The Year That Was

I’m back – back from the nonblogging wilderness, back to reality, back from the trip of a lifetime to Canada and the USA. This was going to be a travel themed blog post( and it still is in part) but now will be more of a summary of 2023. Highlight upon highlight- I know, it’s annoying. My best of in travel, culture, reading, and anything else I can think of.

Best of 2023

Watching highlights

I’m not elaborating on each show. You probably know them all anyway. And if you haven’t watched Slow Horses, you must. No movies in this list, my attention span doesn’t stretch that far.

Succession

Slow Horses

Sex Education

Ted Lasso

Reading highlights

South and West Joan Didion

Wifedom by Anna Funder

Of course, I’ve read more than two books in the past 12 months but these two stood out.

Thanks, Borrow Box, Libby and our wonderful public libraries. 

Cultured Highlights

Going to a music festival with dear friends in Canada

In New York, Amateur night at the Apollo- Joyous singing and booing encouraged

Sleep No More at a warehouse in Chelsea. Masked up craziness stumbling through a series of rooms and feeling I was in the middle of an Outlook Hotel nightmare

Brown Women Comedy. Raw, funny, and powerful. This show is touring in 2024 and will be on at Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Going to a listening session in the Louis Armstrong Museum in Queens, New York

Five hours in MOMA and not getting bored.

Discoveries

The joy of Spotify playlists 

 Milk grows in jugs( thank you Ontario)

Driving on the wrong side of the road is Not That Bad

Friends are everything ( I knew that anyway)

Canadian cookies are divine  – especially from this place in Ottawa

Canada is not airbrushed- it really is that beautiful

American football is still a mystery to me, but the games are so much fun

Reaffirmation that New York is the greatest city in the world

Achieved 

Getting published in The Age

Getting paid for the above article

Driving in Canada on the wrong side of the road( see above)

Getting Banksia to grow( credit to Banksia, not me)

 Improved my pastry-making skills ever so slightly

Travelled for two months – thanks to my family. Love you all x

Images: Erica Murdoch