Taylor Taylor Salon, Spitalfields: cut & colour revamp for Thoroughly Modern Milly

Right, listen up you trendy guys and girls – it’s time to ditch Toni & Guy, Headmasters and the rest of those other boring standard hairdressers… Rock up to Taylor Taylor, the hippest hair and beauty venue in London, where summer cocktails and sweets are just part of the service.

I went along to try out this cool salon last week. It’s located on Commercial Street next door to Spitalfields market, an area reminiscent of Soho in New York, edgy and quirky, the place oozes style. Inside I was reminded more of a chic Parisian boutique, all floral and pretty. There is a very special feel to this salon with the bespoke chandeliers, lizard-skin covered chairs, and a gorgeous candy striped staircase that reminded me of Coco Chanel’s boudoir.

My lovely colourist Amy chatted away to me while painting my hair. I was having the dip dye effect – the roots are dyed darker, and then blended in with backcombing before the lower hair is lightened; the result is basically grown out colour and dark roots, a look I have always admired but never quite had the courage to attempt before. As a serial hair changer: light, dark, short, long, layered, straight, highlights but not necessarily in that order, I get bored easily and it seems my hair is the easiest feature to alter about myself. Dip Dye was clearly a logical next step for me.

After the colouring was complete, I was left for twenty minutes, for the colour to take effect. I read Vogue and gladly accepted a second cocktail. Soon it was time to venture to the luxurious washroom area to have the foils removed and my hair rinsed. Amy and I decided on an appropriate tone; the toner was added to my hair to secure the final colour. She had done an amazing job, the colour is quite a radical change and yet using her clever technique it looks natural and summery, as you can hopefully see from the final photos.

I was more scared about the cut, but felt reassured immediately by Frederico, my stylist. He offered his opinion, and without knowing that I am a massive Alexa Chung fan, suggested a cut a little similar to her look on a recent Vogue cover. I felt confident he knew what he was doing so left him to it. He snipped away with precision and speed and once finished blow dried my hair using a rounded brush to create a beachy look. I felt so much better, more seasonal, and much lighter headed; he had given my hair the lift it so desperately needed. The cut also really accentuated the new colour.

The cocktails here are absolutely divine – special concoctions developed for T&T;, so good I’m wondering if they’ll let me come back with some friends, just for Friday night drinks. They are delivered on a silver platter with a dish of moreish salty peanuts! There were four individual cocktails to choose from: I tried the Rose Bellini first, beautifully presented in a champagne flute with a cherry at the bottom, the drink was a beautiful pinky coral hue with an enticing scent (rose water, peach syrup, Champagne and a splash of cranberry). Then for a second I went for a Moscow Mule (Classic vodka and Old Jamaica ginger beer, with a burst of freshly squeezed lime juice and a sprig of fresh mint) – this was served long and was wonderfully refreshing.

I didn’t want to leave this sweet smelling boutique salon, and promised Amy I’d return soon for another hair makeover… I’m already flicking through magazines trying to find an excuse to return!

For more info and booking, visit: www.taylortaylorlondon.com

Bistro du Vin restaurant, Soho

After attending the new Bistro du Vin restaurant opening in Soho, I was invited for supper last week to try out the menu. We went along on a Sunday evening to find the restaurant surprisingly empty, then again so is most of Soho at the end of the weekend. I was unable to see the design at the busy opening, but can now confirm the decor is elegant and refined, a bright and airy layout that I’m sure will entice people in either just for a drink at the plush bar or for a relaxed meal in the main restaurant.

This is the second Bistro du Vin restaurant, after the success of the first in Clerkenwell. The menu is one of British classics, with a focus on high quality meat and fish. The restaurant boasts a collaboration with ‘La Cave a Fromage’ a wonderful cheese supplier who works hard to find the very best French and British cheeses. So with that in mind, it would have been a sin not to try out the display of fine cheeses! For a starter we shared a selection of the artisan cheeses and finely chosen charcuterie. Our friendly waitress sweetly asked which flavours I preferred before bringing us a well rounded assortment of their current seasonal stock.

The cheese and charcuterie arrived beautifully displayed on two rustic wooden boards, along with a variety of fresh breads. All the cheeses were good, some were sublime… I remember thinking that cheese would be my luxury for a desert island, if the cheese I could take was this good. The finest salami and hams came amongst a bed of salad and figs, my favourite was the flavoursome Iberico ham, matured for 30 months.

As the name suggests Bistro du Vin has an enviable expertise in wine, and an awesome hand picked array is on display in the central glass room. A lovely sommelier came over to our table and suggested a white that would complement our starter, Stadt Krems Gruner Veltliner (Lossterrassen, Kremstal, Austria 2010). It was one of the most drinkable, light and refreshing white wines I have ever tasted.

After sampling the Donald Russell sourced beef on offer at the opening party, I was keen to choose a dish from the grill section of the menu. From the choice of cuts, I decided on Sirloin – priced at £24, my steak was lean and tasty, a wonderful cut of meat with a delicious chargrilled taste from the Josper Grill. To accompany I had a rich creamy peppercorn sauce and a portion of crispy pomme frites. We ordered a tomato and onion salad to share; I was delighted when it arrived to see the tomatoes were multicoloured, a group of bright orange, red, green and yellows. My friend chose the BdV Burger with bacon, gruyere cheese and grilled mushrooms on the side. A perfectly cooked stack of burger components, served with frites.

Before dessert, I asked to try a summer cocktail of the expert bartender’s choice. The waiter delivered to me the sweetest peach-flavoured creation, a drink made specially to suit my request. For dessert, with our aromatic fresh mint tea we ordered the Belgian waffle, fresh strawberries and Valrhona chocolate sauce. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the waffle had just been homemade by the pastry chef in the kitchen; it was crispy and scrumptious with the darkest bitter hot chocolate sauce and sweet red fruit.

Soho is home to a wealth of tempting restaurants, but at Bistro you will find a little pinch of extra sophistication.

Visit website here to book and find out more.