Lynne McCarthy is the epitome of living life to the fullest. She successfully steers the ship of several small business interests. And she juggles it all without even breaking into a sweat.
A marketing and business intelligence specialist. An actress and author. A counsellor and private chef and founder of a charity and owner of a specialised gifting service. A mouthful, right? Yes, that’s Lynne McCarthy.
“You only grow as a person if you leave your comfort zone and pursue new talents. The more you do, the better you do. And as a self-proclaimed control freak, I always make sure I have a hands-on approach to everything I do. Add a generous amount of gratitude and you’ll be surprised how much you can achieve,” she tells us.
With so much keeping her busy, surely she must have a main focus?
“Finding a good husband! Haha. On a serious note, my main source of income is my marketing and business intelligence consultancy. Then WhoCanForget.com, where I create and import unconventional fun gifting products, do out-of-the-box proposals, cakes, events and offer a private chef service at your home.
“I always say, if the sun or spotlight shines on you, stand next to a worthy cause and share the sunlight. It is with this in mind that I started Angels’ Hands SA Charity Foundation two decades ago. And ten per cent of my income from both these businesses goes straight to this charity.
Lynne, who has a doctorate in Philosophy and Human Behavioural Psychology, also offers counselling in between everything else. As a product of growing up in foster care, Lynne’s passion and love for people and animals propelled her into becoming a counsellor with a massive social media following on The Counsellor Facebook page and an animal activist – running multiple ongoing charitable drives in supporting NGO’s.
“Not everyone has access to someone who they can confide in. Or even someone that encourages or motivate. This is where I find my joy in giving. In counselling. To serve others.”
Lynne’s just got the knack of turning her interests into opportunities. She is an avid baker and loves to try out new concepts, ideas and recipes. Soon word got out that she is quite a master chef in the kitchen and people started to book her as a private chef to cater for romantic dinner parties. “I have also had requests to host cooking classes for couples that want to learn to cook together. This boosted my confidence and I decided to start a blog, Lynne’s Contrived Kitchen and share all my recipes. There you’ll find anything from desserts to dinner ideas. What use is a talent if you don’t enjoy it with others, right? Besides, legend has it that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. I’ll practice my cooking skills until then.”
There’s even talks of shooting a pilot for a cooking program soon and let’s just say, we cannot wait to see Lynne in action. And this will not be her first time on the telly by the way. Years ago she was an actress in Egoli and Isidingo and co-host of Traveling Africa … ahhh, we thought she looked familiar.
Lynne’s also quite the entertainer. Every year she hosts a Christmas dinner party for her friends and this year will be no different. From what we’ve heard it is quite a lavish affair. “Oh, I just love to entertain and spoil those around me. So, I plan either an eight or twelve-course meal with two pallet cleaners. Confit duck is a must and either cheesecake or tiramisu. The rest remains a surprise to my guests. The whole reason behind this is just to say thanks and show my gratitude for their love and support the past year.”
And right beside her will be trusty Wally Walter, the love of her life. “It will take one hell of a guy to ever match the love I have for my golden retriever. Walter saved my life when I was at a very low point in my life when I walked away from a very unsavoury relationship. His love matches and maybe trumps the love I give. He does not ask for anything but love in turn, which is admirable. Humans can really learn so much from animals.”
Details: lynnemccarthy.com, Facebook.com/DrLynneMcCarthy, Facebook.com/WhoCanForget, Facebook.com/LynneMcCarthyPhD, facebook.com/groups/angelshandsnpo/, Instagram.com/WhoCanForget_com, Instagram.com/LynneMcCarthy
Christmas to-do list if you’re spending time with family:
- Instead of buying presents, rather be present. This is the time to be with loved ones. Switch off the cellphone and make time for those around you. Don’t let couch and TV time supersede family time.
- Instead of wrapping gifts, rather wrap your family members in a hug. Socks keep your feet warm, but love warms the soul.
- Instead of sending gifts, rather send love. Include friends and family that are alone this season – extend the table, don’t build walls.
- Instead of shopping for food, rather donate food. Buy a couple of cans or bags of dog or cat food and drop it off at a local animal shelter. Or cook a meal for a neighbour that might be working or drop off something fresh at a shelter, instead of preparing heaps of food that will go to waste.
- Instead of watching Christmas lights, rather be the light. Be extra kind and sensitive to those around you and those you encounter. The Christmas season is a dreary time for many. Many lost loved ones this year and many have no one, which lends to a very lonely, sad and emotionally taxing time of the year. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Pick your battles and touch everyone with your light.
How to survive the festive season if you are alone:
You might be alone during the Christmas period for different reasons, such as the death of a loved one, living far from relatives, or because of social isolation. If you have social anxiety disorder (SAD) and don’t have close relationships with family or friends, loneliness at Christmas could be particularly hard.
- Go out and do something productive. Rather than spend the day at home alone, find something that you can do that fits with your mindset and mental state. For example, if you feel full of energy, and the weather is decent, go for a long run. If you feel social, consider attending a church service to be in the presence of others.
- Perhaps you are alone this year because you turned down invitations. Know that it’s OK to call those people back and say, “I am free”. This is often a problem for those with social anxiety — you turn down invitations only to regret it and feel lonely afterwards.
- Get involved in volunteering. Consider offering to help serve dinner at a soup kitchen, bring gifts to a children’s hospital, or visit lonely residents at a nursing home.
- You are not the only one alone during the holidays. Plan an “Orphan Christmas” for those who have no one to spend the holiday with or join a group of people in similar circumstances.
- If you enjoy your work, and you have the option to work during Christmas, spend the day being productive. This is a smart choice if your job involves interacting with co-workers or customers; being at work may help you to feel less lonely. If you don’t have to work, work around your home or on a project that you’ve put off.
- Host an online Christmas get-together by setting up a Skype chatroom or Facebook group. People can drop in and out as they please, and you don’t have to cook, clean, or even get off the couch. You’ll also be keeping yourself and your loved ones safe as you socialise virtually.
- Plan a day for yourself. Buy something online to treat yourself, cook your favourite food, or plan a movie marathon. Or cut through the clichés and do something offbeat like learning a new language or starting work on the book that’s always been in your head.
Lynne’s famous Tiramisu
You’ll need: 225ml heavy whipping cream; 225g mascarpone cheese, room temperature; 71g sugar; 5ml vanilla extract; 15ml Amaretto or Coffee liquor (optional); 450ml espresso or strong coffee at room temperature; 1 pack Boudoir biscuits; cocoa powder for dusting the top
How to:
Beat whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.
Add in mascarpone cheese and amaretto (if using) and continue to whip to stiff peaks.
Dip the biscuits in coffee (and coffee liquor if using) and place in an 8×8 pan to make the first layer – you can fit about 7 cookies in each layer. Don’t let them soak as they will fall apart, just a quick dunk in the coffee is enough.
Spread half of the whipped cream mixture on top of the first layer of biscuits. Repeat process with the second layer of biscuits and cream mixture.
Dust the top of the dessert with cocoa powder using a sieve. Refrigerate for about 2-4 hours (it gets even better in the fridge and is a perfect make-ahead dessert).
Win a lovely pamper hamper valued at R1000 from WhoCanForget.com! Pop over to @getitpretoria on Facebook and @getitptamagazine on Insta and follow the prompts. Closing date: Dec 17 2021.
Win a lovely pamper hamper valued at R1000 from WhoCanForget.com! Pop over to @getitpretoria on Facebook and @getitptamagazine on Insta and follow the prompts. Closing date: Dec 17 2021.
* Text: RIALIEN FURSTENBERG. • Photographer: WILLEM BOTHA.
