Daniel Galvin, the miracle workers

Looking back at hair pictures from the past year, I’ve realised how my locks have come a long way. In 2012, I had the January blues in more ways than one. My hair was a mix of orange and yellow with purple bits laced through. Later on in the year, I was fortunate enough to meet the wonderful Liz Edmonds, colour director at Daniel Galvin.

Wind forward a year and I’m back to being a sun-kissed brunette. My hair had lifted slightly by the time I went back to the salon, but I had jetted off to sunnier climes before Christmas. “I prefer you slightly darker,” said Liz. We need to adjust the colour as it has gone a bit too warm.  

As Liz was doing my roots, I asked her what the best remedy is for covering them up in between salon visits. I always seem to get a last minute invitation just as my regrowth is ready to be done the next day.

“Whatever you do, don’t go and buy a hair dye from the chemist or supermarket. It is hard to get the right shade. There is a guideline on the box but that shade is on paper and also results will vary depending on what is on your hair already. And, if you make a mistake, invariably it won’t wash out and you will undo all the good work that your colourist as done.

“My advice is to use mascara. If you have white hairs coming through it will tone them down. You can also use eye shadow or a coloured dry shampoo.”

Liz pointed out that hair becomes drier at this time of year. So you should ensure that you are keeping your hair well conditioned.

I have just tried Louise Galvin’s  Shampoo for Fine Hair (£22) which is a mild shampoo and seems to help the colour last longer. The Deep Conditioning Treatment (£10.20) is packed with vegetable proteins and makes my hair feel like silk. Before styling, use a heat protector such as Kérastase Nectar Thermique (£21).

Also during the winter the combination of cold air and low levels of humidity can result in static and make hair flyaway. Liz’s tip is to tame it with hairspray. “If you are wearing a hat, spray some on the inside to prevent your hair taking off in all directions.” In an emergency rub a small amount of hand lotion into your hands and slide them over your hair.

My hair is a beautiful shade of golden chestnut. A gorgeous rich shade to start the new year. Liz keeps getting my colour better and better each time.

By Daralyn Danns

Daniel Galvin (www.danielgalvin.com)

 

My magical life in a treehouse

I always think of treehouses as being magical places where you can go to escape from the stresses and strains of the world. And that was exactly what I needed, some “me time”. I wanted to get up close and personal with nature, albeit with a touch of pampering in regal and rustic surroundings. So, I decided to check into a treehouse suite at Chewton Glen, one of the UK’s best spa hotels, on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire. 

Treehouse

A stay at Chewton Glen is one of life’s greatest pleasures. I love the way that this hotel has married tradition and heritage with modernity and innovation. Therefore, I wasn’t expecting this to be a stay in any old treehouse and I wasn’t disappointed. Chewton Glen had reinterpreted the definition of a treehouse and given a new meaning to the term luxurious.

I was whisked from reception, for a couple of minutes’ ride, in a buggy over to the six eco treehouses, comprising 12 suites, one to be my “home” for the night.  

Outside the treehouse

This slice of heaven, supported on stilts, was nuzzled in a secluded wooded valley. And, no you didn’t have to climb up a ladder to get in, the entrance was ground level. Decked out in a soft palette of white, muted grey, and wood, this apartment achieved the wow factor with its amazing design and the leafy, dreamy view which welcomed me out of the floor-to-ceiling windows in both the bedroom and living room. 

There were other touches such as night-lights shaped like owls, a wood-burning stove, which added a romantic flavour on a cold winter’s night, a kitchenette packed with goodies including cake and chocolate as well as a good coffee machine and interesting books on shelves which conceal a secret staircase to a loft, kitted out with beds – ideal for kids. The hot-tub, on the balcony, was the perfect place for drinking a glass of champagne and watching the stars. If I was a movie star, I couldn’t have expected anything more lavish.

Once you have arrived in your treehouse, you feel reluctant to leave, but a treatment at the spa is a must. I had a superb Haute Couture facial using products by beauty guru, Linda Meredith. It included a wonderfully relaxing head, neck and shoulder massage.

Inside treehouse

Sitting in the bath watching television, I was almost tempted to have room service and not go to dinner in the hotel. But, as a breakfast hamper containing fresh fruit, juices, breads and cereals and cold cuts would be delivered to me next morning through a cleverly concealed delivery hatch, I decided I could linger in my cosy abode all morning.

Besides Vetvier, the hotel’s exquisite restaurant, whose head chef is Andrew Dubourg, previously at London’s Wolsey and The Square, is a great experience in fine dining. For a starter, I had smoked salmon, followed by the most succulent and delicious Dover Sole. The desserts were too tempting to resist. I opted for the Fig Carpaccio. The head sommelier, Oscar Malek, suggested trying different wines to match each course. I even tried a dessert wine, Dandelion Vineyards “Legacy of the Barossa” 30 year-old Pedro Ximenez Pedro Ximenez which comes from Australia and is bursting with candied fruit flavour. A perfect end to a wonderful meal.

The hotel and treehouse are perfection personified. I would have given anything to have hibernated there until spring.

By Daralyn Danns

For further information visit www.chewtonglen.com

  

Champagne, please

There is something special about having a glass of champagne. The sound of the popping of the cork, the bubbles rising in the glass, always evokes feelings of excitement and pleasure.

However, drinking a bad champagne can be an unpleasant, and disappointing, experience. So If you are looking for quality and value for money, check out some of the smaller producers who put a lot of love and care into making fine wines.

Champagne

Simon Field, buyer for Berry Bros. and Rudd, says that they are always on the lookout for good individual growers as they demonstrate a real sense of terroir. “What you are paying for is a reflection of what is in the glass as the smaller houses don’t have marketing budgets,” says Simon. “As there are so many different villages in the Champagne region, you get several styles.”

The vineyards surrounding Cramant and Mensil-sur-Oger in Cote de Blancs produce chardonnay grapes. Blanc de Blancs is the term used for champagnes made only from this grape. These wines are usually light and refreshing yet still elegant that, Simon says, become richer as they age. The Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Bar have a cool limestone terrain and is where pinot noir grapes are grown. The more robust pinot meunier thrives in the more clayey soils of Vallée de la Marne.

Most champagne is made from the three grapes. Producers may blend grapes varieties from different years, regions and villages.

Pinot noir adds body and structure to the wine, pinot meunier is used to add fruitiness and aromas, while chardonnay adds a hint of elegance and freshness.

Once you have discovered the taste profile that suits your palette, you can ask your wine merchant for suggestions.

Champagne Pierre Peters in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger,Côte des Blancs is a small producer that Simon rates highly. Its champagnes are characterised by their richness, subtlety and elegance.

Another one to look out for is Champagne R & L Legras which tends to produce soft, flowery chardonnay wines. If you prefer something richer, take a look at Champagne Lahaye, one of the leading small wine grower/producers in Montagne de Reims. He has vineyards in Bouzy, famed for its good pinot noir grapes. The style of champagne is earthier and bursting with red fruit flavours. 

Champagne Vilamart is also a sought-after producer whose wines tend to be rich yet lively and are great examples of fine wines from this region.

Simon points out that as less sugar is usually added to these wines, you are able to mark the authentic terroir as you savour each drop.

If you want to try champagnes from the grand marques, Simon recommends three which I put to the test to see why they stand out from the crowd.

Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV, £58, bbr.com
One of the few remaining champagne houses to be owned by the original family. The fine bubbles of this chardonnay cuvée are the hallmark of a first-class champagne. Deliciously creamy with a slight kick, this is an elegant wine that will tantalise your taste buds.

Gosset Grand Reserve Brut, £49.95, bbr.com
A stylish rich and robust, champagne from the oldest wine house in the region. Chardonnay slightly edges pinot noir in this blend. Laced with fruity and biscuit tangs, it has a long and balanced finish. A champagne par excellence.

Pol Roger Brut Réserve NV, £39.95, bbr.com
The small family-controlled house of Pol Roger is renowned for its superb champagnes. It was Sir Winton Churchill’s favourite marque and is beloved by champagne connoisseurs. Zesty fruity flavours are complemented with hints of nuts and honey, a  rich yet fresh wine. Exquisite.

By Daralyn Danns

Get clever with your hair brushing techniques

Although we all know that brushing your hair too much can damage it, we do need to use hair brushes when styling. There are so many types on the market that it can be hard to decide which one to buy. Sometimes changing your look means that you need to style your hair differently and a new brush is needed. The bristles and spacing have varying effects when creating your do.

Hair guru, Philip Kingsley advises choosing brushes with long, widely spaced, plastic bristles as they are smoother and blunter, so are kinder to your hair than bristles. 

Jay Goodwin, stylist at Daniel Galvin, advocates using Mason Pearson brushes (or Mason Pearson- styled brushes) for smoothing the hair. “The bristles are densely packed to create tension. The more bristle, the more tension. For styling try a combination of nylon and bristle,” he says.

Denman Paddle Brush

Paddle brushes, he advises are great for flattening the root and getting most of the water out. This wide, flat brush can hold a lot of hair and, therefore, speed up the drying process on long hair.

Denman Paddle Brush (£10, Boots) is a good one. If you want to get more root lift, try brushing the hair in the opposite direction to your parting while blow-drying, then let it fall into place once dry.

“A round brush creates bend in the hair,” says Jay. “If you have shorter hair they are not easy to use as they create lift which you may not need. They are good for straightening curly locks.”

Ceramic brushes have to be used with care, according to Jay. “They can smooth out coarse or processed hair, but the heat burns the hair and damages it, if you are not careful, especially if you hold the brush in one place for too long. They won’t get rid of frizz,” he explains.

Jay’s tip to get rid of frizz is to pull the section out with your hands and then point the nozzle of the hairdryer downwards as you dry it.

For a tussled look, he recommends smoothing out the roots and leaving the ends to dry naturally. Moroccanoil‘s new Frizz Control (£18.65) is perfect for those whose tresses are prone to the dreaded frizz as it does help keep it under control without weighing it down.

By Daralyn Danns

Small is beautiful in the world of wine

As our knowledge of wine increases more of us want to know about the origin of the corkers we quaff and the producers who make them. Wines that come from smaller vineyards are often bursting with character and you get to sample interesting and rare ones.

It is a trend that Waitrose are well and truly on top of. With the increasing drive for true value (and not just price promotions) people are also more interested, according to the Waitrose wine buying team, in the care that has been taken in getting it from grape to bottle.

“At Waitrose, we are very proud of the close and sustainable relationships that we have with a number of small producers, working together to create the best possible product for our customers,” say the wine buying team.

Cederberg

One example is the Cederberg Wine Estate, which produces the Waitrose Foundation sustainable range. This is an amazing place. I was lucky enough to visit this winery not so long ago which is in South Africa’s Cederberg Wilderness Area, It was hard to believe that the Cape winelands’ highest-altitude wine farm, which now produces such amazing wines, was once a rugged, fynbos-covered area.

Waitrose also have relationships with small producers in more unusual  wine-producing countries such as Puklavec and Friends in Slovenia.

“We also work closely with suppliers (small on the world stage) such as Domäne Wachau with our 'Terraces' Grüner Veltliner,” say the wine buying team.

Here are five you can impress your friends with this Christmas: 

Domäne Wachau Terraces Grüner Veltliner 2011 Wachau, Austria £9.29, Waitrose
A lovely, light easy-to-drink white wine with punchy, spicy aromas and a peppery edge.

Cederberg Waitrose Foundation Shiraz 2009/10, South Africa, £8.99, Waitrose
This deliciously smooth red wine is packed with blackberry flavours with a hint of black pepper. This would work well with your Christmas turkey.

Puklavec & Friends Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Štajevska , Solvenia £8.99, Waitrose
Definitely one to tantalise your taste buds alight. Fruity and crisp on the palate.

Casa Marin Cipreses Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2010, £15.95, ndjohn.co.uk
Bursting with fruit flavours, this is a wonderfully refreshing dry and crisp wine from this highly-respected small producer in Chile.

Langlois-Chateau, Crémant de Loire Brut, £13.03, thedrinkshop.com
Small in price and a good alternative to champagne!  The family company, Langlois-Chateau, founded in 1912 and now under the auspices of Bollinger, produces a sparkler that zings with appley freshness.

By Daralyn Danns