Stuff middle aged women like
Hiking, British crime drama and a salty giveaway!
I’ve noticed that women start hiking around the same time they stop going to nightclubs.
Many of my friends traded in their high heels for hiking boots without so much as a backward glance.
On any given day, they’re in Tasmania, Patagonia, Port Macquarie or the Camino de Santiago traipsing around jaw-dropping countryside.
This week, I give you the Blue Lake walk. It’s a 1.5 hour drive from Canberra and the walk takes around eight hours, round trip.
My gorgeous (and very fit!) friend Annette just travelled to Mt Kosciuszko National Park to do this one day walk.
She says, “It’s very steep in parts. I loved the snow being there so this time of year is very good. No crowds, clean, crisp fresh air and you can collect water from the snowy melted rivers coming off the mountain.
“I enjoyed sharing it with a friend. It’s $17 for the National Park permit for the day. It’s great exercise and a challenging Level 4 (moderate difficulty due to the steepness). It’s suitable for someone with reasonable fitness.”
Have you been on any good walks recently? I would love to hear your tips!
Watching
Agatha All Along
OK, so I have a confession. I LOVE WITCHES. I have always loved witchy things, including that terrible show with Alyssa Milano (Charmed). I used to ‘cast spells’ (aka put mirrors under my pillow on Midsummer’s eve so I would dream of my future love). I even joined The Pagan Society at uni. Key takeaway: mulled wine is delicious. Also: I am a massive dork.
It follows that Agatha All Along would tap into my trashy love of the occult.
But what’s super fun about this show is that it’s way off piste in terms of narrative. It’s unpredictable, witty and ultra-creative.
The first episode starts out looking like a crime drama but this is a ruse. Do not be fooled. Bear with it and you will be rewarded with a show that feels like a cocktail made of Wicked, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Desperate Housewives.
Watch it with: Older kids and anyone who likes fantasy. Despite its presence on Disney, it’s not for young players.
The Bay
I’m on a Northern English crime spree!
The Bay sees another hot, young female detective (played by Britain’s answer to Lisa McCune, Morvan Christie) acting as the family liaison officer for a couple whose twin teenagers have gone missing.
This six-part series delves into moral turpitude and common struggle with an eye for realistic detail.
The Bay definitely isn’t sponsored by Tourism Lancashire (unless grey areas and fishing for dead bodies is your kind of holiday). Nevertheless, The Bay is worth a visit.
Watch it with: A cup of strong Yorkshire tea and a packet of Scotch Fingers.
Listening
Sofi Tukker - Swing.
An oldie (ish) but a goldie. What language is this?! Sounds like a Russian orphan-turned-assassin soundtrack.
Giveaway
Three Soult gift packs to giveaway
One of my very old friends, Adam, has a terrible tale to tell.
“I remember my brother Jason telling me he wanted to create a shop that sold only hot chips with different flavoured salts. I laughed at first, and then thought yeah, that’s pretty cool.
“About six months later, he took his own life.
“Fast forward four years and I have created SOULT. Salt with Soul in his memory; and we’ve launched with four flavours that had meaning to him.
“Our range is made from ethically sourced and organic ingredients; and 100% of our profits go to Mental Health. But our Soult is much more than complementing food.
“We are wanting to create a community to help make a difference in someone’s life,” says Adam.
Adam has kindly offered 3 x Soult gift packs to giveaway, valued at $35 each.
All you have to do to go in the draw to win is follow Soult on Instagram here (@soultwithsoul) and comment on this post and tell me how you’re going to use one of the flavours (Rosemary Garlic, Chilli Chocolate, Lemon Myrtle and Salty Sweet).
If you’re in the market for some Christmas gifts, keep in mind that 100% of proceeds from the sale of Soult go to mental health charities - more on that here.
My friend Adam is one of the funnest people I’ve ever met but, like all people, he has a backstory and some of it it is very sad.
You would never guess this if you met him in a bar (which I did, many times).
I guess this is the whole point of Soult. Ask questions. Dig a little deeper. Be there for people when you’ve been chucked out of the pub and you’re sitting in the gutter.
Adam says, “I created Soult with the goal of family and friends sharing their feelings over food around the table. I can't bring my brother back, but if I can make a difference in someone else's life, I have succeeded.”
That’s all for this week, ya big old bunch of floozies.
I love you all heaps. Thank you so much for reading.
Em xx
Oh, that got me in the feels - thank you for sharing, Em. What a wonderful legacy Adam's brother Jason has left, and Adam has created on his behalf.
As for the trading-nightclubs-for-hiking comment, I feel seen - I've even taken up camping!
I agree that mulled wine is delicious - I'm not sure it could get me to join a cult. Or the occult. ;)
chilli chocolate? could it get better? chicken mole in tacos! sprinkled on ice cream in home made salted caramel sauce! knowing you've helped another soul! all good options :)