Returning with a koi carp tattoo from The Family Business

Doesn’t time fly when you’re stressed?! I can’t believe it’s been over two months since I’ve blogged, it seems like it’s been a couple of weeks and forever at the same time. I won’t bore you with the details of my AWOL adventures but if you missed me, make sure you’re following me on Twitter and Instagram, which are updated daily even when I don’t have time to blog.

The good news is I’m back now and I’ve got tons of exciting things to write about, but I’m going to start with sharing my latest tattoo. I recently blogged about the butterfly tattoo I got last year and since then I’ve been planning my next one, which I wanted to cover up the first tattoo I ever got. I had it done on a whim and didn’t think too much about the design and just walked into a studio – do not ever get something so permanent on a whim and without making sure they’re a good artist! I learnt my lesson and did meticulous research before getting my butterfly tattoo which really paid off.  

This time around, I wanted a Japanese-inspired tattoo and had a few ideas but the one thing I knew for certain is that I wanted Mo Coppoletta from The Family Business to tattoo me. As one of the world’s most well respected artists as well as a specialist in Japanese tattoos, it was a no brainer. After a lengthy consultation (cover up work is always pretty tricky), we settled on a koi fish with some cherry blossoms.

Koi tattoos are incredibly beautiful, the intricacies and angles always make for a really striking piece of proper art. Beyond aesthetics, I also really love the symbolism behind koi fish. They symbolise good fortune and good luck as well as strength and courage. This stems from a Japanese legend which states that a koi fish tried to climb up a waterfall on the Yellow River, persevering against a heavy current to reach the top of the falls to become a dragon. The addition of cherry blossom in the design softens a traditionally male symbol, working well both aesthetically and symbolically, as cherry blossoms bloom for an incredibly short time, thus symbolising the transience of life – for me it’s a reminder of the fleeting beauty of life and that nothing is permanent.

The story of overcoming adversity and having the determination to achieve really resonated with me. As much as the butterfly tattoo is a reminder to keep faith and embrace change and transformations within life, the koi is a reminder to endure through tough times and always strive for better while the cherry blossom enriches the meaning of both the koi and butterfly.

Several weeks on and I’m still absolutely thrilled with the result. Mo has done a fantastic job with the koi and I’m beyond happy with it, it’s better than I could have ever imagined. In addition to the being brilliant at actual tattoos, Mo and the team at The Family Business are a real breath of fresh air. I’ve been in tattoo studios before which are akin to going into a boutique on Bond Street; you just don’t feel welcome or at ease which is exceptionally important if you’re going to sit there for hours getting a tattoo. Every single person at The Family Business is so nice and welcoming, especially Mo who is ridiculously down to Earth and one of the most genuine people I have met in London. He knew I wanted to get my tattoo sooner rather than later and was super accommodating.

Needless to say, I’m already starting to think about my next tattoo and will without a doubt be visiting Mo. I could not recommend him or The Family Business high enough, if you’re in London and want a tattoo; this is the studio you need to visit.

How to care for dry, damaged or coloured hair

Long locks with Tinuke from Circus Mums

The hashtag #LongHairDontCare makes me laugh. In literal terms, it's the most untrue statement ever. If you have Rapunzel-like tresses you will care about your hair very, very much; in fact the longer your hair, the more you need to care for it. This week, I was involved in Grazia's Beauty SOS which was all about treating dry and damaged hair, something I know a thing or two about. The product that I recommended is SachaJuan's overnight hair repair but I've got a ton of recommendations for long, coloured, dry and damaged hair so I thought I'd write a full blog post to share my tips. 

Blonde ombre

I've been colouring my hair for the last 15-odd years, when it was caramel blonde I kept it in a bob but at the moment my hair is waist length and though it's dark now, it was a blonde ombre. One of the only reasons I can have my hair this long and coloured is because I very rarely use any heat on it, I only straighten it about twice a month and never blowdry it. Cutting down on heat styling has honestly made the biggest difference in the condition of my hair. If I do straighten my hair, I smooth a bit of Philip B Lovin' leave-in conditioner through my hair to give it a bit of extra moisturising and protection. It has henna for shine and chamomile, nettle and aloe for their soothing and moisturising properties. 

I'm not too fussed about shampoos as they're only on my hair for a couple of minutes so I don't see why they would make a huge difference to the condition of my hair. Conditioners are the same to a certain extent, though I do love Aussie 3-minute miracle. It's super thick and nourishing so I use it every time I wash my hair rather than as a treatment. It smells great and my hair always feels lovely and soft. 

As far as treatments go, hair oils are one of the most popular treatments. MoroccanOil kick started the trend and everyone from L'oreal to Kerastase have their own version. Instead of picking between brands, I go straight to the source and opt for organic Argan oil rather than oil with silicones and other chemicals added to it. I smother my hair in oil and put it up in a bun for a couple of hours to let the oil work it's magic. If I'm short of time, I use Philip Kingsley's Elastiziser as it only needs to be on your hair for 20 minutes before being washed out. Elastiziser is an intensive treat for extremely damaged, chemically treated hair. It's pretty lightweight but it works wonders, though I only end up using it a couple of times a month. 

What are your favourite haircare products? 

#BeyHereNow

Back in December, Pepsi announced that Beyonce as their new creative partner and brand ambassador in a deal which includes a fund for "creative projects" as well as the standard advertisements and endorsements. While it wasn't exactly clear what the fund would be used for, the deal was typical of the commercial agreements global brands are forging with well known celebrities. Following the Beyonce/Pepsi deal, Justin Timberlake and Alicia Keys were announced as creative directors for Budweiser and BlackBerry respectively, celebrity endorsement 2.0. 

Today, Pepsi released it's latest ad campaign featuring Mrs Carter, which she helped to conceive and produce while contributing to the storyboarding, wardrobe and tagline, providing a more authentic relationship than a simple advertisement campaign. As soon as the video was released, Twitter and the blogosphere are abuzz with praise for the campaign. As a Beyonce fan, of course I love it. What do you think? 

Kurt Geiger's rocks and studs spring/summer 2013 collection

I am utterly obsessed with Kurt Geiger's Spring/Summer collection for one reason, the subtle sprinkling of studs. I'm so predictable, add some studs or sequins to a shoe and they'll be on my feet before you can say "I'll have those in a size 6". Rather than all over studs which looks a bit old and dated now, the studs are primarily on heels and toes for a more subtle look. Here are my favourites from the collection. 

Left to right:

Esme by KG By Kurt Geiger - £160

Vex by KG By Kurt Geiger - £156.90

Culprit by KG By Kurt Geiger - £120

Wild by KG By Kurt Geiger - £190

Julian Hakes' Mojito heels

I often talk about fashion being art and architectural influences in fashion but nothing epitomises this as much as Julian Hakes' Mojito heels. Two parts architectural design and one part shoe design, the Mojito heel looks more like a work of art than something you slip your feet in.

Created entirely by accident, architect Julian was trying to which parts of a shoe are actually needed to support the foot. As it happens, only the heel and ball of the foot need to be supported and everything else is surplus so Julian created a shoe made out of a single spiral supporting the entire foot - like the curl of a lime in a mojito. 

Since designing the first Mojito heels, Julian has collaborated with Ann Sofie Back Atelier and Ada Zanditon at London Fashion Week, been featured in Forbes, Vogue Italia and Elle and won the Drapers award for Best Footwear Designer 2012. Not bad for an architect playing footwear designer. What do you think of the Mojito heel? 

The Mojito heels are available at Sarenza. 

Smooth it out with GKHair Taming at Joe's Salon

Between you and I, I think haircare is a very funny thing. Every so often, something cool comes along and before you know it, every salon, shop and mall stall is offering you a piece . Hands up if you’ve heard of Moroccan Oil? Brazilian Blowdries? Ombre or dip dye? When something new and innovative comes out, it’s special and exclusive but give it 6 months and it becomes so ubiquitous that it ends up losing its lustre. Brazilian blowdries used to be the preserve of high end salons due to their technical nature and now the local salon in Ealing is offering them at 80% off on Groupon (with complimentary slap dash application). Likewise with ombre, it looks fantastic when done properly but with L’Oreal's newest “Wild Ombre” home hair colour, is Lily Aldridge’s hair still covetable when your 15 year old neighbour is giving it a whirl?

This is why I love Joe’s Salon in Mayfair. Truly passionate about hair, Joe carefully curates the services offered to ensure every treatment on offer is cutting edge and exclusive. When I popped in for a haircut in December, I learnt all about GKhair which is an absolute revolution. As someone with super long, coloured hair, I’m always on the lookout for sometime to nourish my locks. I’ve had a Brazilian Blowdry before and while my hair was a little softer and smoother, it didn’t seem much healthier and there was no straightening benefit at all. 

The GKHair Taming System is essentially a Brazilian Blowdry 3.0, moving the treatment on several steps allowing for a completely customised treatment depending on what your hair type is and the result you want – making this the perfect treatment whether you have super curly hair which you want straight or you just want your wavy hair to be smoother and more manageable. GKHair uses super ingredient Juxexin, which is a special blend of proteins and peptides optimised specifically for hair repair. The system penetrates the hair shaft to deliver a repairing and restoring boost of protein, enabling hair to better withstand heat, make it less prone to breakage and improves the lubricity of hair, giving hair overall better manageability. This little miracle worker essentially rejuvenates your hair while strengthening and straightening it for around 5 month.

GKHair Taming System is available excusively at Joe’s Salon.

Hotel review: The Standard, New York

The hotel name The Standard may not be well known on this side of the pond but over in the US, you always get a respectful, in-the-know nod when you tell people that it's your temporary home. When I was planning my trip to New York, I knew that I wanted to stay in the Meatpacking district and The Standard is the hottest hotel in New York's hippest neighbourhood. What a way to be introduced to New York on my first visit!

I don't think the Meatpacking district is really comparable to anywhere in London. It's a fusion of the undeniable cool of Dalston and Shoreditch mixed with luxe, high end Mayfair and Bond Street. The Standard communicates the essence of district better than anywhere else. The location is top notch, a stone's throw from Pastis which is my favourite spot for brunch. Magnolia's Bakery and Bleeker Street are a short walk and High Line runs right under the hotel. What more could you want? 

The exterior of the hotel is quite unexpected, it looks like a slim ex-council block rising up by the Hudson river. Gritty and industrial on the exterior but sleek and polished on the interior. Chino and shirt-clad hipsters await new arrivals and usher you straight inside with a friendly yet efficient nature. The lobby is sleek and bright with oversize furniture, making for a chic introduction to the hotel. 

There is no other way to describe my room than amazing. I love light and the huge floor to ceiling window lets in SO much light. My room overlooked the High Line park, Diane Von Furstenberg's actual office was across the street and I could see the Empire State Building in the distance - best view ever! The room has a lovely, open feel due to the huge windows - there's also a floor to ceiling window between the bathroom and bedroom which is lovely from a design standpoint - not great if you're holidaying with a friend but a discreet curtain can be put up in minutes. The shower itself is awesome and has a huge rainfall shower head. 

The one thing that wasn't overly practical is there wasn't a door to the shower so the floor always got soaked and it got a bit nippy. The "wardrobe" area was a bit of a disappointment. As it was a tiny rail behind the door, most of my clothes ended up triple hung or in my suitcase. I'm pleased to report there is plenty of shoe room though - I lined mine up along the window so they got to see New York too. 

Minor design flaws in the room amenities aside, the hotel is fantastic. The rooftop bar, Le Bain, is a chic oasis of calm in the daytime and one of the city's hottest bars by night. Skip down the industrial, graffiti-covered concrete stairwell to a lively bar with booming music and a jacuzzi. 

Image courtesy of The Standard

If you're heading to New York, stay at The Standard. I know I will be next time, which needs to be sooner rather than later! My only niggle was the storage space but everything else more than makes up for it, everything else was perfect especially the incredible views and wonderful staff. 

Fly, butterfly

Body art is a strangely emotive thing. Some people detest tattoos while others are very visible fans, I'm somewhere in the middle but I see both sides of the coin. My tattoos are quite personal to me and always very considered, so I don't understand people who get something so permanent on a whim. To me, you've got to think pretty carefully before you make a life-long commitment. I speak from experience, after wanting a shooting star tattoo for a couple of years I went and got mine done on a whim. While I don't regret it per se as the sentiment behind the tattoo still stands, I do wish I'd thought more about the design more. And likewise, as much as I like tattoos I don't think a full sleeve anytime soon!

After the awful tattoo debacle, it took me a long time to go for a second as I wanted to do it right. Everything from what I wanted, where I wanted it and most importantly who tattooed me was meticulously planned out. Despite being afraid of them and detesting typical girl tattoos, I decided on getting a butterfly. Butterflies are symbolic throughout most cultures; varying from a positive sign for the majority and occasionally a bad omen. For me, they represent new beginnings and metamorphasis but also embracing change and a reminder to keep faith while we undergo transitions in life. It also represents overcoming obstacles, there's one proverb which sums this up perfectly; "Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.". It seems quite apt, considering my last post. 

After a lot of research, I decided to book into Nikole Lowe's tattoo studio, Good Times Tattoo. If you've not seen pictures, this is undoubtedly one of the most incredible tattoo studios. Located on Curtain Road in Shoreditch, you're buzzed through a metal door and head up some stairs through to a beautiful, bright studio with tons of natural light and a cornucopia of oddities and artifacts. The focal point of the waiting area is a wall with an ornate cross, flowers and lots of images of Jesus while the rest of the studio has animal heads and preserved butterflies.

I saw Jamie Ruth who is a guest artist, she was at Good Times for a couple of months last summer and started tattooing almost 20 years ago in New Orleans. I won't bore you with details of how painful it was or wasn't, all I'm going to say is that 3 hour rib tattoos aren't for the fainthearted. Almost a year on, I absolutely love my tattoo. During times like this when things are tough, it reminds me to hang on in there and have faith. It won't be long til this phase will be over and we will emerge stronger and ready for whatever life brings next. 

Where do you stand on tattoos? Do you have any or are you planning any?