The start of September means it is now officially autumn aka candle season. I lit my first candle of the year yesterday and the room was deliciously fragrant.
I find the gentle flickering of candlelight creates the perfect room to get organised for the month ahead.
A fresh month is the right time to get the diary sorted, and this month’s highlights are already in the journal/diary. Here are three things I am looking forward to in September.
The 39 Steps, Derby Theatre
I find dark nights are perfect for thrillers, one of my favourite genres. Which is why I am really looking forward to The 39 Steps at Derby Theatre.
I watched the 1935 Hitchcock classic several years ago and loved it.
I continue to be intrigued by source material. This is why I will be reading, ahead of the Derby Theatre play, the 1915 novel The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan, upon which the film is based.
The film may have been a nail-biting intense watch, however the Derby Theatre and Hull Truck Theatre Production promises something that will bring a smile to your face.
Being billed as ‘Hitchcock meets Monty Python’ it will be a fast-paced comedy spy thriller ‘packed with theatrical magic’.
Speaking about The 39 Steps, the show’s award-winning comedy director, Cal McCrystal said people can expect the show to be ‘nostalgic, stylish and hilarious’. This sounds like the perfect mix for a cracking evening out.
The 39 Steps is at Derby Theatre from Tuesday September 29 till Saturday October 17, 2026.
Seven Hills Whisky Festival, Sheffield
As a giant whisky fan, it was a no-brainer that I’d be attending this most excellent festival celebrating the best drams in the land.
I have been attending since 2024 when the festival started. Over the years I have thoroughly enjoyed discovering new suppliers and whiskies that I wouldn’t usually try. Old Pulteney was an eye-opener (in a good way), and it was good to see The Lakes Distillery too (I already have Whiskymakers Reserve No.3 at home on my drinks cabinet).
This year is set to be another delicious day of dram discovery when whisky fans and brands take over The Steamworks in Sheffield. What I really appreciate about this festival is the warm welcoming atmosphere where you can feel relaxed, no matter what level of whisky knowledge you possess.
You can be a total newbie on the whisky front, or you can a whisky fan of decades; wherever you are on your whisky journey, you won’t feel out of place.
The event on Saturday, September 19 is unsurprisingly sold out. However I look forward to sharing an exclusive interview with founder of the Seven Hills Whisky Festival, Dani in the coming weeks.
The Sunday Letter Writing Project at The Agora, Derby
When was the last time you wrote a letter? An actual physical letter, using a pen, or pencil?
It was on the back of reading Virginia Evans’ bestseller The Correspondent that I started to really think deeply about letters.
I have been using digital media for over a decade now after I started blogging in 2013.
I use my blog to share news about what I’m enjoying, be it reading, watching theatre, scarfing, baking and wider cultural activities.
I have to say, that it hits different when you pick up a pen and put it to paper, your thoughts tumbling out as your mind anchors you and makes sense of the moment. That is a really special feeling.
It is no wonder that journaling is considered a therapeutic activity celebrated the world over. I really got into journaling around five years ago and since then, have commenced a healthy obsession with pretty notebooks and stationery.
The Sunday Letter Writing Project (TSLWP) is a global initiative that champions letter writing and The Agora on Sadler Gate, Derby is now an outpost, or ‘Letter Keeper’ of TSLWP.
Every Sunday, The Agora, a stationery shop and one of the newest, coolest residents of Sadler Gate, welcomes letter writers. The Agora wrote on Instagram: ‘Take the pledge to write a letter every Sunday. Come sit and relax with us, and if you aren’t sure who to write to, or just want to make a connection, then send it to one of the other Letter Keepers in the network.’
I wasn’t sure who to write a letter to, but then, in a subversive twist, I decided to write to my younger self.
It’s been an interesting few months in my life, time which I have used to reflect, learn to be kind to myself and recognise that patience is a virtue (not everything has to happen right now).
I visited The Agora, taking along a notebook and pen, and I just got writing. I felt calm, at peace and I really enjoyed not letting my inner editor come elbowing out in my mind.
I was joined in the session by Laura and Ceara, who also wrote letters as part of TSLWP.
It’s a great way to get out of your mind and just be zen for a short period of time. I loved it and thought it deeply chilled out, which is why I heartily recommend you visit.
If you do wish to go, but don’t have writing supplies, there are plenty of beautiful books and pretty pens you can buy from The Agora to get you started.
For more information about The Agora click here. (Be warned, their gorgeous stationery and book displays will induce bookshelf envy.)