Cleopatra's Bling Podcast

Our guest today deals in such precious items, we cannot reveal his full name or his face. Sean is a diamond dealer, and an expert in the trade, as well as an incomparably fascinating storyteller. He and Olivia have worked together for years, and share a delight in these natural, sparkling, invincible materials. He traces a diamond's hidden origins beneath the Earth's mantle, pressurised and pushed by volcanic forces up to the planet's crust. He tells of the most valuable diamonds he ever touched, robberies, and high jinks, and speaks with earnestness and passion about the ethics of the diamond industry. This week also serves as a practical guide to anyone considering purchasing diamond jewellery: what to look for, how to navigate the complex vocabulary of cut, colour, clarity, and carat, and helps put you on the right track to finding your perfect piece. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded on Wurundjeri country. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva.     

Have you ever been caught in a lie? Maybe just a small one. Borne out of a misunderstanding. Never intended to be told. But one lie leads to another. “It's easier to go along with it than to explain the whole truth,” you tell yourself. That's exactly where the protagonist of Dominic Amerena's debut novel, I Want Everything, finds himself. Dom is a masterful storyteller. We talked about truth and lies, wild years abroad, plot twists, and just what lengths someone will go to when they're desperate, ambitious, and out of options. I Want Everything, which has been praised as "the funniest novel of 2025" is available for pre-order here now, releasing on April 30 by Simon & Schuster. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded on Wurundjeri country. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. 

Every day, Edhi lives with the unseen. Spirits hover in daily life, receiving offerings of coffee, rice, even cigarettes. In this episode, Olivia and her friend drive through Bali's lush landscapes, discussing ancestral presence, the philosophy of balance, and why both angels and devils deserve respect. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded in Bali, Indonesia. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva.   

For many holidaygoers, visiting beachside destinations like Bali becomes an excuse to harrass locals, buy cheap souvenirs, and see the inside of a local hospital after an inebriated scooter ride. In recent years, TV shows like White Lotus have brought the dark side of tourists' superficial engagement with local culture into the maintstream. But in my conversation with Tjok Maya Kerthyasa, author, illustrator, and stylist of Paon: Real Balinese Cooking, the local generously revealed to me the more intimate, real, and less often-accessed parts of Balinese culture. We sat in her family home, and she shared traditional Balinese recipes, the local approach to zero-waste cooking (whose techniques will surprise you!), and what we both love about Bali. It's a guide for your future visit, a relaxing meditation on food, and a chat that will spark ideas for an adventurous next meal, whether your dinner party is in Denpassar or Dallas. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded in Bali, Indonesia. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva.   

Artist Miranda Skoczek transcends the traditional role of painter, creating wall works, co-designing with fashion houses like Gorman and Silk Laundry, and crafting figurines inspired by ancient Pagan traditions of her Slavic ancestry. We share a love of symbols and amulets, and we discussed how to bring their imagery and power into a contemporary context while honouring these traditions and building a successful artistic practice. Miranda is represented by Edwina Corlette gallery in Australia. You can find out more about artwork, awash with colour and symbolism, here. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded on Wurundjeri country. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. 

"You're not like other girls, you're not pretty... you look... interesting." These are the words Syrian-Palestinian-Emiratee model Lana Albeik has heard many times throughout her career. In today's episode she shares her story, alongside her advice on overcoming naysayers, nastiness, and prejudice. Through her career Albeik has combined activism, heritage, and fashion in ways that defy stereotypes. Having worked for Elle, Vogue, Burberry and others, she became a muse for brands while never losing her strong sense of self. This unreleased episode, recorded in early 2023, was delayed by technical issues. Now resolved, we're excited to finally share it with you. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded on Wurundjeri country. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva.   

There was a moment in 2020 when Instagram was suddenly blanketed by black squares as social media users struggled to find a way to express that they supported the justified anger and calls for justice within the Black community. In the years since, as the frenzied media cycle churned on, the spotlight may have shifted away from issues of racial justice and the black squares were quietly deleted, archived, or simply moved down the feed, subsumed by images of holidays, events, and new outfits. My guest Darnell L. Moore, a writer and activist, has not stopped agitating, musing, and talking passionately to issues where race and queer issues intersect. He speaks with rightful passion and intensity about his story and how it relates to all of us, in finding his identity as a young, Black, Queer person. This meant dealing with the lies that others told about what it means to be a man of colour, raised in a community of faith. This unreleased episode, recorded in early 2023, was delayed by technical issues. Now resolved, we're excited to finally share it with you. Read Darnell's book "No Ashes in the Fire". Visit his website. – Content Note: This episode contains a brief allusion to self-harm. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-injury, call Lifeline in Australia on 13 11 14, or your national suicide prevention hotline. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded Wurundjeri country. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva.   

Have you ever wondered what connections ancient cultures see between totally disparate parts of the body?  How earlobe connects to spleen, and eyebrow to abdomen? After discovering a breast tumour in her 20s, Zoey Xinyi Gong realised that she needed to make some changes in her life to protect her health. This involved an innovative approach to Western and Eastern medicine. Coming from a “traditional Chinese family” in Shanghai, then studying Western nutrition in New York, she decided to complement this learning with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Today she is a registered dietician and TCM chef, sharing her incredible recipes and learnings with a broader audience. Built on the foundation of thousands of years of knowledge and history, Zoey is dedicated to modernising TCM and bridging the gap between Eastern and Western Wellness. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded Wurundjeri country. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. 

Artist Atong Atem proclaims proudly, "I'm not a subtle girl". In this episode filled with laughter and the sharing of history and creative influences, Olivia and Atong joke about painfully plain interior design trends, the pipeline from large families to the decision to elope, and Atong's view of herself as science fiction character. The conversation also takes a deep turn towards the history and traditions of the Dinka people, Atong's understanding of her context as a visual artist, and how she has made it as one of Australia's leading photographers. Atong is represented by MARS Gallery in Australia, where her work is available to purchase. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded Wurundjeri country. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. 

"I love this lack of control." These are the words founder and designer Olivia Cummings used to describe the contrast between becoming a first time mother, and running a business. On the 18.10.24 our founder Olivia welcomed her most precious creation to date, as she birthed her first child, a daughter, into this world. A few weeks ago, in the final stages of her pregnancy, she sat down with podcasters Lucinda McKim and Lauren Treweek of the hilarious, frank, and informative Ready or Not for an honest discussion about her pregnancy, labour, and the realities of motherhood. Olivia shares her worries and expectations about the entire process of becoming a first time mum. If you have ever wondered about having a child, feared the prenatal period and birth, or if you, like so many, feel alone, judged, and uncertain in parenting and raising kids, this discussion is a salve to the soul. Even for those without kids, it's a chance to understand women's perspectives on topics not often dared to be discussed, in Olivia, Lauren, and Lucinda's characteristically honest and open style–to see how the caregivers in our lives are navigating things. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded Wurundjeri country. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. 

Virginia Trioli has won not one, but two Walkleys–the highest prize for journalism in Australia–through her illustrious career which spans decades and many eras of politcal and cultural life. It's no wonder, then, that you've never heard a more engaging storyteller. Virginia became a household name as the host of the morning news, and famed political panel program Q&A, and currently delves into the essence of creativity in her program on the ABC, Creative Types.  Her book, A Bit on the Side, is out now with Pan Macmillan Australia. In it, Virginia reflects on the “side dishes” that make life really delicious. The sweet and the sour; the salty, the bitter - both literally through the medium of food, and metaphorically when reflecting on her storied life. We talked how she got her start in the newsroom, some of the most difficult stories for her to cover, and much more. For more of her tales of travel and adventure, as well as some lip-smacking recipes for side dishes, find A Bit on the Side, here.   This episode contains descriptions of sexual harrasment in the workplace and domestic violence. If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded Wurundjeri country. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. 

Imagine a world in which the same earth you walk had been populated by Gods in years past. These deities may have had bull's tails, or the heads of falcons, held massive whips, or possessed the moon in their left eye. This was the belief system of the Ancient Egyptians, who saw their Kings and Queens as direct descandents of these divinities, and founders of human society. The Pharaoh ruled not only by divine right, but as a direct heir of these Gods. I sat down with Amanda Dunsmore, Senior Curator, International Decorative Arts and Antiquities at the National Gallery of Victoria. She heads up the monumental exhibition Pharaoh: a landmark in the collected display of treasures from Ancient Egypt.  On view now, Amanda talked me through the myth and iconography of some of the more than 500 objects–including towering sculptures, statues that graced ancient temples, coffins, and of course jewellery–which immerse visitors in the world of the ancient pharaohs.  Tickets here. Cleopatra's Bling jewellery is now stocked in the NGV Design Store, including exclusive pieces designed as a celebration of the Pharaoh exhibition, referencing some of the symbols we spoke about in this episode. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded Wurundjeri country. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. 

In the first episode of the 5th season, I wanted to focus on my journey: owning and running a successful beauty, history, and design-driven brand; being an expectant first-time mother; and navigating life's ups and downs.  This is a side of myself I don't always share, but I wanted to open up this more personal and vulnerable aspect, in the hopes that it might touch you too, and make you feel like you're not alone in this. That's whether "this" is work, motherhood, or just trying to be happy and fulfilled. My good friend, Erika Geraerts—entrepreneur, creative, and CEO of the cosmetics company fluff—joins me for a more personal discussion about our shared paths.  We are close personal friends and share a business philosophy centred on sustainability and practical, beautiful designs. You've heard us talk business on the Pod before, but today Eri's insights and thoughtful questions lead to deep personal discussions and revelations. I also answer questions from you, our listeners. – Shop Latest Discover Bespoke This episode was live-recorded Wurundjeri country. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva.     

Olivia first came across Charnel Rizk when she read her moving short essay My Family's Yellow Fibro Home was my Greatest Teacher. As a young writer Charnel writes about her identity as a Lebanese-Australian, and how her background forms an indelible part of the performer, musician, and creative she is today. Talking to Charnel gives us new insights into the way that coming from an immigration background can be simultaneously difficult and breathtakingly beautiful. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.    

Do you sometimes feel scared about the direction that the world is going in, but not sure what you can do to help? Too overwhelmed to turn on the news? Sophie McNeill is a journalist and researcher for Human Rights Watch, covering everything from the most headline-grabbing events to some of the forgotten stories of our times. Her dedication to bringing to light stories from far flung corners of the world that deal with oppressed peoples gives her deep insight into lesser known details about important political dynamics. She shared her insights with Olivia about the state of journalism in the world today, offering a better understanding of what we as news consumers can do to help. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.

This episode contains inspiring ideas, intimate connection, and practical advice, as we explore the power of purpose-driven work. Less an interview and more a free ranging and informative conversation between two longtime friends and successful businesswomen. Ethical beauty brand Fluff founder Erika Geraerts sat down with the creative director of Cleopatra's Bling, Olivia Cummings, to delve into the pressing issues of our time and the role that a life's vocation can play in shaping a better future.  Don't miss this opportunity to understand the journey from launch to legacy, and to learn about the business of building brands that truly matter. This episode was live-recorded Wurundjeri country. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.    

Natasha Lunn is a bestselling writer and journalist whose passion is having Conversations on Love. Her weekly newsletter and her essay compilations of the same name help us understand how relationships function, and how they grow through our lives. Natasha has interviewed Alain de Botton, Esther Perrel, and David Sedaris about love, and I was delighted to have the opportunity to interview her. I walked away from this conversation feeling wiser about love, life, and the length and breadth of all human relationships. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.

A dinner party guest we'd all love to be next to (or, frankly, be!) is the warm, encylopaedically knowledgeable historian Erin O'Halloran. As quick with an interesting anecdote as with unexpected insights into the connections between far reaching areas in the ancient world, listening to her is like being transported to Egypt, India or the Middle East in times gone by. Bringing the lofty topic of history down into the earthy realm of the "story of who we are and how we came to be here", Erin takes facts and makes them a human drama that teaches us about our past in a vivid and gripping way. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.

If you've ever wondered why a chef might need to know the exact temperature of a cow's fourth stomach, chef Lucy Whitlow - is here to fill you in. She turns dairy produce into delicious cheeses, creams, and milk products, balancing the slowness needed to keep cheese "happy" and "calm" with the fast paced restaurant industry. She and Olivia discuss emotions that go into food, the complex qualities of milk, the intricate processes of making cheese, and how she balances her life as a restaurant chef with the meditative and time-consuming process of working with dairy. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.  

Ennis Ćehić understands the predicament many of us are in in the 21st century - we need a money job to pursue a creative passion. As an author, he managed to capitalise on his experience working as a brand strategist and use it to fuel his writing with biting humour and detailed observation. Ennis' work deals with disillusionment, displacement, and the odd feeling of living in our modern world. His debut short story collection Sadvertising is published by Penguin Random House. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.

There is a moment in every child's life when they realise that the relationships around them may not be as simple as they seem. It's a perplexing sensation that can stay with us well into adulthood: times when you see your partner speaking, but hear the words of their father or grandmother emerging from their mouth. That generations present are haunted by generations past is something that poet Trivarna Hariharan contemplates through moving, spare writing. Trivarna calls up ghosts sensed from absences felt, creating sequeneces of words that make the poet's almost 200k Instagram followers feel seen and understood in just a few lines. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.  

Bestselling author, and marriage and family therapist, Elizabeth Earnshaw has been helping couples and parents for decades. She uses attachment theory to help individuals understand better how and why they are reacting to emotional triggers. Her insights have been featured on the Huffington Post, the New York Times, and Oprah. Olivia sat down with Elizabeth to discuss how to love, even when it gets hard, getting into the nitty gritty of our relationships, both good and bad. Elizabeth's ability to explain these emotionally charged and deep topics with effortless simplcity is just one of her amazing talents. Content Note: Grief, infant loss, child loss, topics about difficulties in relationships i.e. infidelity briefly touched on in this episode. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso and the CB team. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.

What kind of engagement ring would a jeweller want for herself? These questions and more in our final episode of the season that covers the earliest ever love rings, engagement rings' secret codes, and how capture by pirates led to one of the world's most iconic love ring designs.

Our guest today is more often referred to by the charming moniker “Blooms” which she uses as her Instagram handle @petrinablooms. This cheerful gardener is as riotously colourful and funny as the wild and varied flowers she tends to in the green expanses of her suburban Melbourne home. It's these flowers that Petrina Burrill handpicks and sells as part of her sustainable floristry practice. In signature pale pink overalls you can find her in a garden that Design Files has described as a Narnia, frollicking amongst pastel petals, and deep green fronds.

Many of us spend our whole lives attempting to climb the ladder of success in our chosen profession. Liam Spurrell found accolades and opportunities early: thanks to his talent for flavour and keen eye for detail already at a young age he found positions opening up to him in some of Melbourne's best restaurants. But rather than stay in the ratatouille race, Liam decided to trade in his chef's whites for muddy boots, secateurs and scissors.  He is now a full time forager, sourcing ethical and sustainable produce from beach bananas, to mountain marigold, to olive herb.

Co-host James is back to the Podcast to talk a small but ubiquitous accessory with a very long history: the silk scarf. This week we've got ancient spies, martial arts, war propaganda, and the death of a star of the stage.  Plus: Listener questions!

Over the past years Olivia has found twin passions in learning the Arabic language and advocating for Palestinian liberation. A mentor and teacher who helped to guide her in this journey is Yousef Alreemawi - a lecturer, political adviser and commentator, editor, and friend. They discuss the beauty of Arabic as a language, its unique expressiveness, and his experience as part of the Palestinian diaspora.

Kirstie Clements has presided over the most glamorous corners of the Australian fashion industry throughout her long career. At one point in time her role took her from clubbing with supermodels and Guns N' Roses in Paris, to high tea with Estée Lauder at the Plaza New York, to travels alongside Armani in Shanghai. Despite these stylish credentials, she finds that much of her creative and professional inspiration has been drawn from fine art, poetry, music, film, and travel. She sat down with Olivia to dish on how to reinvent your creative message, adapting to life in a new country, and how it felt to be elevated to Vogue's editor in chief.

Co-host James returns to the Podcast to talk the life and times of the Renaissance's most infamous scoundrel: Benvenuto Cellini. This week we've got murder, sex, war, poetry, goldsmithing... with a touch of necromancy and some favours done for the Pope. It's the history of the life of Florence's most famous goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini. What better man or place to cover than that which inspires so many of our collections and where our first bespoke solid gold pieces were made? Plus: Listener questions!

The male boxer you see fighting it out in the ring at the Olympics, or the man who comes round to repair your burst water pipe - these might be the last kind of people you would stereotypically expect to pull off their gloves to reveal bright nail polish.  Our guest today, Harry Garside, happens to be both: a professional fighter, and a tradesman. He also happens to be a laid back pioneer of the diverse possibilities of gender expression, having sported nail lacquer in the ring. His colourful hands were shown to the world when the gloves came off for a celebration of his Bronze Medal-winning stoush. 

Permaculture is the development of agricultural systems that are sustainable and self-sufficient. Anna, more widely known as "The Urban Nanna", is a former primary school teacher with a horticultural background. Nowadays, rather than a stuffy building, the great outdoors is her classroom. Anna teaches traditional ways of crafting, preserving, and cooking, all the while living in the precarious rental market of suburban Australia. Olivia spoke with Anna at her wifi-less home, to discuss how foraging goes far beyond food, and the reviving of cultural traditions involving connection to Country and community. Listening to this episode will make you see the urban world around you in a completely new way, from using roses for flavour, to hawthorn for lowering blood pressure, wild violet and cherry blossom for infused sugars, and pine mushrooms for pizzas, stocks, and risottos.

We welcome new co-host James to the Podcast, who will join for regular chats that will give you a laugh as you cook or commute. CB founder and designer Olivia, and musician James are good friends with a wealth of stories and banter between them. They'll also provide insight into the historical backgrounds of some of the world's most famous materials, places, and objects that historically connect us to the jewels we wear today. This week we've got Big Men, brain goo, and a treasure map of precious minerals told through myth. It's the history of the gemstone jade, which features heavily in all Cleopatra's Bling collections.  Plus: Listener questions!

Leo Kretzenbacher views language as a collective artwork created by all people who use it. He was born in Austria, grew up in Germany and has been teaching and researching in the German Studies Program of the University of Melbourne's School of Languages and Linguistics for over a quarter of a century. While Leo has done literary and cultural studies as well, his main interest is in linguistics. Collectively he and Olivia speak over 15 languages. They discuss the best ways to learn a new language, frankness vs politeness in different languages, proxemics or "closeness" in intercultural communication.

Imagine trying to feed one of the world's most famously foodie cities in the middle of a pandemic. With COVID-19 forcing us to cover our mouths, that's exactly what Pat Nourse with the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival somehow managed to do. Pat and his team not only found creative ways to bring incredible food to people, he also delved deeper into writing about food once more. Against a backdrop of chirping native birds Olivia talks with the one man who knows more about the world's best restaurants than just about anyone. They share their favourite eateries with each other (and us!), discuss how the table was a place to put down our weapons and lean across cultures, and give insights into what defines Australian cuisine. Check out the MFWF March edition (March 25-9 April). Tickets on sale in February via mfwf.com.au. Mentioned this episode: Cacom Bánh Mì Bar Miksa Adana City Wine Shop Romeo Lane Lee Ho Fook Cumulus Inc. Showtime Barbecue Public Wine Shop Very Good Felafel Etta Anchovy Gerald's Bar Jayden Ong Winemaker  

Cleopatra's Bling brings you some insights into one of the ancient deities that has inspired our collections, Goddess of Love and War, Inanna. With each episode in this new historically oriented series, we give an insight into the folkloric and cultural practices that inspire our artisanal jewellery collections. Join us as we describe the various symbols of this creative and destructive goddess, including the leashed lion and the horned helmet. Plus, listener questions. Olivia answers the query, "Where and how to start when founding your own jewellery line?" Ask yours, with the subject line "Podcast Question", here. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso. Original music by Cameron Alva. Research and scripting of this episode by the Cleopatra's Bling team. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.

Julie Marr is the founder of Everyone at the Table or "EAT", an adventuring Canadian who started a new chapter of her life after renovating a cooking studio in Altamura, Italy. She simultaneously created a new home for herself in Oria which lies in the country's boot heel. There, with her partner Francesco, on land lush with pears, olives, figs, pomegranates and almonds she makes pasta by hand, educates herself about the local traditions, and hosts magnificent dinner parties. Olivia and Julie reminisce on their lives spent under the Italian sun, with the EAT founder sharing cinematic stories of the emotional and transformative journey of moving abroad, and what it has meant to her to live in this diverse, Mediterranean culture. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.

Cleopatra's Bling brings you the story of a seven headed serpent, known to the Sumerian peoples as Muš-saĝ. With each episode in this new historically oriented series, we give an insight into the folkloric and cultural practices that inspire our artisanal jewellery collections. Join us on a journey to ancient Mesopotamia, where the God of harvest and war - Ninurta - is worshipped. Learn of the reason why he wields a staff wrapped in a powerful beast, and what he symbolised to the Sumerians. Plus, listener questions. Ask yours, with the subject line "Podcast Question", here. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso. Original music by Cameron Alva. Research and scripting of this episode by the Cleopatra's Bling team. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.

Kalifa Doucet of The Earth Doula is a birth and postpartum Doula who focuses "on the spiritual connection to mother and baby", working to facilitate the kind of experiences that pregnant people would like to have during birth and its aftermath. Originally based in New York, Kalifa now works with families in Melbourne, providing not only birth and postpartum care and advice, but also delivering nutritious vegan meals, lactation cookies and tea, and soothing and empowering massages. Her clients describe her as a "trusted best friend" and a "radiant sun, full of joy and peace". Olivia and Kalifa met on Olivia's birthday earlier this year, in the midst of a chilly Melbourne day, to discuss all things birth and pregnancy over coffee. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Liam Gough. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.

Cleopatra's Bling brings you the story of a Goddess of the Yakut People: The Mother of Cradles, Aisyt. With each episode in this new historically oriented series, we give an insight into the folkloric and cultural practices that inspire our artisanal jewellery collections. Join us on a journey to frozen tundras studded with diamonds, where the locals drink reindeer milk, and worship the a deity said to have emerged from the great World Tree. Plus, listener questions. Ask yours, with the subject line "Podcast Question", here. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso. Original music by Cameron Alva. Research and scripting of this episode by the Cleopatra's Bling team. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.

Julia Busuttil Nishimura is a Melbourne-based cook, working with seasonal produce to create amazing family meals. Her cooking is influenced by her Maltese upbringing and the time she has spent in Tuscany. As a writer her creations have made their way into thousands of homes in Australia and around the world, via the magazines she contributes to and her recently released cookbook A Year of Simple Family Food. Her latest cookbook, Ostro, has been praised by Nigella Lawson as “life-enhancing”. Olivia and Julia meet at the cook's stunning North Fitzroy home in Melbourne to discuss gathering around food, and celebrating the simple pleasures of life through creating recipes that make basic, seasonal produce sing. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.

Beth Wilkinson is a publishing powerhouse in the age of a print renaissance. Having founded Lindsay Magazine in late 2017, the publication was initially digital-only. However, just months later, she expanded to print issues, predicting the thirst readers are showing for pieces that they can collect and hold. Named after her grandfather, the magazine is a transportive survey of arts, culture, people, and places. Olivia and Beth discuss finding ways to tune out the noise of the modern world, discovering the hidden life of a painter in Croatia, and the importance of staying in touch with the seasons. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Zoltan Fecso. Original music by Cameron Alva. You can discover Cleopatra's Bling designs, here.

Paola Bacchia, otherwise known as the social media sensation Italy On My Mind, is author of multiple cookbooks on Italian street food and delicacies from the Adriatic coast. She is fascinated by the way that food connects us to memory and place. From beneath a fig tree in Paola's sunny Melbourne backyard, she share stories of a family life of imported Italian ingredients, the trials and bittersweet joys of an immigration background, and what makes for bloody good food. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Liam Gough. Original music by Cameron Alva.

In Part 2 of this intimate interview, Olivia Cummings, founder of jewellery brand Cleopatra's Bling, talks with Julia Stone about the  pain and potential of transformation, accessing creativity through shattering norms, and the depth of the mystical female symbol that is the mermaid. Julia Stone is a singer, and multi-instrumentalist whose breakout album Down the Way had audiences falling in love with the collection of poetic, emotive songs she penned with her brother, Angus. Her new solo album Sixty Summers was released in January 2021, and the music video for her single "Dance" makes us want to boogie along with its stars Susan Sarandon and Danny Glover. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Liam Gough. Original music by Cameron Alva.

Julia Stone is a singer, and multi-instrumentalist whose breakout album Down the Way had audiences falling in love with the collection of poetic, emotive songs she penned with her brother, Angus. Her new solo album Sixty Summers is due to be released in January 2021, and the music video for her current single "Dance" makes us want to boogie along with its stars Susan Sarandon and Danny Glover. In Part 1 of this intimate interview, Olivia Cummings, founder of jewellery brand Cleopatra's Bling, bonded with Julia over the strength and artistic healing that comes out of heartbreak, a love of collecting and fashion, and the need to make hard choices to find real gold. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Liam Gough. Original music by Cameron Alva.

Nic Dowse is the Founder and head of HoneyFingers,  a creative beekeeping practice combining honey-making, poetry and art in Melbourne, Australia. Olivia Cummings, founder of jewellery brand Cleopatra's Bling, talks to Nic about about how urban beekeeping has been transformed and how communities have kept bee culture alive throughout history. Promoting, exploring and experimenting with bee cultures– the intersection between bees and humanity - this is what Honey Fingers is all about. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Studio Ochenta, a Paris-based podcast studio dedicated to raising voices across cultures through international podcasts. Original music by Cameron Alva.

Rona Hartner a traditional dancer, singer and actress, known for her celebration of Balkan culture. Her work, whether on the screen, or on the dance floor, is as full of life as she is. Olivia Cummings, founder of jewellery brand Cleopatra's Bling, talks to Rona about her role in the 1997 film Gadjo Dilo starring alongside French film star Romain Duris. She sang a ballad called "You're More Than That" for the film, which she later re-recorded with Director David Lynch. Olivia and Rona discuss what how she translates dance into life and back again, her role in Gadjo Dilo and the meaning of HOPA! Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Studio Ochenta, a Paris-based podcast studio dedicated to raising voices across cultures through international podcasts. Original music by Cameron Alva.

Vicky is the founder of Pasta Grannies, a YouTube channel preserving the pasta making traditions of pasta grannies around the world. Vicky worked in international development and has spent the past few years as a food writer and journalist. She’s written books on food in Corfu and Andalucía. Olivia Cummings, founder of jewellery brand Cleopatra's Bling, talked to Vicky about ancient pasta-making traditions, how they’ve been transformed today and the secret to making PERFECT pasta. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Studio Ochenta, a Paris-based podcast studio dedicated to raising voices across cultures through international podcasts. Original music by Cameron Alva.

Sarah is a medieval studies expert whose specialty is mermaids and the myths that surround them. This has made her the go-to mermaid authority for the BBC and dozens of other publications. She founded the Mermaid Isles Project to study the history of these mythological creatures specifically in the British Isles.  Olivia Cummings, founder of jewellery brand Cleopatra's Bling, talked to Sarah about the very first mermaid symbols, how they’ve been adapted in cultures from Africa to Europe, and across vast swathes of time. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Studio Ochenta, a Paris-based podcast studio dedicated to raising voices across cultures through international podcasts. Original music by Cameron Alva.

Paul is a professor and lecturer dedicated to the preservation of Turkish carpets and rugs. His conservation work has made him an expert in the history of their patterns which tell stories that have been passed on from generation to generation. Olivia Cummings, founder of jewellery brand Cleopatra's Bling, talked to Paul about the meaning behind certain recurring motifs, how carpet-making traditions have been passed on from generation to generation and how they’re being preserved today. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Studio Ochenta, a Paris-based podcast studio dedicated to raising voices across cultures through international podcasts. 

Laura is the Founder and Director of VedaWise, a training and coaching program dedicated to vedic astrology. As a coach, trainer and lecturer, Laura combines ayurvedic history, culture and knowledge with health and wellness to help people better cope in the modern world. Before turning to astrology, Laura was the General Manager of Discovery Channel Europe. Olivia Cummings, founder of jewellery brand Cleopatra's Bling, spoke to Laura about the tradition of vedic astrology, how it’s been transformed since its ancient beginnings and why astrology has gained in popularity in recent years. Cleopatra's Bling Podcast was produced by Studio Ochenta, a Paris-based podcast studio dedicated to raising voices across cultures through international podcasts.