August. I think I thought about writing this post for the entire month because I really had such a great time! Instead of entering the month thinking that there was one more month of winter left, I tried to embrace the season and enjoy the last month of the cold. With global warming, who knows how many more winters we'll get! I spent a lot of time doing indoor activities like eating at restaurants (which I really do more often than I thought I did), visiting art galleries, going to the cinema and seeing a musical.
I also went on a beautiful of walk through the Royal National Park to prepare for The Bloody Long Walk that I am doing in September. The day we (myself, Nicola and Tash) went walking was another perfect Sydney winter's day without a cloud in the sky. We kept stopping along the way to see all of the whales frolicking in ocean as they make their way up the coast.
During the month, and some of last month too, I felt like I needed to create some more space for myself to do the things I want to do more of, like reading and meditating. May sound boring to some but those two things are like my salve. In the way the world, or maybe just Instagram, works, I came across The Broad Place's two week High Vibration Challenge. The High Vibe Challenge was two weeks of meditating twice daily, no alcohol, no coffee, no sugar, mostly plant based foods, exercising five days per week and no negative communication (gossiping etc). That is an intimidating list, but two weeks, in the grand scheme of a month and a year, is not a very long amount of time. I'm very proud that I was able to stick to nearly all of the requirements. I honestly felt so amazing, clear, and in charge of myself after those two weeks. I've managed to keep up the meditating, only now once per day, and have even established a kind of 'morning routine' where I wake up, make tea, meditate and then read my book for 30 minutes before getting ready for work. Just having done something for myself, that I enjoy, before going about a day of doing everything for everyone else is a salvation that I am relishing.
During my two week High Vibe Challenge I went up to the Gold Coast for a glorious weekend with my family and friends. I attended the Eden Health Retreat Open Air Pilates class out the back of Currumbin Valley with my two sisters and two clients. I'd never been to a 'health retreat' property before but now I have and I want to go back and never leave. Even though we were only there for a few hours, I was awash with calm from being submerged amongst trees deep in the valley for at least a good two days afterwards. Pilates was really hard but I didn't actually mind it. I do still prefer yoga though. And in a crazy turn of events my sister Phoebe ended up winning a weeks' stay at the Retreat for two people.
With the deep sense of calm following the visit to Eden, Ruby and I headed down to another slice of heaven, Kiva Spa and spent a couple of hours in the bathhouse. Needless to say we probably overdid it with relaxing as we both couldn't keep our eyes open at 7.30pm that evening and both had deep 10 hour sleeps that night! The next day we ventured back out to Currumbin Valley for breakfast with Dad and Ashleigh Jane. Then I headed to North Burleigh for Meg's 30th picnic party. It was another stunner of a day. After the sun set, we packed up and headed out for pizza and wine to further the celebrations. It was one of those perfect dinners filled with silly jokes, laughter and love that you wish you could frame it in a photograph or relive that kind of night over and over. It was so perfect that I couldn't not participate in sharing the bottle of red wine, or the dessert. I would have regretted not doing that and so I broke my little challenge, but didn't feel at all guilty about it!
Meg's step mum also made me a sourdough culture that I brought back to Sydney on the plane. Levi and I have diligently been feeding the culture and I'll be able to tell you how it works out next month after we've attempted making our first loaf!
To finish off the month, my Mum came back down to Sydney for a girls long weekend. We did so much, wasted no time and ate ourselves silly. It was so lovely being able to have my Mum to myself and just do all of the things we like doing.
~ New In - The Secondhand Edition ~
I had the op-shopping fairies on my side when I went thrifting in Newtown last weekend. I spent under $100 and came home with: a pair of vintage Levi's 501s, a vintage pair of sass & bide jeans, a Veronica Maine midi skirt in excellent condition, a cream knit cardigan (inspired by Katie Holmes) and a gold glomesh over the shoulder handbag.
~ Read, watched and listened, featuring exhibitions! ~
Rake (on Netflix) - this show is fucking hilarious and brilliant and I only wish I had of discovered it sooner. I love Clever Greene. I really love seeing Sydney and Kings Cross on screen.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood... - I watched this movie with stars in my eyes. I loved it. Everything about it. It was fabulous and made even better by the fact you were watching Leo, Brad (shirtless), and Margot all on the one screen.
Vicki Lee Gallery - I was lucky enough to go along to the opening of artist Vicki Lee's own gallery. The gallery is in a sublime space in Surry Hills near The Beresford and is definitely worth a visit.
The Archibald at the Art Gallery of NSW - I think sometimes The Archibald can be a bit hit or miss and this year, for me, it was a hit. There were so many stunning portraits that I loved.
Shaun Gladwell at the MCA - Shaun Gladwell is an Australian artist who makes these incredibly expansive videos involving body movement in wide open spaces. His piece Inceptor Surf Sequence is a mainstay at the MCA and one of my favourites.
Mystify: Michael Hutchence at Golden Age Cinema - I haven't thought so much about a documentary this much since Amy. It breaks my heart that such a talented and deep soul wasn't able to see through his life and work to it's full potential. Highly recommend seeing this documentary if you're a fan of music, culture or even fashion (there were lots of fabulous outfits!).
~ Eats ~
Cornersmith, Annandale - The cinnamon waffle. My only complaint is that I wish there were multiple waffles with the order!
Paramount Coffee Project, Surry Hills - So cool it hurts. Mum told me to get the pancake and she is usually right so I followed her orders and she was right.
Chin Chin, Surry Hills - Order the 'Feed Me' menu and don't look back!
x.
