The Salty Brunch
A Very Salty Story…
How it all started, how we got here—and why our timing is perfect.
Once upon a time—around 2006, actually—I had the idea for a new magazine. At this stage, I’d spent a decade as a writer and freelance editor working most days in editorial content management, while dreaming of becoming a best-selling book author. Approaching my mid-30s, I was already seeing a conveyer belt of over-40 dread looming on the horizon: A future bathed in wrinkle cream, hormonal horror, old-lady weight, on the downslope of my career and sex life. If I was lucky, I’d have disease and regret to distract me. That’s what I was hearing, and that’s the image I wanted to fix.
I began to realize: It was the media that was telling me these things, both the editorial and the ads.
So, back in 2006 I put together a proposal for a print magazine that would tackle some of these issues: It would be an over-40 publication without ageism. I showed my proposal around casually and talked up my idea to everyone I knew. The response from industry folk and potential investors was 100% lackluster at best: “How will you sell ads?”, “What are you going to write about?”, and “This would never work.”
Then the 2008 recession hit and many magazines went down the tubes, some quickly, some slowly. What didn’t change was the power over convincing people—like me, like you—that we had no power in order to sell us advertising to keep people going.
Ironically, I started selling ads. I did that for a year and determined—for sure and certain now—that we needed a new method of reaching people. We needed a new method of media. We needed a new message.
Yes, this was a long time ago and much has changed in the over-40 since.
But has it?
Well, a lot has changed in me, for sure. I’m now in my late 40s, get constantly bombarded with wrinkle cream and “DON’T WORRY YOU STILL HAVE SOME TIME LEFT (so buy life insurance!)” ads. Not only am I not allowed to get older, but I am coddled—“it’s okay, you’re still beautiful even if you’re old!!!”—for wanting to be content with myself.
There’s really only one thing we all really need in this world of so many things—gadgets, new cars, solar panels, rebuilding and rebuying—we really only need a new model for living a sustainable life. A true sustainable life is simplifying to make things better. It’s embracing traditions that create connectivity and mindfulness, while encouraging shutting off and connecting with nature. It’s about getting outside and staying in meaningfully. It’s about embracing what we have now and accepting everyone around us with the understanding that we’re all part of the same purpose: to grow and heal.
What does the world need now? Well, it’s not another iPhone. And it’s not a car that drives itself (I mean, seriously—WTAF?). It’s healing. It’s inclusiveness. It’s a new understanding of honoring the human spirit.
It also needs fun. And laughter. A lack of preaching what to do and serving a cornucopia of delightful examples of what is possible, a new model for living and growing.
It’s connection.
Let’s brunch and be salty together!
About Us
“Salty” because we are all very, VERY salty (and a little bit sweet). We tell it like it is and encourage others to do the same.
Salt is also a powerful healing tool, throughout many centuries and many varied cultures.
“Brunch” because the word itself evokes a casual, yet intimate gathering where all subjects are ago—everything from sex to recipes, from heartache to celebratory milestones.
Everyone loves brunch.
Brunch is a ritual. We encourage positive rituals at The Salty Brunch.
The Salty Brunch has three main components:
1. Editorial. We believe our stories are our superpower. Our editorial is made up of all the “brunch” elements mentioned above, with a goal towards empowering women, creating connection through sharing our stories, traditions and rituals that encourage healing. Many of our writers are certified healing practitioners, from yoga to Reiki, from nursing to social work. You must have a solid personal practice in place in order to write for The Salty Brunch.
2. YouTube.Our YouTube channel with echo many of the editorial components mentioned above, but also offer an element of on-camera interviews with everyday heroes, recipe sharing, crafts such as sewing—it’s a network echoing our commitment to living a life of endurance.
3. Our Store. After reading The Wal-Mart Effect, we decided to use that model and do the exact opposite. What if we created a new model for the highest-quality, handmade crafters and independent business owners. Our store is specially curated with only the best made items, crafted from stories of healing and compassion. All items are made to order, which is affordable and sustainable for the maker. All makers are featured on our editorial page, YouTube and encourage to grow their businesses as independently as they need and want to.
Our store will also sell live classes from our experts. You can get prerecorded classes absolutely anywhere, but ours will be live and curated as diligently as the items we sell.
Our overall mission is to promote a sustainable lifestyle through compassion, and a connection to each other and nature. A sustainable lifestyle is one that allows us to get in touch with our true selves—including the spiritual—and to try and achieve a constant state of healing.
Why We Do What We Do (aka “Our Mission”)
Our overall mission is to create a community of compassion and open-heartedness through friendly editorial, virtual-get-togethers and our online store.
Built from a team of healers, The Salty Brunch was started with the belief that a collective group of thinkers is a pretty powerful thing, even if their goal is just to laugh at life together.
More specifically:
Promoting a sustainable lifestyle immersed in nourishing daily rituals, honoring nature, wholistic recipes and recycling traditions and materials whenever we can.
Loving the shit out of life’s great imperfections, including acknowledging our humanness (which allows us to not do any of the things listed above without apology, FYI).
Our editorial takes a conversational approach to a range of topics, some tougher than others, created in the spirit of sharing in hopes of inspiring and helping each other.
Further, by speaking with experts, we hope to explore solutions to important issues, like agism, illness and loss.
Our virtual events serve as a means of meeting, celebrating and exploring our uniqueness, as well as supporting one another in new ideas and ventures.
In future, our store will support the handmade and bespoke slow movement, curating quality goods and services that directly support our mission of compassion and healing.
To promote the idea that magic is real. Because it is. We are all magic. (Yes, you!)
Friendship, food & a few f-bombs
What is a Salty Brunch?
We are a gathering of sage, salty (& a little bit sweet!) folks who want to discuss real issues pertaining to living a very real and perfectly imperfect life.
The Salty Brunch was inspired by women who’ve walked through fire and came out the other side with a quest to inform and inspire others. We have a lot of stories and we’re here to share with you.
Many of the women behind The Salty Brunch consider ourselves helpers and healers. We are trained and practiced. We are sharing our devotion to growing with the wild, ever-changing world around us here, on the site.
All cool people welcome, though many of us are in the glorious, most kick-ass over-40 years. We hope younger folks will visit often, as mentorship and learning from one another is so important. We have a lot of stories and we’re here to share with you.
Do we sound like the most bad-ass coven of all time? That’s because we are. We are mystics and crystal-collectors and tree-huggers and moon-worshipers. We are also accountants and school teachers and marketing execs and friendly neighbors.
“We are the weirdos, Mister.” We’re all grown up and ready to play nice. We are a community of inclusiveness and invite all to join us.
What’s the “salty” part of it?
We are salty! Not bitter and hard to take, but outspoken and not afraid to speak our minds.
Salt makes things better. It brings out flavor and can also be used for healing.
It’s a celebration of community, and helping and each other navigate the day-to-day wonders and trials through friendship, food and a few f-bombs.
Is there actually a real brunch???
Sometimes…yes! We have online gatherings where we can meet (and eat!)
Some of these brunches include presentations from one of the attendees. Could be a cooking demo or one of our go-get-em friends excited to share a project she’s been working on.
But mostly, there are just good people looking to hang with other good people.
Keep an eye out for upcoming brunch events!
Where are we going?
Our goal is to create an online community of support, which includes opening a store of handmade goods—with a great story behind them—that support the slow movement. (This might also include services.) Is that you? Or do you know anyone? Please let us know!
Seriously…who doesn’t love brunch?
Especially when it’s shared with fun friends, both old and new?
The Salty Brunch was born out of the 2020 quarantine when “getting together” had to be completely redefined.
A few of us had been trying to get together for actual months, and when lockdown happened, as that option. was taken away, new options formed.
What if we could virtually brunch with anyone, anywhere? No, it’s not the same as getting together in person, but the good thing is, it opens a world of possibilities and different personalities that perhaps we couldn’t brunch with before.
That’s our goal. To connect community-minded people. It is a 100% virtual gathering.
Though we’re not opposed to networking—and if that happens for you…AWESOME!—but this really specifically isn’t for that.
Maybe sometimes we’ll have a scheduled event, or maybe we’ll just be getting to know each other, but either way maybe we just reinforce that we’re not all alone in this crazy world.
Our brunches are scheduled and invite only. We meet via Zoom and we bring our own brunch food, coffee, lap dog, unicorn—whatever. Is there a burning topic you can’t wait to discuss? Bring that, too.
So, if your’e interested, send us a note via the Contact Page and we’ll put you on our list.
Work with us! (We’re pretty flipping amazing.)
The Salty Brunch promotes a community workplace of: 1. Positive daily culture (Debbie Downers need not apply!), 2. An environment of gratitude and appreciation, 3. Mutual support (aka give an actual shit about your co-worker). 4. Openness and altruism.
Write for us
Got something to say? Say it!
We’re always looking for smart, witty, like-minded writers to help start the conversation about important topics.
Interested? Contact us.
Sell with us
Have a handmade object or service we might want to sell?
Could include: sustainable fashion, custom crafts, natural skincare, all the things.
Again…contact us!
Copy and paste the Q & A below with your query.
For Makers: The Salty Brunch
Hello, my friend! We are so delighted you’d consider selling with us. We are currently in the process of curating a gorgeous store with an expected launch of early 2021.
This interview is meant to serve as a means of determining whether your products are a perfect match for our mission.
Our goal at The Salty Brunch is to create an online community of sustainable lifestyle through compassion and healing. Many of us are healers, and we hope to sell products that reflect our mission of healing through sharing and creativity.
All products we sell will be accompanied by your story of “why”. The story behind the item is as important as the item itself, and without the story, we won’t consider selling.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your products below:
1. Tell us what you’re selling!
2. Is it 100% handmade? If there’s a part of your product that’s not handmade (as in, stones you purchase, yarn or findings) we understand! Please simply outline what you’ve made by hand and what you haven’t.
3. How do the materials you use reflect your dedication to a sustainable world? For example, are you using recycled fabrics or other repurposed materials?
4. Why did you begin making this/these? What excites you about it?
5. How is the world better with your product(s) in it?
6. What is the price range of your products?
7. Do you donate a portion of your proceeds to any special causes? (It’s okay if you don’t, but we are still curious.)
8. If there are products like yours on the market, how are yours special and different?
9. How was your product inspired by your healing journey?
10. Do you have a healing practice of your own? (This could include Reiki, meditation or personal daily ritual.)
11. If so, how do you infuse your product with healing energy?
If you’re salty & sweet we like you already.
Please reach out to be added to our brunch invite list!