A LONG WEEKEND

Sydney is unseasonably warm at the moment. Gloriously so in fact. My last couple of weekends have floated by in an exquisite dreamy haze of sleep-ins, late breakfasts, days spent reading, laying on the beach, soaking up the sun, swimming in deliciously warm water and finding a few treasures as we unpack the last few boxes and finally decide to settle into our apartment.

Just a few weekends ago I discovered a bag of cameras that my Grandfather left to me when he passed away. I think I had put it aside, meaning to go through it, but it felt too sad at the time. Now, as I delicately handle each lovingly cared for piece of equipment, I can feel his love of photography infused into the leather bags and cleaning kits. His keeness for capturing moments burnt into the lenses. I'm so excited to have some time over Easter to give each camera a thorough clean, and get them back into action.

A few of my favourite things currently, scraped into one shot full of sensory, intellectual, aesthetic and literary bliss: Grace Coddington's memoir, Chanel Coco Noir EDP, my Grandfather's Voigtlander II, YSL Touche Eclat, MAC Morange Lipstick, Lord & Berry Kajal Stick & Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse (multi-purpose oil).

I think it's an old Spanish proverb that says "how beautiful it is to do nothing all day, then rest afterwards" or something along those lines. And that, my friends, is my plan for the Easter long weekend in a nutshell. What are your plans?

Wearing: Vintage Slash Tee Thrifted, Knickers Bonds Hipsters.

WELCOME & SUNDAY

Welcome to my new little place in the world. This is (for me) where I can be free. I was starting to feel a little constrained by the guidelines I'd set for myself, and a little claustrophobic. When I started Lashes & Lattes, I started it specifically as a beauty blog. That was my goal. I've been writing it for a year and a half and as much as I enjoy writing about beauty products, there is so much more that I want to talk about and play with and discuss than that alone.

So... I've created a new space for myself. For those who are interested, yes, I will continue to write about beauty products. But this is something else.

Eve Avenue is a name that, to me, unites two different places. When I was little, I grew up on a 100 acre farm with no electricity and no running water. My younger sister, brother and I played outside all day long. My mother cultivated herbs and we had massive vegetable gardens. One of the closest gardens to our house was kept for flowers alone. For a period of time, in that garden grew cornflowers. They were very tall plants, with paper-like bright blue flowers. Towards twilight every day (it may have only been for a week or two, but it's etched into my memory as if we'd done it every single day for several years), my sister and I would scurry off to hide in the gap between the cornflower rows, and we'd watch the moon rise.

Recently I felt something akin to that freedom and security when I was exploring the city, and came across a strange little alley I'd never seen before. Walking down it, trying to figure out where I was, I looked up for reassurance, or to get my bearings, and I saw the moon. Full, and glowing, and wonderful. Eve being short for Evening, and Avenue being a little way between two tall things on either side: I've created a space where I feel free, but still safe. Wild, but comforted.

So welcome, I hope you will stay, and enjoy, and come back again soon.

This Sunday morning was luscious and sun-drenched, so I packed a little picnic of apples and cheese, I dressed up in my favourite maxi dress, I put a special piece of sparkly on my head and took off in the car towards the National Park. The little spot I found was just outside the gates, overflowing with weeds and wildflowers and yielded a warm patch of grass, with the sun directly overhead. I promptly took ownership of said spot, enjoyed my picnic and snapped a few shots. Wonderously, I was not once disturbed by passing tourists or random athleticists. Bliss.

Wearing: Dress Tigerlily, Headpiece Viktoria Novak, Rings Spell Designs Byron Bay, Flowers Snipped from outside the National Park. Promise.