It’s been a while since I did one of these, so let’s get back into it. March has brought some great finds—both accidental discoveries and things I’ve been meaning to try for ages. Here are five things that have been making life a bit better this month.

gem roll-on deodorant

I don’t know if I’ve been sleeping on this and everyone has known about it for years, but I have just discovered the most scrumptious deodorant.

I was away on a work trip to Brisbane and realized I’d forgotten my deodorant. So I popped into Woolworths to grab a new roll-on and found this Gem (pun intended). I’m a big fan of Rexona and Dove, so it would take a lot to get me to stray from my old faithfuls. But as soon as I smelled the Vanilla Coconut scent, I was sold. This smells like some sort of baked sweet treat. It is absolutely delectable.

Gem roll-on deodorants come in three scents: Vanilla Macadamia, Santal, and my favourite, Vanilla Coconut. The formula contains Vitamin E, Shea Butter and Hyaluronic Acid to keep your skin velvety smooth and is entirely free from alcohol and parabens. In the two weeks I’ve been using it, I haven’t had any itchy armpits, bumps, or any other undesirable effects. Most importantly, the anti-perspirant is effective—even in the Brisbane heat.

The only problem is that every now and then I’ll get a whiff of the Vanilla Coconut scent, which makes me literally give my armpit a sniff. Which is maybe a little socially unacceptable. That aside, it does what it needs to do: keeps you fresh and smelling sweet.

This is why I think I’ve been sleeping on it—Gem is available from basically anywhere you’d think to buy deodorant. Coles, Woolies, Priceline, or directly from their website. It retails for $5.50, which is pretty affordable, but it’s quite often on sale for as little as $3.

prime 100 chicken and brown rice roll

A few years ago when Harry was training in Agility, a lot of the other dogs were being given these little meaty cubes as a reward for their performance. It looked like devon with a firmer consistency—Prime 100 roll. Because at the time Harry was well settled in his diet, it wasn’t something I investigated any further. But since Ivory Coat discontinued the Holistic Health range and the years’ worth of cans I panic-bought have run out, it was time to venture into a new dog food line. Remembering the positive reaction to the food (I remember one of the other trainers referring to this as “crack for dogs”), I thought we’d give the Prime 100 roll a try.

We haven’t looked back.

Harry started on the Prime 100 Chicken and Brown Rice roll back in December and has very much enjoyed the switch. He absolutely woofs it down. I do get a little worried sometimes that he eats it so quickly he might inhale a bit, but he manages to get it all down the right hole. Once he’s finished, he sits there and looks up at me with those puppy dog eyes, hoping I’ve forgotten I just gave him his dinner and might give him a whole other serve.

There’s been no real change in his health or demeanour, which I think is a real testament to the quality of the food. Harry’s previous food was incredibly high quality as well, so the transition has been seamless. No digestive stress, his coat is as lustrous as ever, and the energy is still never-ending. Everything you want from a dog food.

The Prime 100 range is made of fresh, natural ingredients and specializes in Single Protein Diets, which can assist sensitive bellies. Luckily Harry doesn’t have any food allergies, but it’s good to know he’s getting something that won’t upset him. There are tons of flavours and proteins including Crocodile and Tapioca, Kangaroo and Pumpkin, Duck and Sweet Potato, Lamb and Rosemary, and Harry’s favourite, Chicken and Brown Rice.

Prime 100 rolls can be purchased from your local pet food store or online. We get ours from Petbarn, and it retails for around $23 for a 2kg roll. I slice the rolls into individual serves and freeze them until Harry is ready to eat.

mr papa

This one’s for my Canberra friends—

I was driving from Sydney to Jindabyne for a work trip back in February and thought I’d make a quick stop in Fyshwick for a bite to eat. Most people know this as the place where you get your adult entertainment material and fireworks, but it’s got a surprisingly good food scene. Enter: Mr Papa.

Located on Barrier Street, Mr Papa offers Peruvian street food and is all about flavours and good vibes. You can get burgers and burritos, empanadas and tacos, and even some South American desserts.

Not being super familiar with Peruvian cuisine, I just ordered what the white girl in front of me ordered, the Birria Bowl —figured I’d be safe. It was amazing. Slow-cooked pork, Peruvian fried rice, a rich Birria consommé, pickled onion, avocado mayo and chili cream, all topped with a fried egg. Think of Mexican food’s more sophisticated, fresher cousin.

My colleague ordered the Chorizo Burger and reported that it was also to die for. Prices sit around the $20-25 mark, which is probably typical for this kind of meal.

Once I finished, I texted my brother about this place to see if it was well-established as a foodie pitstop, and surprisingly, he’d not heard of it. Canberra, you need to get into this. They offer takeaway and delivery, and catering, and with a couple of food trucks out the front of the store, they probably make the rounds to outdoor events. You can follow them on Instagram to see where they’ll pop up next.

archies thongs

I’ve entered a new period of my life… I need orthopaedic thongs. Most podiatrists will tell you how bad thongs are for your feet, but Archies have come up with a solution that means not having to give up this Aussie icon.

I have a consistent ankle impingement, so arch support is really important. I’d seen these advertised for a while but was dubious that they’d actually be beneficial. But then I saw Jennifer Aniston wearing them. Instantly influenced.

Born from physiotherapy expertise and perfected over years of testing, Archies provides specialised arch support in styles you actually want to wear. These really just look like your favourite Havaianas. They’re comfortable, the materials are soft but supportive, and there’s no rubbing between the toes or across the top of the foot. They are also appropriate for both men and women. I’ve worn them while taking Harry for a walk and haven’t experienced any ankle or foot pain. These do run a little small, so if you’re in between sizes, go up.

Archies come in the original thong style (priced at $40), as well as the popular slide style (priced at $60). They offer 20 colours, so you can match them with any outfit. They’re widely available in stores like Rebel Sport, Athlete’s Foot and Glue, as well as many physio and podiatrist practices. For your closest store, check their website.

the pitt

So, here’s a hot take: I’ve been watching The Pitt, and it’s very good. It has won just about every TV award it was nominated for—the Emmys, the Golden Globes, the Actor Awards (formerly Screen Actors Guild Awards). You’ve probably been living under a rock if you’ve not heard of it. Howver, if you’ve resisted the urge to watch, let me explain why this is such good viewing.

The premise of the show is that each episode is one hour at Pittsburgh’s Trauma Medical Centre. It’s an emergency department on its busiest day of the year. It follows a group of medical interns and their attending physician helping people with everything from super-glued eyelashes to broken legs, impacted bowels and amputated limbs. And sure enough, during each season, there’s a mass casualty event.

Something so remarkable about the show is how realistic it is. I’ve seen a number of YouTube re-watches with medical professionals who talk about how it shows exactly what it’s like to work in places like this. The medical terminology and treatments prescribed, the urgency of the environment, the relationships between the staff (and no, we’re not talking some schmaltzy romance like on Grey’s Anatomy or ER). Very true to reality. It can get very intense, so I wouldn’t recommend binging this before bed, unless you want to dream about triaging patients. And while it’s very realistic, the heart of the show is the characters. The staff, the patients—everyone is made to feel very human and three-dimensional.

I’ve watched the first season and am halfway through the second. It’s available for streaming on HBO Max in Australia. This show definitely deserves its flowers.

---

why not join our mailing list?