Category: Lifestyle

Football, Spice, Beer… and a Trip to the Coast

Introduction

This weekend is bringing some of my favourite things together.

As discussed in Wednesday’s post, for the next three weeks we are embarking on a travel adventure, searching out new coastal gems, hotels, pubs, and restaurants—no plans set in stone.

First stop on Thursday was family time and new baby cuddles in Hampshire.

Now, it’s a scenic drive to Sharon’s sister’s lodge in Essex for a week of relaxation and time to write some informative and enjoyable PDFs and e-books.

My Weekend Questions

• Can England finally win the World Cup, and why are there suddenly so many experts?
• Why do beer, football, and curry go together?
• Why is turmeric good for us?
• We all know smiling is good for us… but what if you can’t get out of your bad mood?
• And why is the coast so good for my soul?

Because of the late kick-off, we are going to watch the football at the lodge.

The fridge has been stocked, the curry menu is already being debated, and somehow my wife—who barely watches football the rest of the year—has become the nation’s newest football pundit. Apparently, every referee decision is obvious… after the fifth replay!

But perhaps that’s one of the things I enjoy most about tournament football. It brings everyone together, whether they’re lifelong supporters or experts for just a few weeks every two years.

⚽ Football Conversation

Why does every England tournament create so many football experts?

My wife only watches major tournaments, yet somehow she instantly knows:

• who should be substituted
• why the manager got it wrong
• whether it was definitely a penalty.

I’m sure many households are exactly the same.

Question for readers: Who is the part-time football expert in your family and are England finally going to win the World Cup again, my wife says they will?

🌶️ Food Conversation

Why do football, curry, and beer seem to go together?

It’s become almost a tradition now. Wherever we watch England, at home or in a pub somewhere, we nearly always end up with beer, football, and a curry.

Sometimes it’s in a restaurant, and sometimes—as will be the case this Saturday—it’s a well-deserved takeaway. It’s not obligatory, and any takeaway can work, but my preference is always for curry.

Saturday football. A pint. And a curry.

Perhaps it’s because curries are perfect for sharing with family and friends while watching sport. The spices, aromas, and variety make every meal feel like an occasion.

My Top Five Curries:

1. Chicken Jalfrezi
2. Lamb Rogan Josh
3. Chicken Tikka Masala
4. Madras
5. Balti

There are so many to choose from, but these are just some of my favourites.

Question for readers: What’s your favourite curry?

🟡 Health Conversation

Why is turmeric considered so good for us?

Turmeric contains curcumin, a natural compound that research suggests has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Scientists continue to study its potential role in:

• reducing inflammation
• supporting joint health
• helping recovery after exercise
• supporting brain health as we age.

It isn’t a miracle spice—but it’s certainly one ingredient many healthy diets include.

😊 Mindset Conversation

We all know smiling is good for us… but what do you do when you simply can’t smile?

Some days just don’t go to plan. We’ve all had those mornings when nothing seems right. I’ve learnt not to force happiness. Instead, I try something simple.

Maybe it’s:

• going for a walk
• making a coffee
• putting some music on
• watching an old comedy
• chatting to someone
• or simply changing my surroundings.

Sometimes the smallest change is enough to shift your mood.

Question for readers: What helps lift your mood when you’re having one of those days?

🌊 Looking Ahead

Why I can’t wait to get back to the coast

This week I’ll finally be spending a few days by the sea. I’ve always found there’s something calming about the coast.

The sound of the waves. The smell of the sea air. Fish and chips eaten outside.

A long walk without looking at the clock. For me, it’s one of the few places where life naturally slows down.

Perhaps it’s because the sea reminds us that some things are far bigger than the emails, meetings, and worries we carry around.

After a couple of days by the coast, I always return feeling lighter. I’m already looking forward to it.

Question for readers: If you could disappear anywhere for a few days, where would you go?

Final Thoughts

Football. Friends. A good curry. Maybe a cold beer. A laugh with family. And a walk beside the sea.

Sometimes the best weekends are built from life’s simplest pleasures.

Have a wonderful week.

Steve

This week, I’m asking two questions that might seem completely unrelated, but they actually go hand in hand.

Could you head off on a three-week road trip with no firm plans or bookings, or would that send your stress levels soaring?

And…

Do you know which fats help keep us healthy in our 60s, and which ones are best enjoyed only occasionally?

The reason I’m asking is because, at this very moment, Sharon and I are setting off on a three-week adventure that goes completely against our usual travel rules.

We’re travelling with nothing more than a sketchy plan, a packed car and a sense of adventure.

First stop: Family time

Our first destination is Hampshire to spend a few days with my son, his partner and our seven-week-old grandson, Joey.

We had a FaceTime call recently and my son looked absolutely shattered.

Apparently, Joey has decided that sleeping for more than two hours at a time is completely overrated.

My son doesn’t quite realise it yet, but this is one of those chapters he’ll be reminding Joey about for the rest of his life.

That’s what fathers are for, isn’t it?

Embracing the sketchy plan

After our grandparent duties are complete, Sharon and I are doing something we almost never do.

We’re heading up the UK’s east coast with no detailed itinerary.

Our first stop is Essex, where Sharon’s sister has invited us to stay at her “caravan.”

Although calling it a caravan is stretching the truth somewhat. It’s more like a luxury lodge with every modern comfort.

The peaceful surroundings will give me the perfect opportunity to continue writing some of the upcoming Ropho digital guides and ebooks.

After that…

No hotel bookings.

No timetable.

No pressure.

Just a road trip exploring some of Britain’s coastal gems.

Following a recent conversation about how fortunate we are to have such beautiful countryside and coastline, I realised we often rush off abroad without properly exploring what’s on our own doorstep.

Don’t worry—we’ve still got Crete booked for September!

This trip is different.

We’re searching for memorable pubs, independent restaurants, boutique B&Bs and characterful hotels that I can genuinely recommend for future Ropho readers looking for a weekend away.

The Road Trip Food Challenge

As exciting as spontaneous travel sounds, it does present one challenge.

Food.

British seaside towns mean fish and chips.

Country pubs mean hearty pies.

Long days exploring often lead to desserts that somehow seem impossible to refuse.

I’ve packed my resistance bands, so I’ll still be doing my three strength sessions each week.

But after last week’s conversation about protein, it seemed the perfect opportunity to look at another important subject…

Healthy fats.

The Truth About Fats

For years, fat became the nutritional villain.

Everything was labelled “low fat” and many of us were led to believe that all fat was bad.

Thankfully, we’ve learned much more since then.

Healthy fats are essential.

They help support our heart, brain and joints, provide lasting energy and help our bodies absorb important vitamins.

As we get older, those benefits become even more important.

The challenge isn’t avoiding fat.

It’s choosing the right kinds most of the time.

Foods to enjoy regularly

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Avocados
• Nuts and seeds
• Oily fish such as salmon and mackerel
• Eggs

Foods to enjoy in moderation

• Butter
• Cheese
• Full-fat Greek yoghurt

These foods can absolutely form part of a healthy diet—they’re simply worth enjoying in sensible portions.

Foods best kept as occasional treats

• Processed meats
• Commercially fried foods
• Pastries
• Cakes
• Biscuits
• Foods containing trans fats

Now, before anyone points it out…

Yes.

I fully expect to enjoy fish and chips somewhere along the coast.

Ropho has never been about perfection.

It’s about balance.

My favourite travel tip

You don’t need calorie-counting apps or kitchen scales when you’re on holiday.

I use a very simple guide.

Think thumb-sized.

A thumb-sized portion is roughly the amount of healthy fat most meals need.

That might be:

• a drizzle of olive oil
• a small handful of nuts
• half an avocado
• a modest portion of cheese

Healthy fats are satisfying.

Get the balance right and they’re much more likely to keep you full than leave you searching for the next sugary snack.

The Ropho View

Growing older shouldn’t mean giving up adventure.

Nor should healthy eating mean removing all the enjoyment from food.

As Sharon and I head off with our sketchy itinerary, the goal isn’t perfection.

It’s balance.

We’ll keep moving.

I’ll keep up my resistance training.

We’ll choose grilled fish more often than deep-fried.

And when we discover that perfect coastal pub, we’ll enjoy it without feeling guilty.

Because making the most of life after 60 isn’t about following rules.

It’s about making good choices most of the time while still creating memories worth talking about.

Now I’d love to hear from you.

Could you cope with a three-week trip without every hotel booked in advance, or would that be your idea of a nightmare?

And when you’re travelling, how do you manage to eat well without missing out on all the local treats?

I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments.

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This article combines personal experience with general nutritional guidance. Information on healthy fats has been informed by resources from the British Heart Foundation. Everyone’s health is different, so if you have a medical condition or specific dietary needs, it’s always worth discussing them with your GP or another qualified healthcare professional.

Happy weekend. Grab your coffee, settle in, and let’s dive into this week’s three big questions.

1. Nostalgia: Rose-Tinted Specs or Genuine Fun?

We’ve all done it.

We look at the modern world—with its hyper-connectivity, complex tech, and delivery drivers dropping everything to our doorsteps—and we sigh for the “good old days.”

But let’s take off the rose-tinted spectacles for a second and look at the reality. (I will come back to instant shopping in a minute.)

I distinctly remember my parents’ first house. Luxury it was not.

We are talking about an outdoor toilet that was a test of endurance in January, and a tin bath that had to be dragged inside and filled manually.

If you weren’t first in the water queue, let’s just say it wasn’t exactly a spa experience.

My kids don’t believe this particular story, however, it is completely true.

Renovations had to be saved up for, and in my 6-year-old memory, the bathroom took forever to resemble something similar to what we would expect now.

Which brings me to a conversation I had with one of my lovely grandchildren. It went something like this:

“What are you doing?”

“I’m looking through some old photographs of when I was about your age.”

“But some are in black and white, and the colour ones are really weird. Were your parents blind?”

Now, this is where kids have a fantastic way of telling the truth.

Because I’m not sure if she was talking about the avocado bathroom suite we had waited so long for, the bright orange flowers on the wallpaper, the horrendous matching clothes my two younger brothers and I had to endure every time we went out, or the horrendous basin-cut hairstyles.

This was the trigger that started me thinking about memories and nostalgia.

Was it actually “more fun” back then? Or are we just romanticising a time when our joints didn’t ache and our biggest responsibility was being home before the streetlamps came on?

The truth is, the fun wasn’t in the lack of plumbing, the weird psychedelic colours, or the haircuts—it was the freedom. We didn’t have algorithms competing for our attention. We had imagination, a football, and a neighbourhood to explore.

So while I will gladly leave the tin bath in the history books, maybe we can carry a bit of that uncomplicated, offline freedom into our weekends today.

Finally, let’s get back to instant shopping. Amazon and the like have undoubtedly made life easier.

No aching legs, no hunting for a parking space, and no carrying armfuls of shopping bags back to the car.

But what have we quietly given up in return?

The smell of a good department store. Stopping for a coffee halfway through the afternoon. Repartee with the assistant while buying a new suit or trying the latest Hugo aftershave.

Patiently (or not so patiently) sitting outside another changing room while your wife tries on what feels like every dress within a five-mile radius.

Mind you, online shopping has its downsides too.

I seem to have a wardrobe full of clothes that looked perfect on the screen but somehow don’t fit in real life.

They sit there for months because I never quite get round to sending them back.

Maybe that’s the point about nostalgia.

It isn’t that shopping itself was better. It’s that, somewhere along the way, buying something stopped being an outing and became a transaction.

2. Dealing with Failure and Disappointment in Your 60s

In my line of work as a business advisor, you quickly learn a sobering truth: you witness just as many failures as you do successes. You can analyse the data, build the perfect strategy, and lead the horse directly to the water—but you absolutely cannot make him drink it.

When you hit your 60s, your relationship with failure changes dramatically.

Looking back at my younger years, I flat-out refused to accept failure. Why? Because like most young men, I was plagued by the absolute certainty that I was always right.

It’s a funny cycle. I see my 18-year-old grandson navigating the exact same mindset today.

He’s convinced the world has it in for him, frustrated that he isn’t earning top dollar yet, and convinced that things should just happen faster.

It’s easy to look at the younger generation and think, “They want it all handed to them on a plate.” But then I catch myself, smile, and remember: where have I heard that before? We were exactly the same.

The real gift of navigating disappointment in your 60s is perspective.

• In your 20s and 30s, failure feels like an identity—it defines you.
• In your 60s, failure is just feedback. It’s an occurrence, not a reflection of your worth.

We now have the mileage to know that a setback is rarely fatal.

When a plan falls through or a project misses the mark, we don’t take it as a personal insult from the universe. We just look at the horse, shrug, and go look for one that’s actually thirsty.

And remember this: if you try something and it doesn’t work, a lot of people I talk to think they have failed.

My answer is simply this: you tried, and it didn’t work out this time. Failure would have been not trying.

Have a fantastic weekend. What are your memories of the “good old days”—and do you actually miss them? Let me know in the comments.

3. The September Getaway: The Balearics vs. The Greek Islands

September is our favourite time for travel. The school crowds have vanished, the intense summer heat has mellowed into something perfectly warm, and the sea is at its absolute best.

If you are plotting a late-season European break, two major contenders usually top the list. How do they stack up?

The Balearics (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza)

• The Vibe: Effortless and sophisticated.
• The Travel: A short, breezy flight from the UK (around 2 to 2.5 hours), making it incredibly accessible.
• The Highlights: Beyond the bustling resorts lie stunning rugged coastlines, world-class dining, and historic stone villages. It is perfect if you want great seafood, excellent infrastructure, and a quick transit.

The Greek Islands (Crete, Corfu, Rhodes)

• The Vibe: Timeless, slow-paced, and deeply cultural.
• The Travel: A bit more of a commitment (closer to 4 hours), but worth every minute.
• The Highlights: Unmatched history, crystal-clear Aegean waters, and a slower pace of life that forces you to unwind. The food is simple, fresh, and legendary.

The Verdict

If you want a quick, seamless transition to a sun lounger with great gastronomy, head West to the Balearics.

If you want a deeper, sun-drenched escape where the days stretch out lazily, head East to Greece.

Drop your email below for my curated PDF recommendations on fantastic 5-star hotels that will help you create the getaway you need.

Coming Up This Week on Ropho

Monday – Business

Think your business is failing? It might not be.

Sometimes sales haven’t disappeared—they’ve simply slowed down.

We’ll look at why that happens, how to spot the real bottleneck, and how a few small changes can help your business find its momentum again.

I’ll also show you how to use my Business Health Dashboard to identify where you’re getting stuck.

Wednesday – Lifestyle & Finance

What happens when your pension figures aren’t quite what you hoped for?

Rather than panic, we’ll explore practical ways to rethink retirement income, make informed decisions, and focus on what you can control.

My Weekend 3 Questions

Time seems to be speeding by.

Having launched Ropho back in mid-January, I wanted to take a moment this weekend to revisit a couple of my early subjects.

Both feel incredibly relevant right now, especially as we head into the summer season.

Here are my three questions for you this weekend:

1. What does style mean to you in your sixties?

I wrote a post early on about how our younger years shape our identity, and why attitude matters more than age.

Style isn’t just about the clothes you wear or how much you spend.

It’s not even just about hair—which is a conversation in itself! As someone who is follicly challenged, I know it changes for us men, but I also listen to my wife, her friends, and our daughters constantly discussing it.

Our daughter Rachel, whose hair fell out during chemo, has recently ditched the wigs as it slowly grows back. She is entirely embracing a short, funky look, and she looks fantastic.

True style is about inner confidence, posture, and movement.

Last week was incredibly busy, and right after a great time at Royal Ascot, I was invited to speak at a private, relatively exclusive conference.

The room was filled with highly successful, established manufacturing entrepreneurs and their partners—people who, by any traditional metric, have reached the top of their game.

Yet, as I looked around, what fascinated me wasn’t the business success. It was the sheer variety of styles on display.

Some men and women looked entirely comfortable in their own skin, while others seemed to be quietly retreating into safe, neutral choices.

It got me thinking: What does style mean to you at this stage of life? Are you dressing for yourself, or what’s “safe”? 👉 Style Over 60: Read the original style post here

2. How do you view your own identity right now?

This leads nicely into my second question, which goes a bit deeper into how the world sees us versus how we see ourselves.

How do we balance the many overlapping challenges we face—supporting family, navigating work, or considering retirement?

This was the focus of one of my most highly engaged early articles, The Over-60 Paradox.

It’s about how we can be the absolute stabilising force for multiple generations, yet still struggle to find time for our own future chapters.

So, my second question: How do you balance being there for everyone else without losing sight of your own identity and purpose? 👉 Read the Over-60 Paradox post here

3. What’s your go-to summer drink?

As many of you know, I love a good single malt or a glass of red wine. However, in this scorching summer heat, a heavy whiskey by the BBQ doesn’t quite hit the mark.

My third question is purely practical: What are your favorite, affordable UK alcoholic drinks for social events and summer BBQs?

I’m looking for something refreshing that beats the heat without breaking the bank.

Over to You…

I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts on any (or all) of these three questions in the comments below. Let’s start a conversation.

Have a great weekend, [Steve/Ropho]

What a week. If anyone ever tells you life slows down after sixty, show them my diary.

It kicked off last Friday with a fantastic, high-level business meeting in Bath.

What an amazing city, It moves at a completely different pace compared to the frantic rush of London, Paris, Manchester, or Birmingham.

The Georgian architecture, the history, the ancient stone—it completely sets the scene, especially when paired with a vibrant, modern mix of independent bars and restaurants.

From the architectural serenity of Somerset, it was straight into a very different kind of British institution on Thursday – Royal Ascot.

Nobody puts on a traditional spectacle quite like the British, and Ascot is the perfect example.

From the elegance of the Royal Procession to the roar of the enclosures.

You see every single strand of British life on display.

The uber-successful, old money, the desperate gambler, and, of course, groups of ladies definitely on a mission to have fun.

It is people-watching at its absolute finest.

Add in a beautiful weekend to recharge the batteries, and England winning their opening match of the World Cup on Wednesday.

It should have been a flawless week.

But this whirlwind week got me thinking about three massive questions that define our culture, our future, and our personal lives today.

1. Does the UK Have Luxury Weekend Breaks That Match Our European Counterparts?

I am often asked by clients and friends about classic continental city breaks—Vienna, Geneva, Rome, or Paris.

They are spectacular, of course.

But this trip to Bath reminded me that we are incredibly lucky right on our own doorstep.

When you look at the sheer historic depth, luxury boutiques, and high-end culinary scenes of Bath, York, or Edinburgh, the UK absolutely competes with the best of Europe.

The difference isn’t the quality; it’s the vibe.

A British luxury weekend offers a distinct, slower-paced elegance, an understated heritage charm that European hubs often replace with pure, high-octane tourism.

We don’t need to cross the Channel to find world-class luxury; we just need to appreciate what’s in our own backyard.

Want to discover the best of British luxury?

Drop your email below to receive our exclusive, complimentary guide:

The Heritage Capitals: A Definitive Guide to Exceptional Boutique Luxury in Bath, Edinburgh & York.

2. We Put On the Best Shows on Earth—So Why Do the British Rarely Win the Big Competitions?

Watching the masterclass of tradition at Ascot, preceeded by the national collective breath-holding for the England match, highlights a bizarre British paradox.

We are arguably the best nation on earth at staging events.

Our infrastructure, our pageantry, and our passion are unmatched.

Yet, when it comes to lifting the biggest trophies on the world stage, we so often choke at the final hurdle.

Is it a mentality thing?

Absolutely. In Britain, we have a cultural habit of romanticising the “gallant loser.

” We love the drama of near-greatness.

True winning machines—like the Germans, Australians, or Americans—possess a ruthless, clinical mindset that prioritises execution over emotion.

We excel at the party, but we often freeze under the pressure of ultimate victory because we are too busy managing the weight of expectation.

That fear of pushing past the finish line seems to be trickling down into business, too.

Aspiration isn’t a dirty word; it’s the engine of progress, and it’s something we need to actively reinstill in the younger generations entering the workforce today.

3. Why Are Relationships So Much More Important in Your Sixties?

Which brings me to the core of what really matters.

When you’re in your twenties and thirties, relationships are often built around building—building careers, buying houses, raising children, and surviving the daily grind.

You are a team fighting the logistics of life.

But by the time you reach your sixties, the landscape changes.

The noise begins to quiet down. The nest empties, businesses mature, and you are suddenly left looking across the table at each other.

This is the decade where relationships cease to be about project management and become entirely about shared experience and deep companionship.

In your sixties, a great relationship is your ultimate anchor.

It gives you the freedom to chase big business goals or travel the world, knowing you have an absolute bedrock of support waiting for you.

We have more time, more wisdom, and fewer distractions.

If you don’t nurture the relationship now, you risk sitting in the most beautiful hotel room in the world with absolutely nothing to say to each other.

It is the single most valuable asset you will ever own.

The Reality of “Mismatched Energy”

Of course, knowing how important a relationship is doesn’t mean it’s always plain sailing, which brings me back to a question people think about constantly but rarely discuss openly.

Is sex still important in your sixties?

The short answer is yes, absolutely.

But the reality of timing it when you are both living full, high-performing lives is another story entirely.

Take Friday night in Bath. I arrived at dinner buzzing on pure business adrenaline from a successful meeting, fueled by a little too much good wine with clients.

Sharon, on the other hand, had just spent a blissful, quiet day decompressing at a spa.

Our energies were in completely different postcodes. I was revved up; she was completely reset.

By Thursday at Ascot, the tables completely turned. Ensconced in an exclusive hotel after Ladies Day, Sharon had enjoyed a steady stream of champagne and high-energy socialising while I’d spent the afternoon networking, working the room, and tracking the racing.

Once again, one of us was ready to conquer the world, and the other was ready for sleep.

It begs the question: how do you keep the spark alive when your batteries are rarely charged at the exact same time?

Age doesn’t kill intimacy—but the mismatched pace of modern life can certainly throw a spanner in the works.

Next week, we’re diving straight into the reality of intimacy, managing energy levels, and maintaining genuine connection when you’ve hit your prime. Don’t miss it.