been embossed with a chic crocodile pattern and has leopard print lining and gold buckle details.

2. The Swiss Glamour Camping Kit, made by Urban Decay together with Paul Frank contains 125 dollars worth of cosmetic goodies, like eyeliners, pencils, brushes, eye shadows, lip gloss, over-sized sunglasses, a matching case, and obviously, a mirror.
3. Mahalo water made from 100% Hawaiian Deep Sea Water claims to offer the purest water on earth and contains a very high amount of minerals. I don't care if I can have mountain fresh water...I want imported Hawaiian water biatches!!


4. You can still have some comfort like back home while on a camping trip with the N!ergy tent. The tent includes an E! Power Pak which powers 12-volt gadgets right inside the tent. The system combines three 12-volt outlets inside the tent which you can connect to a power system. The 12-volt outlets also double as night lights since they shine blue when powered ON.

4. Recently showcased among the many beers at the Beertopia World Beer Festival in New York was this unique new product – Champagne Lager (Or Champagne Beer as it is known in the US). Boasting a new category unto itself this export brand of a London based Cobra Beers will put the glam into beer drinking. Carrying a powerful 8% ABV and double fermented in Belgium’s world famous Rodenbach brewery, bringing out all the subtleties and character of its fine ingredients, this Champagne Beer comes in a sleek dark champagne-style bottle with the tagline “This holiday season have your beer and your champagne too!” Available in 750ml bottles, with retail price around $12 it’s perfect for adding the glitz and glam to even outdoor events.

5. Down comforter, down pillow, fleecy blankets

6. Even sub-zero temperatures won't interfere with your sleep when you're zipped up in this luxurious heated sleeping bag from Heatek. The bag operates on a 12-volt, 9-Ah battery (included) and comes with an AC/DC rechargeable adapter unit that can be plugged into your car's cigarette lighter. Once it's turned on, the bag takes only about five minutes to heat up, and its automatic temperature control works for up to eight hours, creating the ideal climate for a full night's sleep. The durable waterproof shell keeps the bag dry for ultimate efficiency and also breathes well to keep you from feeling clammy at night.

7. Dried fruit (I like the variety of options at Trader Joe's), nuts (a la tamarind almonds), wasabi peas, and prepped grilling food (ie Whole Foods)

8. Your own grill. Yes, there is something to be said for campground bonfires...and that something is s'mores. For everything else...bring your own grill so you're not stuck eating things that have unglamourously fallen in the ashes.

9. Beach towels, camp chairs, and a hammock (for your significant other to lovingly assemble from tree to tree)...you don't want to end up sitting on the ground especially with icky sticky bug spray or sunscreen. I may defy logic on this one but when camping I do NOT do the shower thing...communal bathing (unless it is in a bath house) is simply not an option and if I'm leaving on a Friday, I will be home Sunday so I keep as dirt free as possible to help with this endeavor! Also, Sephora's Naturia Dry Shampoo allows you to wash your hair sans water leaving hair healthy and clean in minutes!!! Moisturizer and eye shades...because mountain air is often dry and you don't want to be awakened at 6 am on a Saturday morning. Also, if you see horrifying wildlife, put on eye shades and it totally disappears ;). I've been trying to think of a way around the public pottying, but my best solution is planning day trips into areas accessible to hotel bathrooms or restaurants!

10. Deep tissue massage upon return to civilization to get any potential knots and post-traumatic stress banished!!