There is fun in our future…

HELLO!

It’s been a time. With everything going on at home and abroad, I’m sure I’m not the only one who has hit my limits. I’ve found I just don’t have capacity to think much at all about the world’s wicked problems right now. It doesn’t mean I’m pretending they don’t exist - just that I’ve realised that me falling into a depression spiral doesn’t help. And because I’m lucky enough to be able to shift my focus elsewhere in an effort to preserve the last shreds of my sanity, that’s what I’m doing.

With Spring creeping quietly into view, my walks and runs all of a sudden smell like wattle and sunshine. As the seasons change and the depths of winter are behind us, I have found myself conjuring a few particular scenarios to spur me on through this rolling cycle of lockdowns, restrictions, distance and disconnection. They started small - visits to friends, fun outfits, little outings, local dinners - and mostly these feel not too far away from possiblity… I won’t lie though, quite a few international adventures have snuck on to my daydream list. Previously the distance between our current reality and a future where international travel is possible has deflated me, but now I’m finding letting my mind wander and imagine this eventuality is a nourishing and satisfying way to remember that they will be available to us again, one day.

My future fun things, in no particular order:

Getting dressed up for a night out for dinner with some of my favourite girlfriends
Spending a day wandering around Melbourne - taking in the NGV, strolling along the river, trawling markets, taking photos, enjoying the buzz of the city as I remember it
Calling in to Bar Midland to congratulate my clever friends on their new venture, and bringing other clever friends along to enjoy a much needed outing
Working away on our garden at our soon-to-be-complete new house
Many nights of visiting tapas bars, drinking wine, and contending with the heat of Spanish summer
A trip to Tassie to tick off another iconic hike in style (ie, with wine, food and comfy beds)
A picnic and outdoor playtime on the grass at the farm with my two nephews
Visiting Fleur in Broome for my long awaited return to the most beautiful beach in the world
Rogers Lane farm visits, feasts and workshops featuring nose to tail meat, pickling and preserving, and a showcase of some of the excellent wines from North East Vic
Getting our local friends together for a tennis tournament, complete with whites, pimms, scones and cucumber sandwiches
Taking our future pup for walks around our farm, and out for hiking adventures
Visiting Corsica with Cecile, hiking, sunseeking, and eating far too much goats cheese
Spending lots of money at all of my favourite hospo venues, and so much live music
Running the Tan, and maybe even an outing to Moonlight Cinema
More yoga teacher training, and the possibility of welcoming people to another retreat
A trip to the Greek Islands to satisfy Marcus’ ongoing culinary obsession with Crete, and my interest in Blue Zones

This is just a sample. (Trust me, I have many more travel-related daydreams brewing away.) But crucially, these mental indulgences are a constant reminder that even though the situation we find ourselves in now is so challenging, it is temporary, and soon it will be behind us. There is fun in our future.

I’d love to hear what little daydreams are keeping you looking ahead.

Lara xx

10 THINGS

I must confess I have never read any of Maggie O’Farrell’s novels but after loving two recent podcasts featuring her I certainly will be. Here she is on How to Fail, and here on Desert Island Discs.
I love hearing about farming success stories like this one in Spain. Most farmers know that working with the climate and landscape to improve, rather than destruct results in better yields and healthier and more sustainable land management. But what’s exciting is that this wisdom is now in line with industry best practice.
As a general rule, I like my recipes to be delivered in french by a very handsome chef, so Julien Sebbag is a strong follow recommendation.
This piece by Anne Helen Peterson about an unmarried, child-free woman who was in her orbit as a child, is a reminder that we need examples of people “doing things differently” in our lives, to remember that so much of how we live our lives is more up for grabs than we realise.
I haven’t watched the TV series yet, but I loved the series of podcast conversations between Annabel Crabb and Steph Tisdell about Ms Represented. Each have such interesting insights and perspectives to offer on the history of women in elected office in Australia.
Like everyone I know, I’m obsessed with The White Lotus. This piece is a great precis if you need more convincing. (Also, Armand is played by Murray Bartlett aka the handsome Australian shoe importer from Sex and the City.)
This video featuring Rajiv Surendra (aka Kevin Gnapoor from Mean Girls) talking about his creative endeavours, his loving curation of handmade items, and the way he thinks about the things in his home is gorgeous - and such a lovely, soothing change of pace.
I’m sure some among you will be examples of the “career downsizing” phenomenon explored here. And I hope it is a trend that continues as we interrogate what is truly important to us in a post-COVID world.
I may have noted this before, but Evan Ross Katz’s instagram account is almost the perfect cross section of my current pulpy diversions, which are primarily the Sex and the City reboot, Jennifer Coolidge, and the most ridiculous couture around.
The recommendation for this little grab of Lisa Kudrow genius came to me via NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour. 2 minutes and 32 seconds of hectic gold.

SOUNDTRACK

I love when people send me song recommendations. And quite a few have made it on to this trio of playlists (here, here and here). Send me yours?

I’ve also been listening to Leon Bridges’ new album on repeat, particularly the amazing Why Don’t You Touch Me (heartbreakingly beautiful), as well as the soundtrack to new animated feature Vivo (Netflix) which has the perfect cross section of Lara-friendly attributes in that it was composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda and features lots of cuban inspired sounds.

BORROWED WISDOM

“…every person no matter age, stage or background, who passes by, has a unique offering for this world.”

My dear friend and mentor Rebecca Bey has begun writing regularly. I shared her last piece, and this one about separating ourselves from the noise and chaos to tune back to our own rhythms and gifts, and those of the natural world around us feels like a very timely reflection.

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