The Catch Up (With Amanda And Christina)

The year 2021 has come and gone quickly! We take a look back at 2021 when we first started making this podcast! And share some our favourite watches, reads and skincare products (of course!) Thank you for all your support in 2021 on our podcast journey! We hope you have a wonderful festive period with family and friends. We will be back in early 2022 with more episodes.  Strangest/Wackiest watch: The Goop Lab with Gwyneth Paltrow (Netflix | Trailer) Crime Scene: The Vanishing at The Cecil Hotel (Netflix | Trailer) Best TV shows: Ted Lasso (Apple TV | Trailer) Succession (Sky/ NOW | Season 3 Trailer) Cobra Kai (Netflix | Season 4 Trailer) The Americans (Disney+ | Season 6 Trailer)  Ms. Represented (ABC | Trailer) Best books:  The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate by Gary Chapman Best skincare products: Medik8 Crystal Retinal 6 Kate Somerville Vitamin C + Retinol Moisturiser

HELLO from the other side! After 6 long years, Adele is back with a new album "30"!  We are so excited about the new music. But first, she released two concerts/documentaries (An Audience with... Adele for the UK, and Adele One Night Only for the US) to celebrate the release of the album.  What did we think? What are our favourite Adele songs? Expect some sing songs!

Interested in couture? Mesmerised by catwalks on the fashion runway? Wanted to be at the front row of fashion shows? Look no further! In this episode we're joined by Kat who has done it all! Kat is the co-founder of OnFeature- a fashion and lifestyle online publication.  Kat takes us to behind-the-scenes of London Fashion Week, what it's like to work with different designers to do a fashion shoot and the designers we should pay attention to. Hope you enjoy this Devil Wears Prada x Anna Wintour conversation! Follow @OnFeature on Instagram. Designers mentioned:  Bernard Chandran (Dubbed Malaysia's King of Fashion!) Joomi Lim

We dig deep into our book, TV and on-demand libraries!  We catch up on some of our recent reads and watches. The selection might even be SOUL-searching! Podcasts: How to Fail with Elizabeth Day  Slow Burn: The Clinton Impeachment (Slate) Books: Magpie by Elizabeth Day (Goodreads) Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney (Goodreads) Ghosts by Dolly Alderton (Goodreads) The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris (Goodreads) The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (Goodreads) Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones (Goodreads) On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (Goodreads) Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor (Goodreads) The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson (Goodreads) TV & On-Demand shows: Married at first sight Australia (Channel 4) Impeachment: American Crime Story (BBC/ iPlayer | Trailer ) Maid (Netflix | Trailer) An Astrological Guide for Broken Hearts (Netflix | Trailer) Shang Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings (Disney+ | Trailer) Soul (Disney+ | Trailer) Luca (Disney+ | Trailer) Castle (Disney+ | Trailer) Dopesick (Disney+ | Trailer)

Have you ever wondered why the humble cauliflower gets the "super food" status?  Have you eaten cauli-steak, cauli-rice or cauli-pizza? We share the nutritional benefits of the cauliflower. And some of our favourite recipes for this versatile vegetable! Whether is roasting with oil, chilli paste or miso paste- there'll be something for everyone to get your taste buds going. Get cooking!  

In this episode we put on our new red lipsticks for a catch up on a weekend of beauty events! We chat about Lisa Eldridge's pop up studio in Covent Garden, Caroline Hiron's Hall of Fame event and Liberty's new The Beauty Drop subscription box service. ---- Amanda wears Lisa Eldrdige's True Velvet Cinnabar Christina wears Lisa Eldridge's True Velvet Jazz Caroline Hiron's The OGs Kit

SPOILER ALERT- This episode contains spoilers.  Amanda and Christina methodologically conduct a deep dissection and a post-mortem of Netflix's Squid Game. The Squid Game is now the most streamed series on Netflix, beating Bridgerton off its top spot. We discussed the series appeal, the income and economic struggles of the participants and reflection of the 'real' world. We examined each characters' motivations and the many plot twists. In for a blood, sweat and tears episode! Reference: Squid Game (Netflix | Trailer) Squid Game knocks Bridgerton off Netflix top spot (BBC) Squid Game lays bare South Korea's real life personal debt crisis (The Guardian) Squid Game deaths are foreshadowed by the past (Screen Rant)

It's Halloween! Amanda is super excited about this festival, Christina less so. Will Amanda convince Christina that this is a festival worth waiting for? (Doubt it!) Have you ever experienced any supernatural events that you can't quite explain? Will you stay in a hotel that is known for its dark past? What movies get your spooky-meter up? Bodmin Gaol (Cornwall, UK) The Bodim Jail Hotel (Cornwall, UK) The Others (Movie | Trailer) The Ring (Japanese movie | Trailer)  Heidi Klum's halloween makeover (Youtube) The Exorcism of Emily Rose (Movie | Trailer)  The Blair Witch Project (Movie | Trailer)  Stephen King's original IT  (Movie | Trailer)

We're joined by Mika, the co-founder and President of the British Sauna Society, to transport us into the world of saunas. Many of us have been to a sauna at a spa, but Mika calls this a "compromised experience".   Hot stone, air ventilation, cold plunge and whacking (!) is a must!  Tune in to hear about the well-being benefits of saunas, the rituals and be inspired by this age old tradition.  You can experience Saunas across London & the South Coast of the UK at the following locations:  In London:  Finnish Church in London (Rotherhithe) Netil360 Rooftop Sauna (London Fields) The Bath House – Russian Banya (Belgravia) Banya No. 1 (Hoxton and Chiswick) New Docklands Steam Baths (Canning Town) On the South Coast: Beach Box Sauna Spa (Brighton) Fire Salt & Sea (Worthing Beach) The Wild Sauna (Shoreham Beach) The Saltwater Sauna (Sandbanks Beach, Poole) Seaside Sauna Haus (Seatown, West Dorset)   Learn more about saunas by following:  @mesq Mika's Instagram  @britishsaunasociety (charitable organisation)  @saunawave (Wendy & Mika's sauna journey)  This episode cover is provided by Mika and features the interior of James Franklin’s garden sauna in Northamptonshire.

This is a spoiler free chat on the latest Bond movie "No Time to Die" and Daniel Craig's last outing as James Bond. Amanda and Christina actually went to the cinemas together to see No Time to Die. Did we enjoy it? What makes a James Bond a James Bond?  And our predictions are in on who might take over the reign as the next James Bond.  No Time to Die (Trailer) Charting the feminist revolution of 007, from Bond girl to Bond women (Stylist) No Time to Die's lack of sex James Bond isn't the problem (Digital Spy) London Olympics 2012- James Bond and The Queen (YouTube) Skyfall- Adele (YouTube) Writing's on the wall- Sam Smith (YouTube) No Time to Die- Billie Eilish (YouTube)

Grooming and deportment? 1955 Good Housewives Guide? Modern day etiquettes?  We unpack them all in this epsiode.

It's the end of the season. It's another round of empties! We share the products that we gone through hard and fast during the summer months. Amanada's products: Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash Molton Brown Bursting Caju & Lime Bath & Shower Gel Frank Body Express-O Scrub Susanne Kaufmann Enzyme Peel Antipodes Manuka Honey Skin-Brightening Light Day Cream Ultrabase emollient cream La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL sunscreen Lipstick Queen Morning Sunshine Christina's products: Korres Shower Gel- Japanese Rose Scottish Fine Soaps Company- Au Lait Bathing Milk Dove Exfoliating Body Scrub- Crushed Macadamia & Rice Milk Scent Garnier- Body Repair Restoring Moisturiser Alpha H- Liquid Gold with Glycolic Acid Medik8- Crystal Retinal 3 Beauty Pie- Super Healthy Skin Daily Vitamin Defense Serume Beauty Pie- Triple Hyaluronic Acid Mizon- Multi Function Formula All In One Snail Repair Cream La Mer- Creme de la Mer Beauty Pie- Wonder Gloss Collagen Lip Oil (Sunhazed)

What is a bubble tea? What is "hot wave" chips? What is "white rabbit" sweets? Amanda and Christina share their favourite Asian snacks. They are easily available at your local Asian grocery shops. Join us for a tantalising episode that will get your taste buds going!

Mid Autumn Festival is coming up! It's a festival where families gather to give thanks for a good harvest. The moon also shines the brightest, biggest and closest to the earth on the 15th day of the 8th Lunar calendar month. We talk about legends, customs and family traditions. Of course, there's food involved. Enjoy!

We're back!! After a summer break, we're back at recording episodes. We caught up on our summer destinations, TV dramas and books. TV: The Chair (Netflix) Downton Abbey (Netflix) The Bureau (Amazon Prime) Vigil (BBC) Hannibal (Amazon Prime) Nine Perfect Strangers (Amazon Prime) Virgin River (Netflix) Books: The Duke and I by Julia Quinn The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman Midnight Library by Matt Haig The Dinner Guest by B P Walter Spellbinders by Helen Stringer

Amanda and Christina share their memorable restaurant places. From Michelin Starred restaurants to local hangouts. From London to Sydney.

Amanda and Christina chat daily changes we can make to play apart in the Climate Emergency

As we enter Summer, it's time to do another round of our skincare and body care empties! Amanda's products: Elemis- Soothing Apricot Toner Elemis- Rehydrating Ginseng Toner Eucerin- Hyaluron-Filler Vichy- Mineral 89 Daily Booster Votary- Super Seed Facial Oil Elemis- Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm TonyMoly- Bamboo Fresh Water Soothing Mist (discontinued) Noble Isle- Tea Rose Bubble Bath & Shower Gel L’Occitane- Ultra Rich Body Cream Le Labo- Hinoki/ Avocado Body Cream Rituals The Ritual of Jing ‘Sleep’ Dry Oil for Body & Hair Christina's products: Kate Somerville- Goat Milk Moisturising Cleanser Mizon- Real Vitamin Cleansing Balm Dr Dennis Gross- Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel Pixi - Glow Tonic Beauty Pie- Qi Energy Ginger Root & Ginger Super Glow Serum Beauty Pie- Superactive Capsules Essential Ceramides  Beauty Pie- Japanfusion Power Elixir Moisturiser Avene- Eau Thermale SPF50+ Waitrose- Amber & Bergamot Moisturising Bath Foam Better You- Magnesium Bath Flakes Beauty Pie- Collagen Super Powder

Amanda and Christina share their love of musicals as theatres slowly reopening after 16 months of lights out! From their earliest childhood musical memories to musicals they will be seeing post-lockdown. Can hardly wait!  Musicals covered: Sound of Music West Side Story My Fair Lady The King and I Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat Phantom of the Opera Sunset Boulevard Wicked Mary Poppins Book of Morons Avenue Q The Greatest Showman Mamma Mia! Dear Evan Hansen Les Miserables Cats La La Land A Star is Born Back to the Future Pretty Woman

Meet your co-hosts! The tables have turned. It's Christina's turn to quiz Amanda so we can all get to know her. Why did Amanda move from Brisbane to Sydney? Why did Amanda become a vet, but is no longer practising? Who are Minnie Spacey & Daffodil Martin?