The Central App catches Jenny Grimmett and asks her about her holiday plans in Central Otago. 

What are your plans for Christmas and New Years

Haha! For a professional planner, I tend to avoid planning my personal life, so that’s not an easy one to answer. I haven’t made any specific plans other than to spend time with good friends, and be spontaneous as much as I can doing things I enjoy, eating delicious food and, hopefully, making happy memories and laughing lots.  

I aim to keep busy and have a list in my head of lots of things I could do / want to do for all the occasions, weather conditions, and unexpected visitors … that is what I do all year, so Christmas and New Year are no different for me.  

What are you most looking forward to over Christmas and New Years? 

As a closet performer, I am really looking forward to getting my soprano singing voice out and raising the roof with Christmas carols at our local community church carol service. Singing is good for the soul, it makes you breathe deeply, stand tall and feel alive.  

I love that my singing can bring joy to others too, and being in the gorgeous old Oturehua church with high ceilings and history around me takes me to another happy place.

What is a tradition you do each year for Christmas or New Years? 

Food is a tradition for me, the more elaborate and "show offy" the better. I love to cook for large groups and share my love of fabulous, flavoursome food in a relaxed environment, with good wine, music and friends. You need to wear comfy clothes, be prepared to eat and drink over an extended period, read the terrible jokes in Christmas Crackers, and share some good yarns.  

There are no rules for my guests apart from they are not allowed to help or do dishes, and there should be no guilt about eating and drinking whatever they want to. I always run around looking after people and forget to drink so I can always be the sober driver if they need one.

What would you recommend a visitor experience while staying in Central? 

I’d have to ask what they liked first and know a little about their physical fitness and agility - there are so many options for all people at all levels.  

Walking up and down the slopes in the Hawkdun Range area in the Oteake Conservation Park, taking in breathtaking big sky views (big effort all day, need lots of water), cycling on the various trails (my fave is the Otago Central Rail Trail… it doesn’t have scary sections that require some technical skill… just a certain level of fitness and a comfy bike seat and you can do 12-16 km at a time with a cafe/pub at each stop), eating out in Old Cromwell (I love Armando’s and The Office), or Clyde (Dunstan House Cafe is awesome for healthy options packed with flavour), and checking out old gold mining heritage areas like Bendigo or the Sluicings at Bannockburn or the Golden Progress Mine at Oturehua.  

A Jimmy’s Mince and Cheese Pie at the Gilchrist General Store in Oturehua with black coffee is always fun - I love to chat with the proprietors while taking in the shelves packed with historic memorabilia. Buy a butterflied lamb shoulder with preserved lemon, rosemary and garlic from the Fridge and cook it on the BBQ, or try some of their award winning pork and fennel sausages.  

Lying in a deck chair, wrapped up warmly, looking up at the dark night sky and seeing shooting stars and satellites. Swimming in a river, eating too much stone fruit, soaking up sunshine all summer, with the juice running down your chin and being a grown up kid at heart.

Jenny Grimmett recommends Old Cromwell for a good meal. 

What are you hoping for in 2022? 

I don’t hope for anything for myself, as I believe in making my own luck, and that is such an adventure. I try to learn new skills and grow, checking out new places, and having fun at the same time. I look for the positive and stay away from negative people/situations if I can, even just the tiniest things can bring a smile to my face these days.  

Dew drops on a flower petal in the early morning, the setting sun glinting through my cat’s fur in the evening. I hope I can lead by example and keep inspiring others in 2022 to find happiness in their own worlds.

Anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for the chance to be involved with the Central App. I was quite nervous about answering the questions but ended up having fun doing it.  

Happy Christmas wishes to everyone and may 2022 be fabulous and fun for all, and a year we can look back on and enjoy all the good memories we have made.