What’s been floating Jones & Co founder Jennifer Jones’ boat this past month? Let’s find out!
I’ve had some fantastic past experiences with Breathwork and achieved amazing results so I jumped at the chance to re-join Lynsey from Rhythm of Breath for a special “Breathwork, Cacao and Sound Healing” evening. Lynsey is a special soul – funny, warm, nurturing and empathic.
For those of you not familiar with breathwork it’s recently gained fame and popularity with the Wim Hof method. In a nutshell, our breath is such a powerful and underutilised tool we all possess. We can use different techniques of breathing to relax and calm us or to energise us and give us mental clarity. Events like this are when you are guided into an immersive experience which for some is an incredible release and for others can be just an evening of deep relaxation.
The evening begins with sharing the magic of cacao which is a traditional plant medicine used to open up the heart. We all know how good a hot chocolate can make you feel – well, this is like that on steroids! Cacao in its purest medicinal form has been used for thousands of years to give mental clarity and peace.
We then were guided through an immersive breathwork experience using a connected style of breathing in which you fully sink into your body and begin to let go of your mind. It’s hard to describe but it is no doubt very powerful to be in a room with other people all in the same mindset. The music is brilliant at taking you on a journey and the atmosphere is relaxed. All in all the evening started with 20 strangers in a room and ended with us sharing stories and snacks with some tears and lots of laughs. Breathworks manages to break down barriers pretty quickly!
When I was trying to sum up why the evening was so good I realised it was because it was something I did purely for myself and to really be within myself. In these current busy times when we are all juggling our careers and families, not to mention exercise, friends, reading the latest novels, keeping up with our Netflix shows and more, it is so rare to take an evening off where you have a really good check-in with your soul. A “How are you tracking? “moment. I 100% recommend this to everyone.
What I watched: A Chorus Line at the Sydney Opera House
Did you know I went to theatre school in the UK? Yes, the same school that produced such greats as Hans Zimmer and Emily Blunt and well, ME! I was terrible and only had one part which was a cow in Animal Farm. Moo. But the love of musical theatre stuck. I was thrilled to finally get to be in my front row seat at A Chorus Line in the Sydney Opera House. I had originally bought the tickets two years ago but you know – Covid! The performance was simply fantastic and I do apologise to the woman sitting next to me who had to listen to me sing every word.
Where I went: A long weekend in the Blue Mountains
I took a little mini break with my Mom and sister to the Blue Mountains. Three days of pure girl time bliss. We stayed in Lilianfels where we had dinner at Echoes. Now that is dinner with a view – make sure you book an early seating to make the most of it!
The next day when the rain hit, we sat in the cosy living room with a three-tiered high tea cake stand! The aromatherapy massages at the hotel spa were fantastic and surprisingly well priced for a fancy hotel.
We took the train down to the valley floor with Scenic World and had a beautiful slow meander on the elevated boardwalk through the trees. This would be great with kids since Dinosaur Valley is back where animated dinosaurs, eggs and other fun displays are jotted about along with some very Jurassic Park sounds. I’m coming back at Easter with my six-year-old daughter!
There’s great shopping in the Blue Mountains and I visited my friend David at The Falls Store in Wentworth Falls. He has a fabulous homeware and fashion shop and curates the best of the best. Of course it’s a great place to find Jones & Co! I walked away with a sun hat made from African fabric, a rattan rhino head for Teddie’s room and a pair of wide-leg linen pants.
Other highlights were lunch at Leura Garage, brunch in Sorensen’s Glasshouse and art shopping at another Jones & Co stockist Moontree. Kate’s artwork is amazing and features some of our pottery!
What I ate: baked salmon
My friend Jess made the most incredible baked salmon dish I’ve ever seen. The colours alone were joy inducing but the taste! The salmon is baked in butter and honey and then finished off with a dill sauce before being covered in pomegranate seeds, dried cranberries, almonds and parsley. It’s a holiday of a dish and something you can prepare earlier and then whip out like some magician.
What I bought: tattoos and doorknockers
My parents walked the Camino de Santiago in the Pyrenees many years ago and they always talked about how it was such a fun and memorable time of their lives. They walked from the north of France to Santiago de la Campostela in Spain where St John the Baptist is buried. The symbol of the Camino is a scallop shell and it is used to show pilgrims that they can find welcome refuge in a home during their journey. I recently got a scallop shell tattoo to remind me of their wonderful journey through life together.
I also just had to have this brass doorknocker when I saw it on The Society Inc! I love how it symbolises that our home is a welcome refuge for all. Especially at cocktail time!
What’s kept me laughing: video clips
These two clips – one is laugh out loud funny, the other is simply sheer comedy writing genius!
What I read: Weirdo, Grimwood and Pachinko
My daughter is 6 years old and in that in-between stage of being a bit too old for picture books and a bit too young for books without them! We’ve devoured Anh Do’s Weirdo series and then I came across this recommendation from The Times UK. Grimwood by Nadia Shireen is SO funny. The illustrations had me cracking up and it really hits the right pitch for this age where they want to be constantly amused. It’s the story of two big city foxes who need to flee after a run in with Princess Buttons, a very scary street cat. They head to Grimwood, a supposedly tranquil piece of countryside. What waits for them when they get there is nothing short of hysterical.
I have loved all the modern novels that have hit our shelves lately (special mention to Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Manson) but sometimes it is really lovely to read something which transports you to a different place. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is an epic historical novel about a young Korean girl who falls pregnant by a married yakuza. With no hope in sight for the family a young Christian minister happens to stay at their boarding house. Seeing the situation before him he offers her a new life in Japan as his wife. The story follows Sunja to Japan and the hardships that await her and her family. It’s a well-written book that’s a pleasure to read and it gives us all some perspective with our current situation. Complaining about traffic, the cost of avocados or your wi-fi speed seems very trivial in comparison!
