Looking Back on Series One of the Side Quest

Welcome to another episode of The Side Quest, I am Lex Hearth, and this week I’m going solo. Allow me to take this time to look back on the first series of The Side Quest. Over the past few months, the podcast has been filled with conversations, stories, perspectives, and lessons from an incredible lineup of guests. I could honestly say that the biggest takeaways come from transparent and generous conversations. We’ve tackled the importance of consistency, community, taking risks, evolving with change, and trusting your own direction. It’s been inspiring to hear the journeys behind the work, and even more rewarding to share those moments with everyone who tuned in throughout the first series. See in you series two! Until then, happy questing.

Please enjoy!

Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Clip clopping off to The Roundhouse last night for the ARIAs (the UK audio and radio awards), where I really had the best time ! 🎤

Good Dress

Big thank you to my sister for ensuring I was in full colour coordination last night. And to Isabel Marant for making the funnest, cutest dress.

Good Concept

Earlier this year I heard the founder of Masterclass, David Rogier, talk about holding and planning for two completely opposing outcomes. And it’s an idea that has become very central to my thinking. F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote, "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function".

In practical terms, it essentially means two seemingly contradictory things can both be true. You can be 100% committed to something, while also knowing that it might not be right. You can be cautious and also bold. Etc.

Good Film

Double Jeopardy (1999) - on Netflix in 2026

I have also nearly reached the end of season 3 ‘And Just Like that’. The SATC sequel that I was totally opposed to and then totally realised what an SATC hole there was in my life. Does anyone have any recommendations of what could possibly follow this?

Good Bar

Low Country in Shoreditch - heavenly cocktails, and a vibe thats just 👌

Credit to for the introduction!

Good Words

“I really believe, that whatever you do, you just have to really do it with intention.” - Anna Haugh

I met the very lovely Anna Haugh last night (with no idea who she was!), and in discussing our work she said this to me, which I thought was true and simple.

Save the date: June 10th ! will be hosting our summer party, open to all Substack writers 630-930. Link to follow.

Tonight! I will be speaking on a panel, specifically about the importance of media and community within dance music - it’s open and applicable for all creatives so come on down. Sign up here.

June 20th I’ll be back on decks at Starlane Pizza Bar (coool club with a terrace and pizzza !) Daytime dance running from 2pm-10pm. Tickets are available here.

That’s all homies see you next time x

P.S. Have any thoughts on this week’s content? Let me know in the comments :)

Would you be up for getting a short email every Friday with my best discoveries from the week?

It might include books, videos, articles, new tracks or musicians, or little energising pieces of design. To receive this, you can subscribe to my mailing list above. Email spam is bad for the planet so rest assured this will be quality over quantity :)

There’s great stuff coming next Friday!

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

A night in a hotel with my favourite little man (Achilles). What could be better?! 🍷

Good Evening

Last night I went to see Kenneth Branagh in The Tempest at the RSC in Stratford Upon Avon. A spectacle, a Shakespeare injection, and a rare opportunity to see someone who’s left a sizeable imprint on theatre today. 10/10. Followed it with a cheeky wine in the Actor’s Bar at the Dirty Duck - where all the cast were hanging - minus KB. Compared to so many other spaces, places and faces in my life, this one felt exactly the same as when I’d visited as a teen.

Good Product

Picked up some Hero Mighty Patch spot patches in an airport and delighted to share that they really do speed up the feeling. Particularly effective with those ones that just keep coming back grrr

Good Lunch

The Tofoo Co. Tempura Crispy Tofu + rice. Served with sweet chilli sauce or tahini dressing and spring onions. Takes about 15mins!

Good Jeans

My friend Lily passed on some M.i.H jeans a couple of years ago, which I wore a lot until they sadly tore in a very compromising place. I’ve managed to replace them via Vinted for a super nice cropped flare pair, in perfect condition for the grand sum of £12. As the brand is no longer trading, the search volume for them is much lower and therefore - they’re kind of a steal! #vintedtips

Good Poem

if you have ever refused to budge an inch or suffered from green-eyed jealousy, if you have played fast and loose, if you have been tongue-tied, a tower of strength, hoodwinked or in a pickle, if you have knitted your brows, made a virtue of necessity, insisted on fair play, slept not one wink, stood on ceremony, danced attendance (on your lord and master), laughed yourself into stitches, had short shrift, cold comfort or too much of a good thing, if you have seen better days or lived in a fool's paradise -why, be that as it may, the more fool you , for it is a foregone conclusion that you are (as good luck would have it) quoting Shakespeare;

An extract from Quoting Shakespeare by Bernard Levin

My writer partner-in-crime Michaella Parkes and I, host quarterly writer meet-ups in London. Next up will be our summer party on June 10th - find out more and subscribe to Writers IRL.

That’s all homies see you next time x

P.S. Have any thoughts on this week’s content? Let me know in the comments :)

Would you be up for getting a short email every Friday with my best discoveries from the week?

It might include books, videos, articles, new tracks or musicians, or little energising pieces of design. To receive this, you can subscribe to my mailing list above. Email spam is bad for the planet so rest assured this will be quality over quantity :)

There’s great stuff coming next Friday!

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Having a lovely time at the opening of the terrace at Pyro London Bridge last night ☀️

Good Podcast

Sir Paul McCartney on Desert Island Discs - recorded in 1982 but he sounds exactly the same.

Good Cafe

Potter & Reid on Toynbee Street (Shoreditch) is so delightful and tasteful, and relaxed - with The Smiths playing in the background, it’s the perfect blend of timeless and comfortable.

Good Documentary

‘Sound City’: I can’t believe I’ve never seen this documentary, and yet SO glad as I got to watch it for the first time this week ! The documentary tracks the rise and evolution of Sound City music studio which gave birth to some of the most iconic albums of all time, from Nirvana, to Fleetwood Mac to Rick Astley.

Good Words

Good Music

Feeling nostalgic for the sound of a guitar..

My writer partner-in-crime Michaella Parkes and I, host quarterly writer meet-ups in London. Next up will be our summer party on June 10th - find out more and subscribe to Writers IRL.

That’s all homies see you next time x

P.S. Have any thoughts on this week’s content? Let me know in the comments :)

Would you be up for getting a short email every Friday with my best discoveries from the week?

It might include books, videos, articles, new tracks or musicians, or little energising pieces of design. To receive this, you can subscribe to my mailing list above. Email spam is bad for the planet so rest assured this will be quality over quantity :)

There’s great stuff coming next Friday!

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

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Camiel Daamen: Music, Martial Arts and Forever Learning

Welcome to another episode of The Side Quest, I am Lex Hearth, and this week I’m joined by the very wonderful, Camiel Daamen. Camiel is the founder of Lessons in Live, which is an educational platform teaching students about music production. As well as music, Camiel is passio…

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Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Read more

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Read more

Nikkitha Bakshani: Writing a Novel, Astrology, and Frameworks

Hello, how are you doing? Welcome along to another episode of The Side Quest, I am Lex Hearth, and this week I’m joined by a writing pal, Nikkitha Bakshani. Nikkitha has accomplished that fantastic milestone that so many writers look towards - the publishing of a novel, …

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Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Read more

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Read more

Music, Fandom and Swerving Burnout by Working Out Exactly Who You Are, with Shana G

This week on The Side Quest, I’m joined by creative entrepreneur Shana G, just as she prepares to launch Fanmail — a new project exploring the fan archives of people who are artists themselves. Shana has built podcasts, communities and businesses ac…

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Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Read more

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Read more

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Read more

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Read more

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Read more

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Read more

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Read more

Hello readers and welcome to this space! Five Good Things is a weekly newsletter by me, DJ and Broadcaster, Lex Hearth. It includes creative recommendations, business smarts, timeless philosophy, and insights from being a woman in music. This is made possible by paid subscribers, so please do consider upgrading your subscription xoxo

Read more