Love the sun, but…

We all love the sun. But, unfortunately not all of us seem to know you can have too much of a good thing.

“While many people associate a tan with looking healthy, a tan is actually a sign that our skin has been harmed by UV radiation and is trying to defend itself against further damage,” says the British Association of Dermatologists. “This kind of damage can in turn increase your risk of developing skin cancer: Sunburn (i.e. skin redness) and heavy tans can never be justified and are harmful.” 

It also points out that more than 100,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed annually in the UK, so you really do have to take care in the sun.

A great tip given to me by a dermatologist at St Thomas’ Hospital is the shadow rule.  When your shadow is shorter than you, the sun is strong and you are more likely to burn. So try to stay out of the sun between late morning to mid-afternoon. (In the UK, between 11am and 3pm.). If you are going anywhere near the Equator the rays are strong all year round. If you are anywhere and not sure whether you are “sun safe” apply the shadow rule.

El Salvador

If you are out, wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses that block UV (look for a UV 400 label or a CE mark, a European standard of UV protection) and cover up as much as possible.

On any exposed parts use sunscreen. Put it on about 20 minutes before going into the sun. Sunscreen should go on the face after moisturiser (which should dry first), and before applying make-up.

Powder make-up can be better than cream as there is less chance of rubbing the sunscreen off.

You should also wear sunscreen when you are sitting near a window or in a car as UVA rays can penetrate. Sand, water and concrete can also reflect UV radiation, increasing the levels you absorb.

Apply sun screen every couple of hours, no matter what it says on the label and put it on thickly making sure all exposed skin is well covered.

By Daralyn Danns

Thinking summer

For those that love a sun-kissed complexion no matter what beauty trends dictate, a bronzer is an essential in their make-up collection. 

Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Elvis Duran

In order to achieve a natural-looking glow, take a tip from make-up guru Bobbi Brown and apply bronzing powder with a bronzer brush where the sun normally hits your face: forehead, cheeks, nose and chin.

Mac AlluringAquaticExtra Dimension Bronzer in Delphic

Mac’s AlluringAquaticExtra Dimension Bronzer in Delphic (£24) gives a soft brick tan woven with a soft shimmer. This has superb creamy light texture.

Shimmer free is Bobbi’s new Bronzing Powder in Elvis Duran (£27). It is the perfect combination of red and brown so it will give you a lovely, healthy glow. Also in the Raw Sugar Collection is a superb Beach Body Oil (£24). This scented cocktail of four essential oils including olive and jojoba and loaded with vitamins E and C makes skin feel super soft while giving it a lovely sheen.  

By Daralyn Danns

The Loews Regency Hotel, the birth place of the power breakfast

When I received an invitation for a power breakfast at the recently renovated Regency Bar & Grill, at New York’s legendary hotel, the Loews Regency, I was over the moon. This hotel is regarded as the birth place of the “the power breakfast” and right now is considered to offer one of the finest dining experiences in this great city. This would certainly be one to store in the memory books.

New York, in the 1970s, was on the brink of bankruptcy. Bob Tisch, the Loews Regency’s founder, invited the city’s business and political leaders there to discuss ways to put New York back on track. So the term “power breakfast” was coined.

The breakfast spot gained momentum and as it became the norm for people to have early morning meetings, the Loews Regency became the destination for people to go to see and be seen at the start of the working day.  

Ready for breakfast

This tradition only stopped when the hotel had to close for the building works. But now the movers and shakers from the world of business, media, politics and finance are back in full force at this Park Avenue venue. Yet, despite this being a power house pulsating with energy as deals are made and sealed, it is extremely warm and welcoming.

Managed by New York City restaurateurs Gherardo Guarducci and Dimitri Pauli of the Sant Ambroeus Hospitality Group and spearheaded by culinary genius executive chef Dan Silverman, the menu at the Loews Regency Bar & Grill, using market-fresh ingredients, dishes up classics with a modern day twist and an international flavour.

There was not a spare place in sight at the beautifully-designed chrome bar which I passed on my way to the restaurant which has a contemporary classic feel about it. I loved the neutral upholstery which worked well with the boldly-patterned carpet.

The bar

Service was slick, thoughtful and friendly. As soon as I sat down coffee was served and kept coming. I needed the caffeine injections after being awake since 5am. I wasn't  going to let a little thing like jetlag ruin my New York break. The coffee was really good and did the trick.

To start I had a plate of seasonal berries which tasted as if they had just been picked, followed by smoked salmon served with a bagel, cream cheese, capers, red onion and tomato. This, too, was excellent.

The fare is not cheap, but I guess that is relative. The two men at the next table were talking about transactions in amounts that made telephone numbers look small.

There are plenty of healthy options to choose from such as an egg white frittata which comes with broccoli, carrots and peppers and for those with a more heartier appetite, the full American breakfast will not disappoint. Another star, I am told, are the pancakes.

There were plenty of people eating while doing business which is a testament to the quality of the food.

Being in a room that fizzes with energy and creativity is great way to start the day whether you are in New York for pleasure or business.  You never know, some of the magic may just rub off.

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

London City

British Airways operates an exclusive 32-seat all-business class jet service from London City to New York 11 times a week

Fares start from £2,250.19 return including taxes and charges

To book or for more information visit www.ba.com/New York or call 0844 4930787

Heathrow

British Airways operates several daily services from London Heathrow to New York

Fares start from £566 return including taxes and charges

To book or for more information and other airports visit www.ba.com/newyork or call 0844 4930787

For more information about the Loews Regency, visit  www.loewshotels.com

Discovering the delights of cava

Being on the Costa Barcelona, it would be a cardinal sin not to take a walk in El Penedès, also known as Cava Country and stop at a winery or two.

The rolling hills and high stony ground, approximately an hour south of Barcelona,  produce nearly all of Spain’s sparkling wine. 

As the sun shines on the vineyards producing a blanket of shades of green, interspersed with splashes of colour, we wander through the countryside revelling in its bucolic loveliness. 

The journey is full of wonders. We stumble on lovely old houses which are architectural gems and pretty gardens full of flowers. But what we are really here to do is learn about Catalonia’s most renowned wine, cava. 

The vineyards
Courtesy of Courtesy of  Barcelona Province Council

“The first question people always ask me is: what is the difference between champagne, cava and prosecco?” said our guide. 

So here is a quick low down for those of you who don’t know the difference. Champagne only comes from the Champagne region in France and is typically blended with three grapes: pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay. The method used to make this fizz is called méthode champenoise and is governed by strict rules.

While the second fermentation for many sparkling wines takes place in huge, closed pressurised tanks, the traditional method uses individual bottles instead. The bubbles in champagne occur naturally as the wine ferments. Champagne has been made this way for hundreds of years. The ageing process is a minimum of 15 months but usually takes around three years.

A pretty vineyard

Cava is made using the méthode tradicional and like champagne, its second fermentation takes place in the bottle, and is left to mature for at least nine months.

Our guide pointed out that cava tastes different from champagne. This is due to the climate (it’s a Mediterranean climate here in Catalonia), the grapes used are local grapes:  xarel-lo, macabeo and parellada. The soil too is different which also affects the flavour. 

Champagnes are usually much richer and creamier than cavas which tend to be leaner with clean, crisp green apple tangs.

Prosecco, the sparkler from Italy, is made using the Italian Charmant method. Secondary fermentation takes place in large steel tanks. This bubbly tends to be sweeter, lighter and quite fresh.

After touring the vineyards watching the men at work, we made our way to Eudald Massana Noya, where nine generations of the family have dedicated their lives to their vineyards. La Masia as the farmhouse is called, is over 300 years old. If only walls could talk!

This cava was so good

I’m sure the earliest members would never in their wildest dreams have imagined that the land would evolve into a working wine estate specialising in organic and biodynamic farming as well as a company with its own unique identity. 

We were shown how cava was made before getting down to the important matter of the day, the tasting. The Reserva was so good and is one of the finest cavas that I have tasted and I don’t normally like this wine. Aged for approximately 24 to 30 months, it uses the three main local grapes as well as chardonnay. And, it only has an alcohol content of 11.5 per cent.

The bad news they told us that it is not available in the UK. However, you can buy well-known brands such as Freixenet and Codorníu. A good cava served with a slice of peach spells summer!

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

Vueling airlines offers direct flights from London Gatwick to El Prat airport, Barcelona, For the best fares and more information visit www.vueling.com 

Hotels

Hotel Solvi Passeig Ribes Roges 1 Vilanova i la Geltrú  Barcelona

Hostal Cal Pla (www.hostalcalpla.com) Avinguda Catalunya 56 (Sant Llorenç Savall)

Hotel Porta d’Alella (www.hotelportadalella.es)  Av Sant Mateu, 5-9 Alella

Tourist information

Barcelona is much more (www.barcelonaismuchmore.com) and  (www.barcelonaesmoltmes.cat/en/costabarcelona)

Barcelona Province Council (promocio@diba.cat) Tel: 00 34 93 402 22 60

Dying for summer

Having been out in the sun and roots showing it was time to pay colour supremo Daisy Twyman, at the legendary Daniel Galvin salon, a visit.

“We will keep the same root colour,” said Daisy “And then take it through the ends for five minutes to refresh the ends. This way we will tone down the warmth, and you will have plenty of tones running through your hair, rather than a solid colour which looks fake.”

It is a fact of life that the sun will have an effect on your tresses whether natural or dyed. The UV rays dry tresses as well as roughing up the cuticle. Don’t wash your hair for 48 hours after having it coloured. For the first couple of washes especially, try using shampoos for coloured hair as they have smaller molecules so remove less of the dye each time you wash your hair. 

Also, if you are out for long periods of time in strong sunlight, wear a hat. Hair that is dry tends to soak up moisture from the air causing the hair shaft to swell making it go puffy. So use plenty of hair masques. Louise Galvin’s range is worth checking out and is particularly good if your locks are fine.

“You may also find that you have to tweak your natural base colour at this time of year,” says Daisy. “Blondes tend to go blonder, while warmer blondes may find that they need to use toners more often to keep their hair looking good.”

Daisy also points out that brunettes may also go slightly redder than normal  Something you will definitely want to avoid, if you have a lot of pink in your skin as it will make you look flushed as opposed to having a healthy glow.

Her advice is to stick to neutral tones or something with some cool in it to keep people guessing has she or hasn’t she been in the hands of the colourist.

If you are thinking of having a dramatic change of hue, Daisy says this is not the time of year to be experimenting as the colour fades quicker in the summer. “It is not just the sun, but the chlorine in pools and the salt in the sea which expedite the loss.”

Another tip from the colour wizard is not to use too many heated appliances, as they also help strip the dye from the hair.

My hair was really soft and pretty, the signature of a Daniel Galvin colour.

By Daralyn Danns

Daniel Galvin (www.danielgalvin.com)