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The French Connection

The French Connection

September 01, 2023

Are we jealous of the French? Do they envy us? This love-hate relationship of the frogs and les rosbifs has lasted a thousand years, along with forty-one wars in the meantime and two World Wars as allies. But London is the sixth largest French city (were it in France) and the English love France second only to Spain as a European second-home or retirement destination.

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Diets Schmiets... yadda, yadda, yadda...

Diets Schmiets... yadda, yadda, yadda...

August 25, 2023

Bye bye belly fat.

For most of my life, my problem was keeping weight on. So I’ve never had much interest in diets other than eating healthily, and if I didn’t at times, my metabolism just dealt with it. But then surreptitiously, middle age crept in and whilst still being generally athletic, a layer of belly fat made it

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Fear of Conversation

Fear of Conversation

February 08, 2023

I hate to think of any client feeling anxious about their time in the salon.

Rosie the Londoner (Professional Influencer) highlighted this issue on her last visit and set our whole team talking. Not just the issue itself which we’re sensitive to, but the stream of responses on her IG site chiming in with those feelings. 

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Winter Sun - Marrakech

Winter Sun - Marrakech

February 04, 2023

When Aman Resorts gate crashed the 5-star market in 1987 it blew the gilt off luxury and ushered in a quieter understated quality of hospitality.

Instead of overt excess, luxury could be less. Less bells, less whistles and most importantly, less other people. Here was a resort with

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Fighting Inflation Part 2

Fighting Inflation Part 2

January 14, 2023

Is it old age that gives rise to ranting and casting opinions on authority? Or just that most of the people dictating our lives are younger than me now? But then hairdressers have always had opinions along with black-taxi drivers. 

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Fighting Inflation

Fighting Inflation

January 14, 2023

Declining productivity has been the Western World’s conundrum these last few decades. Whether you blame social media, low interest rates, WFH or ‘The Age of Entitlement’, there’s no denying the zeitgeist, and as a business, we haven’t been immune.

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Do You DIY?

Do You DIY?

December 31, 2022

Are you fed up waiting around for builders? Or even getting them to commit to a time and day? I believe that for ourselves and society’s sake, we should mostly operate at our highest level of value. I’m responsible for a salon team of 50 staff looking after 5000 clients. I run a...

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Is Selfcare Selfish?

Is Selfcare Selfish?

September 17, 2022

It’s now a few weeks since schools returned. The chill of winter is breezing through intermittently. The holiday glow has faded and the hair may reveal the dry, faded consequences of zero sun-protection. Aggravated scalps may also be flakier.

This seasonal shift beckons us to assess, repair and renew, ready for the next chapter. Investing in

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Farewell Mum ❤️ 1923 – 2022

Farewell Mum ❤️ 1923 – 2022

September 09, 2022

I’ve spent 20 years worrying about Mum (mostly needlessly) and thinking of this day. But it still didn’t prepare me for the sudden loss of the enormous energy field she held and the waves of grief that follow. Grief… the price you pay for love, as Queen Elizabeth II said. RIP - mother figure of our nation. Another shock this week. We’re all carrying much sadness.

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Elderly Grandfather Moves in with the VCs

Elderly Grandfather Moves in with the VCs

August 24, 2022

Do you know anyone under 50 with one of these at home? Either I’m showing my age or perhaps at the cusp of a trend-shift in fashions 😀 but I saw this, loved it and bought it.

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Patience? - Who's Got the Time!

Patience? - Who's Got the Time!

August 24, 2022

They say patience is a virtue. I also think it develops with age as we realise some things just come in their own time. Or not as maybe. C’est la vie. Or ‘Them’s the breaks’ as Boris said...

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RISK - What's Your Comfort Level?

RISK - What's Your Comfort Level?

July 22, 2022

How do we teach kids to handle risk? Not by cradling them too tightly, but yet we also want them to be safe, and risk, the chance for loss or gain, is an unavoidable part of life.

All actions or inactions involve risk, but risky doesn’t mean reckless.

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