Tag Archives: safari

Chester Zoo

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Recently, I spent a day with some work colleagues doing some voluntary work at Chester Zoo. Despite living fairly close to the zoo, I’d not been there for a good few years. I’ve taken my daughter when she was younger, but haven’t been since.

After a hot day in the fields cutting down and then stripping willow branches for them to be used as food for the animals, there was some free time at the end of the day to have a look round the zoo itself. The sun was burning down that day, but I decided to have a quick look round to see as many of my favourite animals as I could – a “Greatest Hits” tour, if you will.

So I raced around and saw some rhinos – always one of my favourites since I was a little kid. Magnificent, huge animals, they were busy sunbathing or chomping away on food (provided by some other voluntary group?). Giraffes were next: if you didn’t know these creatures were real, you’d swear they were the invention of a crazy mind.

Elephants are always a joy to see, and the Asian specimens at Chester Zoo always remind me of Disney’s The Jungle Book (which I love).

Then it was off to find the lions. I was unlucky here though, sadly – they were all hiding in the shade. Fair enough, really. I was much more fortunate with the jaguars. One of these beautiful big cats was contentedly wandering around their indoor pen and came up really close, providing a fantastic close up.

After quickly checking out the penguins and a Komodo dragon, it was time to split. There was time on the clock, but I really needed to get home for a shower after such a hot day!

As a result, I missed out on some of my other most admired animals, such as the tigers, chimpanzees and the amazing bats in their night zone. But having had such a good time, I decided it won’t be long till my next visit to see what I missed.

Thanks to Chester Zoo for a fun and educational day.

You can check out Chester Zoo here.

STYLE: the Safari Jacket

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STYLE.  Some of us have it, some of us don’t.  Some of us get it, some of us won’t.  Whether you’re born with STYLE or whether you’re working hard to acquire it, Platinum Al is here to help.  In this long-promised, much anticipated, new ongoing feature, I will share with you the secrets of STYLE.

Buckle up, compadre – this is gonna be a wild ride…

In this first STYLE instalment, let’s take a look at a classic male garment that’s sadly no longer seen as regularly as it should be.  Once an absolute essential for everyone from International Playboy to game show host, this forgotten wardrobe requirement is overdue a reappraisal.

The Safari Jacket: easily identified by the pockets – usually four; accompanied by epaulets and often a belt.  These features were originally military in design, with the aim being to hold supplies.  Lightweight and comfy, yet also practical and smart, it offers the ideal jacket for the adventurer in warmer weather.

The greatest exponent of this style is the late Sir Roger Moore.  As secret agent James Bond, 007, Moore was seen in numerous films not just in the de rigueur dinner suit but also several different Safari suits.  When you factor in his appearances in The Saint and The Persuaders, we have one of the legendary purveyors of this look.  No one is more stylish than Bond!

Roger Moore was my inspiration for adopting the Safari jacket, but let’s not forget many other stars who wore these garments.  Christopher Lee; Clark Gable; Clint Eastwood; Francis Ford Coppola; Richard Attenborough; Sid James and others in Carry On Up The Jungle.

Though the jacket is inherently macho in its Hemingway bravado, we’re not celebrating the hunter with this look so much as paying homage to those heroes of 70s and 80s film and TV.

My personal collection of Safari jackets, seen here, include beige numbers (short and long sleeved versions) and light blue.

I often team these jackets up with a light shirt – Hawaiian for that extra Tiki vibe – though plain works fine.  As these photos attest, I have even gone bare chested underneath said garment in warmer climes (not something I would recommend style wise).  Alternatively, try adding a cravat for that final touch of class.

The Safari jacket: whether it’s cocktails or action – this is the summer jacket for you.