For DPD deliveries please order before 12pm on Sat 21st December 2024*. *Couriers cannot guarantee a pre-Christmas delivery if there are unforeseen circumstances

Winter Sun - Chile Part 2

Winter Sun - Chile Part 2

December 14, 2024

We stayed at 2400 metres in San Pedro de Atacama.  An oasis in the desert fed from the melting snow of the soaring 6000m peaks gushing into the rivers that run through the historic town. It's not far from 

Continue Reading

Winter Sun - Chile

Winter Sun - Chile

December 07, 2024

“Why Chile?” Said Jack back in February, “We don’t speak Spanish!” “You don’t speak Spanish when you go to Spain either”, I replied. Nonplussed, he didn’t mention it again until September when one of their favourite TV shows, Race across the World’, hosted a clutch of celebrities struggling..

Continue Reading

My Favourite Candles & Diffusers

My Favourite Candles & Diffusers

October 25, 2024

Have you ever bought an expensive candle and been disappointed? Maybe it lost its scent after a few burns or left wax unused around the sides, or kept going out? Really annoying isn’t it. Cire Trudon is the oldest candle company in the world and from my experience

Continue Reading


And Then They Were Ten

And Then They Were Ten

September 21, 2024

They'd had go karting, Nerf gun parties, and run riot in an amusement arcade called Babylon Park. We wanted something a little more serene at home this year, and knowing how much they loved 

Continue Reading

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

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

July 05, 2024

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

Continue Reading

Gut Health - eat more, lose weight

Gut Health - eat more, lose weight

June 30, 2024

We know when we’ve done wrong. Eaten too much, and rubbish food. Binged on Netflix. Not kept up with the exercise regime we started. Our unconscious sends guilt signals that we try to ignore. Then perhaps in a moment of enlightenment we commit to suffering to repent our sins.

Continue Reading


Two Boys do Rome

Two Boys do Rome

June 22, 2024

No lounging by a pool or seashore on this trip. I wanted to make the boys work a bit. Tramp the streets and understand some of the history and culture of a great city. We chose Rome as there’s so much to see, and at age nine, they’d be able to relate some to school learning or their Horrible Histories books.

Continue Reading

How to Stay Fit Without Ruining Your Hair

How to Stay Fit Without Ruining Your Hair

May 24, 2024

When people devote themselves to keeping fit, they can inadvertently damage their hair. Here’s what to watch out for and how to make keep-fit sessions the perfect opportunity for healthier hair.

Continue Reading

What Makes a Great Facial

What Makes a Great Facial

April 19, 2024

Clean, bright, age-defying complexions take regular time and effort. But there's never been as much help as now to deliver noticeable and meaningful results. I’ve worked with beauty therapists for over 40 years, testing whenever I can both here and on travels. What’s so impressive today is...

Continue Reading


The Great Bonding Hoax

The Great Bonding Hoax

March 26, 2024

Were people misled or did they helpfully misunderstand? About ten years ago a great whirlwind of marketing was created about a new bonding product. Something that could reconnect some of the bonds broken by bleaching. This seemed to gift a 'get out of jail free' card to colourists the world over to jet-hose peroxide with gay abandon. Hundreds of other copycat products followed...

Continue Reading

I've Been Trolled

I've Been Trolled

March 15, 2024

A few weeks back I had another barrage of abuse from hairdressers on Tiktok. And all over a video that influencer Melissa Varnavas had posted. The issue was around cost, but personal attacks included me wearing a suit and apprentices being called slaves etc. (they assist as part of their deep learning).

Continue Reading

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships

March 15, 2024

The TikTok keyboard trolls got themselves into a tizzy over my use of assistants. I was accused of using them as slaves, human hair clips, that I had them for ornaments to massage my ego, that it was so awful for viewers to see that they must have been watching a parody sketch. Haha!

Continue Reading