Simone Reddington

Happy Easter!  It’s officially spring; the clocks have gone forward, and UK is enjoying the first Bank holiday of the year.  When I wrote my January favourites, I mentioned that I believe that the year should really start with the Spring Equinox at the end of March.  It would make so much more sense, as we’d be a lot more motivated to maintain our resolutions if we started them when we had more hours of daylight.  We would be in the same cycle as nature, as we see the plants blooming and animals coming out of hibernation at this time of year. 

I am embracing a new year myself, as I’m starting a new job in the next couple of weeks. I am absolutely crapping myself, as I don’t know if I’m making the right decision financially.  However, I feel as though I need a proper routine and stability, and working in hospitality does not offer me either. Let’s see what this new chapter brings! 

I know that I am very late posting my highlights of March, as I’m writing my month favourites while we’re nearly a month into April.  Here’s what I’ve enjoyed over the past month. 

• Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally- At the risk of appearing like the most basic British woman under the age of thirty, I have been utterly obsessed with Harry Styles’ new album that he released this month.  I’ve never been a huge fan of Styles or One Direction in the past (I was rooting for Cher Lloyd to win The X Factor back in 2010) but he is undoubtably the coolest ex-member of the boyband.  His fourth studio album may be a bit of a mouthful, but I personally think it contains some of his best songs he’s ever produced. I really love the soft dreamy melodies infused with the electronic dance sounds, that has apparently been influenced by the Berlin clubbing scene.  My favourite track is definitely ‘Carla’s Song’ at the end, which is one of those songs that make you feel like you’re the main character at the climax of a film when you listen to it through your headphones, even if you’re literally just walking to Sainsburys.  I also really like ‘Taste Back’ and ‘The Waiting Game’. 

• Running Gear- I’ve recently started running as a hobby, as I’ve found that going for a jog before work really does calm me down and help control my anxiety.  I’m not an athlete who needs all the state-of-the-art gym gear, but upon discovering that my old trainers were literally falling apart and my favourite leggings had holes in them, I decided to treat myself to some new activewear. I bought the most flattering sports bra ever from Gymshark, recommended by my friend who is a fitness fanatic.  I also invested in some new Addidas leggings and Puma trainers, and I just feel so much better exercising in them.   

• Kesha’s Tits Out tour- I was going to write an entire blogpost about my trip to Manchester to see Kesha live, but I’ve had so much on this month that I didn’t get round to doing it.  When my friends told me back in the summer that they had bought tickets for one of her UK performances on her ‘Tits Out’ tour, I couldn’t resist buying one for myself and joining them.  I’ve been a fan of Kesha and her catchy, electropop music since I was twelve years old and listened to (probably illegal) streams of her debut album Animal. Like a lot of people, I was saddened to hear that she had a very traumatic experience in the peak of her career while tied to her previous recording contract and was over the moon when she released new music last year.  She sounded phenomenal live and put on an amazing show.  On the ‘Tits Out’ tour she sang a mixture of songs from her latest album, as well as her old bangers, which I was very happy about.  I also really liked Aviva Studios, the venue that she played at.  Not only was it small and intimate, allowing us to get a great view of the gig; it was also very modern and accessible.  A great night. 

• Fusha Asian Fusion Kitchen- My favourite meal that I ate this month was the food I ate at Fusha, an Asian fusion restaurant in Durham city centre.  I ordered the mini spring rolls as my starter, which were lovely, followed by the signature honey chilli chicken dish.  It had been ages since I’d last eaten Chinese-style food, which I love, and it was absolutely delicious. My mouth is currently watering as I remember the sweet, juicy sauce.  It was such a cute restaurant, and we received excellent service from the lady who worked there.  

• Big Boys series 3- I’m not actually sure why I finally watched the final series of Big Boys this month, over a year since it aired on Channel 4, as I loved the show since watching the first series back in 2022.  Whatever the reason (it was probably because I very rarely watch telly on Channel 4), it was well worth the wait.  The comedy series written by Jack Rooke is based on his own experiences as a gay man at university and his friendships with straight men.  The humour is so specific to British popular culture between 2014-16, and it reminded me of my own experiences growing up in those halcyon days before Brexit and Covid.  Although Jack (played brilliantly by Dylan Llewellyn from Derry Girls) provides the story’s narrative, Big Boys is really about Danny, his best friend and ally to the LGBT community.  Jack has mentioned in interviews that the character of Danny is based on various men whom he has been friends with, including one who sadly lost his life to suicide.  Without giving away any spoilers, the conclusion to Jack and Danny’s story is incredibly moving, while continuing to retain its direct humour.