Destination Geneva

Geneva, where French style – well, it is on the French border – meets Swiss efficiency, is far from stuffy and has a lot more to offer than cheese and chocolate.  

Courtesy of  Geneva Tourism

For starters there was the view: the glistening, blue waters of Lake Geneva set against a backdrop of the distant Alps with the snow-clad peak of Mont Blanc towering above.

I was mesmerised by two swans as they darted in and out of the waves performing what looked like a dance routine. The sounds of the Jet d’eau, Geneva’s renowned fountain, propelling water 140 metres into the air, jolted me back to reality. Within minutes I felt completely chilled out. It was as if all the stress I had brought with me from London had been washed away. At last, a beauty treatment that really works!

Jet d’eau

The guidebooks are full of sightseeing tips and recommendations for museums and art galleries to visit,. But, spend all your days wandering round them and you will miss the real attraction of Geneva which is the city itself.

I whiled away several hours walking along the Lac Léman, as the locals call Lake Geneva, and sauntering round the flowered-carpeted parks, before heading to the rue du Rhône, which is studded with exquisite jewellery shops and designer boutiques.

Getting round is easy as most of the sights are in walking distance of the hotels. Taxis are incredibly expensive so take advantage of the Geneva Transport Card, which entitles tourists to free use of buses, trains and boats while in the city.

Geneva can thank John Calvin, the prominent French theologian of the Protestant reformation, for its watch industry. In the middle of the 16th century, the wearing of jewellery was banned so jewellers were forced to take up a new trade. As people were allowed to wear watches they turned their hand to making them instead. Not to be missed is the Patek Philippe Museum, which has a splendid collection of timepieces from the 16th to the 19th century.

The Flower Clock

However, the city’s most impressive clock is actually in the Jardin Anglais (English Garden) on the left bank. The Flower Clock, which has been one of Geneva’s most beloved symbols since 1955, is a combination of technology and more than 6,500 flowers that vary in colour according to the season.

Another of Geneva’s gems is the Old Town (on the left bank) brimming with austere Calvinistic architecture and quaint cobbled streets and cafés. At its heart is the oldest square in the city, place du Bourg-de-Four with an 18th-century flower fountain. The Old Arsenal, which looms over, not only has five cannons appearing to protect it, but three impressive mosaic frescos depicting events in Geneva’s history.

St Peter's Cathedral

Near the square is St Peter's Cathedral, (Cathédrale St-Pierre) where Calvin, preached during the mid-16th century. The main attraction is the archaeological site dating back to the Roman Empire. Also take a look at the imposing five-metres (16ft) high statues of the leaders of the Reformation movement at the centre of the Reformation Wall, in the Parc des Bastions.

For a change of pace I headed to the laid-back area of Carouge where artists’ workshops rub shoulders with antique shops and edgy boutiques along its atmospheric streets and behind gates intimate gardens lay waiting to be discovered.

Watching the Alps disappear into the dark sky as the golden-orange sun set over Lac Léman, I enjoyed a gourmet dinner at The Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Chat Botté, at the Beau-Rivage. This elegant and discreet hotel, which has played host to the likes of Empress Elizabeth of Austria and Sarah Bernhardt, is as much a part of Geneva’s past as it is its present. And just like the city itself, it seduces you with its luxury and beauty.

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

Beau-Rivage (www.beau-rivage.ch)
easyJet (www.easyJet.com)
Geneva Tourism (www.geneva-tourism.ch)

Josh Wood Atelier

Nestled in a quiet cobblestone mews in Holland Park, is where you will find the hair heaven that is the Atelier. Josh Wood, the industry’s colour supremo has created a salon like no other.

After going through the living-room styled reception you enter a dark, mirrored passage way which leads into a light-filled styling room. Gone are the usual rows of mirrors and work stations that make you feel as if you are in on a conveyor belt in a biscuit factory. Instead you are seated at a long glass table. Neither are there the ubiquitous lines of basins. It’s more like being in a modern art gallery than in the hairdressers.

My stylist was Jack Haley-Buckley. “Hair should have movement. It’s not about volume now,” he said. This sounded promising as I hate big hair. So many stylists puff it out so much that all you want to do is run to the nearest ladies room and flatten it before anybody sees your helmet hair.

Jack believes that hair should look effortless and not like you have just spent hours in a salon. His take is that everybody is an individual. “The trends should work with you, your hair texture and lifestyle.”

After rough-drying my hair, using his fingers to lift the roots, he took a round bristle brush to smooth it out. Jack’s blow-dry was one of the best I had in ages. Glamorous, done but not done.

By Daralyn Danns

Josh Wood Atelier, 6 Lansdowne Mews, London W11 3AN. Tel: 020 3393 0977.

A blow-dry starts from £30.

A visit to Daniel Galvin

Before

Daniel Galvin has been colouring hair for years, so when he took one look at my tresses and said “too dull and brassy”, I took notice.  “There is too much orange in places and in others too much yellow,” he said. He also noticed that I had some – dare I mention – some patches of grey hair showing through. “We need to tone this down immediately. This is not working with your skin tone.” he added. 

Daniel advises against having highlights on tinted hair as they, eventually, make your hair look brassy. “The warmth will come through from your own natural shade,” he told me. “Your hair needs to be just tinted in a flat level 7, a dark blonde [the end result is light brown] that is neither warm or cool. The colour needs to be slightly lighter around the face, so it doesn’t look harsh and make you appear washed out. Leave it to us.”

How many times have I heard those words over the years? So, yes, I felt a little nervous. But, I soon found myself in the capable and reassuring hands of Liz Edmonds, colour director & colour floor director, who together with Daniel concocted the remedy to transform my poor tresses. Liz, too, has worked with colour for several years, most recently in New York.

Beautiful hair

My roots were sorted first and then it was over to the basin where Liz worked her magic on my hair. “You can wear any colour, it’s all about getting the tone right,” she said. As I well know, too light can be just as draining as too dark. One of the things that I was worried about was that my hair was going to be one solid colour, but Liz reassured me that this wasn’t going to be the case.

The result: a rich, glossy, light hazelnut brown with hints of gold. It looks incredibly natural and matches the colour of my eyes, which is what the right hair colour should do. What more can a girl ask for?  

By Daralyn Danns

Daniel Galvin (www.danielgalvin.com)

Destination Western Cape, South Africa

Cederberg Mountains

The wild and rugged beauty of the Cederberg Mountains, north of Cape Town, is the perfect escape from city life. The amazing rock formations and the varieties of vegetation – predominantly fynbos (fine bush) – make this area special. The jewel in the crown is the rock art, created by the Bushmen who once inhabited these mountains. Many of the works are thousands of years old.

Rock art

It is also an area where wine is cultivated. I visited the Cederberg Private Cellar which claims to have the “highest altitude vineyards in the Cape.” The wines are delicious and fruity. We tasted a great sauvignon blanc and chenin blanc. You can buy Cederberg Waitrose Foundation Chenin Blanc 2010 South Africa (£7.59) from waitrosewine.com. It’s delicious.

After two action-packed days in the Cederberg, I left Clanwilliam, one of the country’s oldest towns and my base in the Cederberg, for Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands. 

Franschhoek

With its Cape Dutch-style buildings, surrounded by mountains covered in lush green vineyards, the Franschhoek valley is a striking setting. The Huguenots escaping religious persecution in France came to Franschhoek (French Corner) in the late 1680s and began making wine here.

Being the gourmet capital of South Africa, Franschhoek is bursting with award-winning restaurants including Reuben’s and Monneaux Restaurant, at the Franschhoek Country House & Villas where I stayed.

Franschhoek’s village is tiny. Everything can be found on the main street which is awash with boutiques, antique shops and art galleries. At the end is the Huguenot Memorial Museum. Skip the museum, but take a look at the impressive Huguenot Monument.

Huguenot Memorial Museum

On the journey back to Cape Town, I stopped at the Waterford Estate in the Blaauwklippen Valley, Stellenbosch for a chocolate and wine pairing. Set against a backdrop of mountains, vineyards and citrus groves, this was a most enjoyable way to unwind and recharge the batteries. 

Waterford Estate

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

South African Airways (www.flysaa.com)
Clanwilliam Lodge (www.clanwilliamlodge.co.za)

Franschhoek Country House & Villas (www.fch.co.za)

South African Tourism (www.southafrica.net)

A change of hair direction

Working with your hair texture always gives you a better result. So, with last season’s trend for big hair and plenty of waves, I decided to give it ago and grow out my bob and, as they say, go with the flow. And, I have to admit that I actually like wearing my hair slightly curly.

Now, I was back at Mayfair’s Nyumba waiting for the genius that is Michael Charalambous to give me his verdict on where I should be taking my hair this spring.

Michael said that we don’t need to take off any of the length – music to my ears. “Your hair is in good condition, so you can grow it,” he added.

It just shows that cutting down on using heated appliances and blow-dries (some hairdressers rip your hair) and not having so many highlights really does improve the health of your hair. 

Every time I wash my hair I like to use a deep conditioning treatment rather than a normal conditioner as it helps to weigh the hair down and prevent frizz. I like Wella Brilliance Mask for coarse, coloured hair (£10.49). Although my hair is fine, there is a lot of it, and I find this does the trick. Another good one, especially when you are in a hurry, is Pantene Coloured Hair 2 Minutes Colour Damage Rescue Masque (£4.49). 

“I am going to add some inverted layering to give the hair lots of movement and create that lived-in texture, so your hair will fall in soft waves, a key trend for spring,” said Michael. He styled my hair reasonably straight in order to check the cut. When I am drying it myself, I tend to dry it with movement as it is easier. I’ve just tried Bumble and bumble’s new straight line. I find the Straight Shampoo (£23) and Straight Conditioner (£25) help to calm frizz.

The quicker you dry your hair, the faster the cuticle is flattened and, therefore, the hair is less likely to frizz. I use my head like a giant roller, pushing the right side over my head to the left and back again until almost dry. Then I do the other side. The back, I brush forwards and backwards until dry. I use a Philip Kingsley Vented Paddle Brush (£23.20) which has been designed to reduce hair breakage and limit heat damage. If I need some lift or to smooth any pieces, I use a round bristle brush such as ghd Ceramic Vented Radial Brush (size 4, £17.50).

Hair is all about the cut. Michael’s always falls into place when I wash it, which makes my life so much easier. As for colour, which should always work with your cut, he is predicating russet browns, golden chestnuts and coffee blonds blondes. Could I be tempted?

By Daralyn Danns

Nyumba (www.nyumbasalon.com)