Some things that made me smile in… November
Some things that made me smile in… November
Including a Whitstable weekender, hip hop’s first ladies and wildlife wonder
If you’re a regular here, welcome back! If you’re new, this is my round up of some of the things that have made me smile over the past month. Please feel free to share in the comments anything that’s brought you joy too, whether big or small! Are you currently a free subscriber but would like to upgrade? You can do that here.
Now we’re in that time of year where it’s sunset before 4pm here in the northern hemisphere (and the Great British Bake Off is over for another year), this month has seen me seeking out cosiness at home and away. The candles are being lit, the heated blanket is out and I’ve been wrapping up for autumnal walks.
I’ve even started to feel a bit Christmassy this week after a spare of the moment decision to take the long route home one day rewarded me with pretty lights and beautiful seasonal displays.
Here’s a few other things that have made me smile during November:
A weekend well spent in Whitstable
Last month was my first time visiting Liverpool, and this month featured another first. Catching the train down to Whitstable on the north-east Kent coast brightened up a grey, drizzly Saturday morning.
This weekend away was courtesy of very good friends (you know who you are :) Thank you!) and was much needed. I absolutely love my home city of London, but this trip was a reminder that I really benefit from some doses of Vitamin Sea (regardless of the weather) and I hadn’t had much since 2019.
As well as seeing the pebble beach and walking by the sea, we sheltered from the drizzle at the cosy Old Neptune pub, enjoyed excellent fish and chips from Ossie’s and sampled delectable negronis at The Twelve Taps.
Ambling with no agenda and seeing where it took us was so lovely. It was a deliciously slow Saturday and Sunday. A weekend well spent indeed.
Online connections in real life at my Rest + Calm Mini-Retreat
I love sharing restorative yoga and last weekend I offered my Rest + Calm Mini-Retreat - my most recent The Rest Sessions event - at Yoga Point in Brixton (where I also currently teach a weekly class). I’ve been teaching The Rest Sessions since summer 2020 when were all online, but since the publication of my book Rest + Calm: Gentle yoga and mindful practices to nurture and restore yourself, I’ve been doing these in-person.
When I do these in-person events, I’m often fortunate to meet people I’ve connected with online. This past Saturday was no different and it was beautiful, as ever.
If you’re in London during December, I’m teaching my last in-person restorative offering of 2023 at Embody Wellness in Vauxhall. I’d love you to join me for Rest + Restore on Friday 8th December 7-8.30pm. Find full details and book your place via the Embody Wellness workshops & events page here.
Not able to join me in-person? The Reset and A Peaceful Pause are here for you on Substack to return to whenever suits your schedule. And you can always let me know if there are any themes you’d like me to cover for either in the future.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year
This was a great way to spend a weekday morning and catch-up with a friend. When I was a child I went on many a school trip to The Natural History Museum (strong memories of packed lunches and drawing fossils!), but I don’t think I’d been inside this striking 19th century building since then.
From almost 50,000 images from across the globe, just 100 have been chosen to form the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. As well as the stunning images, this exhibition also highlights the important issues of conservation and how our actions as humans are impacting the natural world. I was particularly impressed by the talent and commitment of the young photographers whose work was showcased, which also gave me hope for the future.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year is on at The Natural History Museum’s East Pavilion Gallery until 30 June 2024.
(NOTE: If you can’t make it to London you may be able to catch the exhibition on its international tour. You can also explore the online gallery here.)
Find more details - including info on accessible visits - and book tickets here.
The First Ladies of Hip Hop
One of my first ever concerts was BDP with Queen Latifah at Brixton Academy. In hindsight I might have been a bit young to go, but when I knew Queen Latifah was going to be performing I had to be there. Londoner, Monie Love also made an appearance that night and the ladies did not disappoint! This is just one of the joyful personal memories that the recent BBC series, The First Ladies of Hip Hop brought back.
Narrated by Neneh Cherry (another icon), this three-part series acknowledges the (all too often overlooked) crucial role that women have played in the creation and evolution of hip hop since its inception fifty years ago.
Check this series out for the insights, the previously untold stories and of course, the tunes.
The First Ladies of Hip Hop is available on BBC iPlayer here.
Last but not least, is this month’s kitchen dance track. I have a fondness for 90’s R&B and while sitting in a local café recently I discovered that someone else clearly shares my affection, judging by the playlist on that day. I ended up sitting there for about half an hour longer than necessary just to hear the next tune! Anyhow, here’s one of my forever favourites:
Over to you:
An organisation you might wish to check out and support here.
And, what’s made you smile this month?
Let me know in the comments.