It’s no longer unusual for me to hear from male friends that they have just been for a manicure or a massage , it seems a simple shave and shower is no longer enough for the discerning gentleman in world led by David Beckham and the new man.

To ensure every man has the opportunity to look and feel like a A lister  London-based luxury hair and beauty spa Aldo Coppola has launched a new bespoke grooming package, just for men and they invited me to experience the package for myself.

Longer working hours, stress, city pollution and UVA damage all contribute to dehydrated skin, uneven pigmentation and fine lines, as well as prematurely grey hair. Aldo Coppola’s Ultimate Man Package is a winning combination of treatments that address all these issues, leaving any man restored and revitalised.

The treatment combination includes an anti-ageing face and eye treatment to smooth away fine lines and rehydrate the skin, followed by a hand and nail treatment, completed with a hair colour, cut and style.

The face and eye treatment draws upon Aldo Coppola’s renowned Fusion Mesotherapy techniques to deliver visible results. This gentle and non-invasive treatment begins with cleansing and massage before the Fusion Mesotherapy machine is used to transmit topical products deeper into the skin’s layers, thanks to radio frequency waves.

This increases the skin’s temperature, which stimulates collagen production and skin tightening, helping to reduce dark circles and under-eye bags, and smooth away wrinkles and expression lines. The treatment concludes with a relaxing shoulder massage, to ease away any remaining tension. I really enjoyed this treatment, it was so relaxing in fact that I think I fell alsleep for a few minutes!

No well-groomed man should be seen with rough, dry hands and split nails, so the Ultimate Man Package also includes a ‘Man’-icure. Starting with a scrub to slough away hard, dry skin, the hands and arms are then treated to a relaxing massage. Nails are then filed and buffed to a natural shine. This was my first ever manicure and Ive actually had a fair few comments since the treatment about my nails from women that have noticed my nails, I now see how important keeping your nails in good condition is and do plan to get a manicure again.

Finally, for those with pesky grey hairs to disguise or those seeking a new look, the master colourists at Aldo Coppola will work with you to achieve the perfect colour. Both the Henna and Shatush colouring techniques use natural ingredients to protect and nourish the hair structure, leaving it soft, healthy and noticeably less grey. I didnt need any colour but its included as part of the package if required go for it.

After the coluring  the team will then wash, cut and style the hair to finish.

The Ultimate Man Package takes from two to two and a half hours, and is certain to leave you feeling and looking at your best when its over. I throughly enjoyed the time I spend at Aldo Copppla and I hpe you do too.

The Ultimate Man Package at Aldo Coppola is priced at £195.

For more details see www.aldocoppola.co.uk

 Aldo Coppola, 70 Sloane Avenue, South Kensington, London SW3 3DD

After offering an early platform to the likes of Tribes, Trophy Wife and James Yuill, iconic fashion brand Lyle & Scott are pleased to announce the second in a series of ‘Curated by Lyle & Scott’ shows. The exciting programming this year will see Chad Valley, Alex Clare, Disclosure and Hooray for Earth perform at shows across the country.

11^th October – XOYO – London w/ Chad Valley, Disclosure + Competition Winner

23^rd November – Cabaret Voltaire – Edinburgh w/ Alex Clare, Hooray for Earth + Competition Winner

24^th November – The Deaf Institute – Manchester w/Alex Clare, Hooray for Earth + Competition Winner

29^th November – XOYO – London w/Alex Clare, Hooray for Earth + Competition Winner

Further London dates to be announced shortly

Tickets for all shows cost £6 and can be purchased from

For tickets please go to www.lyleandscott.com/cbls

‘Following on from last year’s successful CBLS series in London, we are excited to be taking the show on the road and supporting emerging talent around the UK’ said Jess Pugh, Lyle & Scott’s Marketing Manager.

After the initial London launch which will feature Chad Valley and Disclosure, ‘Curated by Lyle & Scott’ will take Alex Clare, Hooray for Earth plus a third act, which will be decided through a fan-influenced competition on the road.

Headlining the October launch at London’s XOYO will be Chad Valley – the personal outpourings of one Hugo Manuel, the balearic inclined vocalist of Oxford’s Jonquil and founder member of the Blessing Force collective. Hugo has made quite a splash this past summer, supporting the likes of Amiina, Mountain Goats and Foals. Blog darlings Disclosure who’s recent offering have won them fans at Pitchfork, NME, XLR8R, Loud and Quiet, Altered Zones and RCRD LBL will be supporting on the night.

Headlining Edinburgh, Manchester and the second London date will be Island Records’ signing Alex Clare, whose debut album produced by Switch and Diplo is due out later this year. Supporting Clare will be New York rock outfit Hooray for Earth.

Lyle & Scott are offering new bands the chance to perform at any one of the upcoming CBLS gigs as the opening act. All you need to do is send in a YouTube clip to CBLS@live.co.uk. The shortlist will then be put on Lyle and Scott’s Facebook and fans can ‘like’ to show support. Our panel of experts will then choose 1 winner per show. Competition opens on 6 Sept until mid November.

www.facebook.com/lyleandscott

http://www.alexclare.com/

http://www.myspace.com/hugomanuel

 facebook.com/disclosureuk.

http://hoorayforearth.net/

Ocado, the online supermarket have  announced that they now stock the delicious Reflets de France range from Carrefour, offering over 100 items from a huge selection of  French favourites, from cured meats and tasty cheeses to fruity jams and rich pates, to UK shoppers.  Add a few of these in the online shop will certainly impress the girlfriend!

www.ocado.com

Beats By Dre are a range of headphones produced by high end cable manufacturer Monster, as the name may suggest they are also endorsed by the rapper Dr Dre.

When I was asked to review the new Beats Pro headphones I have to admit I wasn’t exactly thrilled by the idea, I’m not a rap fan really and with these aimed and designed supposedly for rap music I couldn’t see how much I would enjoy these imagining bass heavy distorting on my indie guitar based music.

Well from the moment I plugged them I was sold, the headphones produced a crisp clear sound on every piece of music I threw at them, instrument separation truly amazed me and I have honestly been rediscovering some of my favourite music.

The build quality is fantastic, the frame is made from a thick metal alloy that could stand up to the toughest situations, there’s no plastic to snap here. Even the cord is thick and durable like nothing I have seen before, I truly am very impressed.

So Im impressed witht he sound, Im impressed with the build quality, what lets these headphones down slightly is the price with a RRP of £349.00  Id say a good £100 of that must be going into Dr Dre’s pocket.  Still well worth a look and if you have the cash why not?

Amazon currently have the Black version onsale for £275 which may be worth a look here

Pot Noodles are and have been a staple in every single mans cupboard for years, maybe because they are quick require no preparation or cooking skills other than boiling the kettle or maybe because they are just damn tasty either way my cupboard always has a few and I’m sure yours does whether you admit it or not!

Up until now Pot Noodles have been meat free, but that’s all about to change with the launch of Pot Noodle GTI. Each pot has real meat in the pot and now doesn’t even require the boil of a kettle! simply peel back the lid, nuke, stir and scoff! ….. Its just the right amount of food before a night out.

There are four flavours – if you’re a smooth Italian on the road then Spaghetti Bolognese is for you. If you like it hot and spicy and wheel spins are your thing, then grab the Tikka Masala. If it’s all about the spoiler and exhausts then get stuck into the Mexican mayhem of Chilli Con Carne, and finally if you like a smooth sweet ride then  Sweet and Sour is the one for you.

To celebrate the launch of Pot Noodle GTi, the Pot Noodle GTi hummer is going on a tour of the country. The Hummer will roll into each city at 1pm on the dates in question, and Pot Noodle GTi fans will participate in a series of challenges, which are all about getting ready for the ultimate night out and the person with the highest score on the day will be crowned the Pot Noodle GTi winner, receiving an Ultimate Night Out worth a grand for them & their mates! The winner & their mates will get fully fuelled up with Pot Noodle GTi, get picked up and taken to a top night club, and receive free entry, reserved seating, and a bar tab to keep partying into the small hours. While you’re down there, you can sample the Pot Noodle GTi, and also jump into the Pot Noodle GTi hummer for a pre-night prep session – a fashion blitz, a brand new haircut, a styling, or to check out your chat up lines! You might even be lucky enough to get a pair of the limited edition Pot Noodle GTi lucky pants… You’ll have to head on down to find out how!

Head over to www.facebook.com/potnoodle for more info and check out the tour dates on the map below, and get down there early and register for the competition as only the first 15 people will qualify to enter which takes place between 3-4pm at each venue.

I have always been a fan of Fudge hair products so when they annouced they were bringing a new product to the market I was interested to try it out.

Matte Hed Extra is the big brother of the original massively successful Matte Hed and in relation to the original, offers a much stronger hold that lasts longer, is significantly drier and more matte than original Matte Hed. So your hair stays styled but you don’t look like half a tub of product has been emptied upon your head! Also a added bonus is the fragrance, I find most hair products smell off putting and a chemically but the Fudge Matte Hed Extra actually smells awesome and is a pleasure to apply in the morning.

Fudge Matte Hed Extra Wax is out now and has a RRP of £11.95

Every kitchen should have at least three knives. Heres a quick guide so you are ready to cut and chop anything that comes your way

The chef’s knife, usually 8-10 inches long, is a every dayknife  and the workhorse in anyone’s kitchen. It is used for chopping, slicing and dicing, basically it’s the all-purpose knife.

A serrated knife, 8-10 inches long to use on bread, and hard to cut items like squashes, vegetable stalks, and for slicing roasts.

Lastly, a paring knife, usually 3-4 inches long, for peeling, coring, and slicing small items like cherry tomatoes!

A well-crafted knife lasts for decades, and it’s worth the investment. So, how do you choose a good knife? well you cant really go wrong with a quality brand life Global Knives , they offer good quality at a reasonable price and is what I use in my kitchen and love them!

In cooking, I always say that great meals start with using great ingredients.  That philosophy is also true for knives–it’s all about material.  Top quality knives are forged using the highest quality of finely polished stainless steel.  Though other materials–including ceramic–have recently been introduced to the manufacturing process, stainless steel remains the preferred choice for most chefs.  The weight or feel of the knife should also reflect quality.  There should be no joints between the blade and the handle, i.e. seamless integration.  The handle should allow for a secure grip, while also being comfortable for use over time.  Regarding the surface, the overall appearance of the blade should be smooth and highly polished, serving as sign that the knife is resistant to rust and corrosion.   And finally, the cutting edge should retain its sharpness over time.

British shoe polish brand Cherry Blossom have given us their step by step guide to achieve the perfect shoe shine.

The Perfect Shoe Shine

What you’ll need: Clean cloths, Soft haired shoe brush, Cherry Blossom Premium’s  new  ‘Universal cleaner’ and ‘leather cream’.

Task time: 10 minutes

1. It is most important that you start with perfectly clean shoes. Do this buy wiping the shoes with damp cloth, then spray with Cherry Blossom Premium’s new ‘Universal cleaner’.

2. Shake well, hold upright and spray. Keep the can 10-15cm away from the shoes spray a even amount covering all of the leather.

3. Use a soft cloth or bush to work the foam in to the solid areas. Wait 10 seconds and wipe the dirt away with a clean cloth.

4. Allow the shoes to dry in room temperature.

5. Take Cherry Blossom Premium leather cream, no need to colour match your cream the new Premium leather cream is suitable for all colours. This nourishes and protects leather.

6. Using the sponge, sparingly spread the cream all over the shoe. Do not squeeze the tube just work the sponge in a circular motion over the entire surface of the shoe. Always make sure you work the Leather cream** into all the crevices and cracks in the leather.

**Leather cream works deep into the leather leaving a longer lasting     effect.

7. Leave to dry for 3 minutes and buff.

8. Take a traditional soft haired Cherry Blossom shoe brush and buff the shoes in a left-to-right motion to remove any excess polish.

A Brief History of Cherry Blossom

Cherry Blossom were the first and now the only UK manufacturer of shoe polish. Started in 1906 by brothers Dan and Charles Mason, Cherry Blossom polish started from a need to use wasted tin plate left over from making their soap company containers. Appreciating the growing demand for wax boot polish, the brothers realised that this discarded tin plate could be used to make small tins ideal for polish.  They therefore employed a chemist to come up with the right formulation and launched in 1906. The iconic “one penny tin” with its original “butterfly” twist opener was introduced in 1907 as was the name “Cherry Blossom Boot Polish”.  In 1912 they sold off the soap company and concentrated on the manufacturing of polish. Padawax, a major step forward for convenience, was introduced in 1960.  You could now apply polish with just the sponge and buff with a cloth. 1983 saw the “butterfly twist” tins replaced by the “snap open” variety and in 1986 New Meltonian and Cherry Blossom Shoe Care Plus was introduced – a liquid wax shoe cream designed for fast and easy application and fast shine.

Today the Cherry Blossom shoecare range is manufactured in Alfreton, Derbyshire, and as the materials used in the manufacturing of shoes have changed to include suede, nubuck, corduras and canvas as well as the traditional leather, so too have the products on offer from Cherry Blossom.

Available from Debenhams nationwide or online at www.cherryblossom.co.uk

They gave us life, the least we can do is give them something with a little thought behind it. That means this year, not a leftover card and a bunch of flowers picked up at a petrol station on Sunday morning, right?  here’s my pick of what’s out there to help you along

Pamper

Boo Boo Shop have come up with the Luxury Mummy Spa kit.  They say the luxurious home spa kit will leave your mums skin glowing, firm and stretch mark free. The kit includes  three of their best selling products.

Bosom Buddy - Which contains Ginkgo Biloba to firm and tighten.

A lightweight cream that tones, lifts and tightens thanks to natural wonder ingredients – centella and ginkgo biloba which help to firm and improve elasticity and argan oil to soften, smooth and tighten.

Super Stretchy Miracle Oil

A special blend of luxurious oils. Argan oil, rich in Omega 6 and 9 nourishes, firms and helps put the elasticity back in your skin while passion-flower and sweet almond oils gently soothe and soften. Also great at reducing the appearance of healed scars and damaged, uneven skin tone.

Silky Soft Body Wash

A special blend of white water lily, chamomile and avocado oil helps keep skin supple and moisturised while mallow soothes and replenishes. Natural fragrance with lemon and ginger leaving your skin happy and silky soft!

£37.99 from www.boobooshop.com , also if you use the code GG20 Boo Boo are offering 20% off to all our readers until Sunday 3rd of april

Flowers

John Lewis’ flower service Blossom & Bloom have put together some special Mothers Day inspired selections and are offering free delivery on Mothers Day itself, this is my pick of the bunch:

Mothers Day Scented Jug £39 (delivered )

A scented bloom  presented in a metal jug with a gift card

Take Her Out

Its not often you get to say thanks to your mum so why not do it in style with afternoon tea at The Ritz?

Everyone should experience this great British institution at least once and Last Minute.com have a great deal for Mothers Day.  Take your seats in the opulent surroundings of the Palm Court and enjoy an unrivaled selection of sandwiches, cakes, scones, pastries and a variety of teas and coffee. This unique present is delivered as a gift voucher valid for one year – and remember, this is The Ritz, so a jacket and tie is compulsory.

Tea for Two is £90.00 from Last Minute.com

On A Budget….

Of course if you are on a budget you could always buy your mum a mug for a tea ….

This First Class Mum mug forms part of the Stamp Collection, an exclusive range of gifts officially licensed by Royal Mail Ltd and the British Postal Museum & Archive.

First Class Mum mug is available from Amazon for £8.99

In honour of Pancake day today I’m passing on Jamie Oliver’s one cup  recipe for Pancakes.

Its dead easy to follow, you don’t need scales or measuring jugs just a simple coffee mug and you are good to go, which is perfect for a no fuss desert to impress the other half!

Ingredients:
• 1 egg, preferably free range or organic
• 1 cup of plain flour
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Sea salt
• 2 tablespoons butter

To make your  pancake batter

Crack your egg into a large mixing bowl. Add your flour, milk, baking powder, and a pinch of sea salt. Whisk everything together until you’ve got a lovely, smooth batter.

To cook your pancakes

Put a large frying pan on a medium heat and add half the butter. When the butter has melted and the pan is nice and hot, use a ladle to spoon the batter into the pan. Each ladleful will make 1 pancake—they’re quite small, so you can cook several at a time. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes and use a turner to flip them over when they start to brown on the bottom and get little bubbles on the top. When cooked on both sides, transfer them to a plate, carefully wipe the pan clean with paper towels, add the rest of the butter, and start again. Keep going until all the batter is used up.

See that was easy wasn’t it?  I find of all the recipes out there Jamie’s are the easiest for a novice cook like me to follow, he uses simple language and explains what to do clearly, for more of the same head over to Jamie’s website at :

www.jamieoliver.com

Recipe © Jamie Oliver, 2009