Monthly Digest: 6.24

A compilation of interesting things to consume with joy and leisure.

Thanks for being a Revel + Verve reader. I’m really happy you’re here.

I’m Nicole, the one who started this community. For anyone new here, this is a newsletter where I aim to create closeness, understanding, inspiration, and joy with other over-forty women who see this time as just the beginning. And who are reclaiming and redefining what life after forty looks like.

At the end of every month I send a curated roundup of things that I think you’ll love and be inspired by. I hope you enjoy it!

Happy Sunday, Revelers.

How have you been? Enjoying the summertime?

I’ve been trying to. On the schedule so far this summer is a boat trip, kayaking, multiple author readings, a block party, hosting guests, outdoor dinners, cozy evenings with good friends at our favorite local restaurants, beach trips, and hiking. I wouldn’t mind also doing some camping but once it hits the 90 degree mark, that’s a hard pass for me.

Something else I’ve been enjoying this summer is a change up in my alcohol consumption.

It’s not to say that I have stopped drinking altogether (I love a crisp, minerally white wine in the summer heat) but I’ve been switching on and off between alcohol and NA drinks and I really love how much better I feel.

I’m not actually a regular drinker. I can go weeks or even months without having a drink but when I do drink alcohol, I don’t love what happens to me.

I usually drink too many. I sleep horribly. I have what my good friend labeled “a social hangover” the next day, worrying that I offended someone or said or did something embarrassing.

Plus, while I’ve been eyeballs-deep in research for my peri-menopause post (I promise it’s publishing in July!), I have learned just how much alcohol impacts our comfort levels and our health when in this stage of life.

So, I’ve made this change and have really been enjoying exploring NA beers, wines (finding ones that don’t taste like pure sugar has been a fun challenge) and mocktails.

This is the collection at one of my local markets. So much choice!

I picked up these 4 to taste, with the plan to order my favs online in bulk.

I included a great NA drinks roundup in the food section below. But recs are welcome and appreciated in the comments!

OK, that’s all for now.

Happy scrolling,
Nicole

I’ve started doing face yoga on weekdays at my desk. I set a reminder on my phone and when it goes off, I pause whatever I’m doing and open the link to do a short series. Jury is still out on whether I see a difference in my face. But most people who do it, swear by it.

I love this page on the Movement website called Your Free Weekly Moves. The exercises are refreshed weekly, and made up of classes curated around a different theme or focus each week.

As someone who used to struggle with idleness aversion, I think this is a good read about working on “busyness”, even if a bit naïve about most people’s level of commitments to others (family and work).

Last month I wrote about Friendship in Midlife; this month I enjoyed reading this short piece from

Nedra Glover Tawwab

with tips on how to cultivate friendships.

I also enjoyed this piece about female friendships with their “guy friends” after marriage.

I’ve been learning more about Vitamin D deficiency and I found this article about the positive effects of sunshine (and the argument to perhaps hold off on daily sunscreen application) and how the CDC does not acknowledge this.

There are very few book lists I won’t save and review and pull from to add to my to-read list.

So I did it. I ditched Goodreads. I’m all about StoryGraph now. I mean, you can rate with a .25, .5, or .75! You can also filter and search your to-read list by mood or genre and I’m hooked.

So far this year, my favorite read has been All Fours by Miranda July. I loved this NYT feature that states: The heroine of “All Fours” is not a woman in a midlife crisis, but…a woman in the “middle of her life,”. [The author] found that little else had been written about this phase, particularly about perimenopause, the transitional time before full-fledged menopause. (100 percent accurate!)

I love this video about being a more sustainable traveler.

Who finked?! “Millennials are quiet-vacationing.”

I made this excellent salmon, coconut rice, and mango salsa bowl and really liked it. So easy to make and perfect for a summer night.

I also made this cabbage, white bean, and sausage recipe (I subbed andouille chicken sausage for the kielbasa) and I loved it!

As promised, here is that roundup on Non-Alcoholic drinks being offered these days. So much variety! One thing missing form this list is Phony Negroni, which is a favorite of mine.

I absolutely love this Instagram Channel called Two People Cooking. They post on Fridays and every time I see the post I say: my show is on! LOL.

This look inside a Copenhagen home is so inspiring. All the art is magical. And THAT CEILING!

This anatomical fashion may freak some people out but I find it stunning. Really incredible craftsmanship.

I really, really loved this interview with Gloria Steinam on the Wiser Than Me podcast. It’s truly worth a listen.

This is a really beautiful audiobook-style podcast based on the true story of the creator’s Jewish grandparents escaping fascist Italy on the verge of WWII.

Skip this one if you don’t care about plants. If you’re a fellow plant person, this article about Plant Intelligence is fascinating!

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