THE LAST DAY OF SUMMER

There are no fixed rituals for the changing of the seasons and in Australia seasons often bleed into each other, even if the changes are very very subtle.

Autumn light is sharp and crisp. In the wind we feel a delicate chill. At dusk we carry cardigans. Rainstorms and wind seem more extreme. When rain falls it is like a curtain between one season and the next. Act 2: Leaves fall on a steaming street.

But of course the end of summer is a melancholy day even if it is marked by an arbitrary date and why not hail it decline with a celebrative ritual all your own?

Here are seven ways to celebrate this very special day, a small homage to transition, movement and that relentless invention we call time:

1. Decorate a freshly made bed with fallen summer flowers, frangipanis are ideal.
2. Fill a custard tart with all the sliced fresh fruits of summer…strawberries are all but gone now.
3. Make any excuse you can to cut work early and go jump into the ocean.
4. Make a list of everything beautiful that happened this summer (ask your children to join in).
5. Make a compilation of all your favourite summer songs (they can span back decades).
6. Take your favourite summer dress and gently hand wash it and hang in the sun to dry. Do not iron it!
7. Wear perfume behind your knees. Vanilla essence is fine.

Summer Music

What have you been listening to this summer? We’ve had a few new tunes on high rotation in the studio this month, a great mix of blues, chillout, and some cool Frenchies (I love Mélanie Pain).

I wanted to share them with you so that you can add them to your playlist, too…

FLOWERS BLOOM/ HIGH HIGHS

SAY THAT / TORO Y MOI

MY NUMBER/ FOALS

7 OU 8 FOIS/ MELANIE PAIN

SERPENTINE (FEAT.RAP LISA) WOLF + LAMB

LOST / FRANK OCEAN

SPILL THE WINE / ERIC BURDON

LES YEUX JAUNES/ LEONARD ARI

CRUCIFY YOUR MIND / RODRIGUEZ

THE AIR THAT I BREATHE/ ALBERT HAMMOND

Click through below to listen to:

LOST / FRANK OCEAN

7 OU 8 FOIS/ MELANIE PAIN

SAY THAT / TORO Y MOI

Will you be our Valentine

My bondi top 10

Summer is slowly drawing to a close, but there’s still time to indulge in your favorite pastimes before the chill sets in. I love to head to Bondi and its surrounding beaches when I get a chance to relax on the weekend.

Here is my Bondi Top 10 – what would be on yours?

Sean’s Panaroma

One of my favourite restaurants in Sydney, Sean’s is the perfect place to take in the view and savour Sean Moran’s delicious fare over a lazy Sunday lunch. The produce is the best available and the menu changes according to what’s fresh. In summer people still come straight from the beach with a sarong over their swimmers.

270 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach; (02) 9365 4924

Ice-cream

The simple things in life are having a comeback – one of mine is enjoying a Gaytime ice-cream while sitting and looking at the waves crash against the rocks at North Bondi.

Coffee break

Another treat at the north end of Bondi Beach is a coffee at Porch and Parlor– the best in the area and the perfect way to kick off a Saturday morning.

Market fresh

Once I’ve had a coffee, a stroll around the growers’ markets on a Saturday morning is relaxing and it means I can stock up the fridge for the week ahead.

Bondi Beach Primary School, Campbell Pde

 In the swim

North Bondi is my favourite place for a swim in the early morning or late afternoon. My dog Skip loves to come, too, especially if I give him some free time off his lead – naughty, but he loves it.

Bondi to Bronte walk

The Bondi to Bronte walk is one of the best walking routes in Sydney, right along the coastline, winding around huge sandstone outcrops and with incredible views over the ocean. You can take a leisurely pace, but expect to be overtaken by the exercise posse.

Iggy’s bread

Iggy’s Bread Down Under (the original is from Boston) supplies some of Sydney’s best restaurants, and you can queue up for a loaf of chewy sourdough at the bakery, but get in early.

49 Belgrave St, Bronte; (02) 9369 1650

Fish & Chips

Of course, what would a visit to the beach be without fish & chips straight from the wrapping paper? Bondi Best has the best battered fish and the fattest chips – delicious!

North Bondi Italian

If I’m heading to dinner in Bondi, North Bondi Italian is one of my favourite places. The antipasti alone has a great selection of tasty Italian morsels. Again, it’s best to get in early, this one’s super busy in summer.

118 Ramsgate Rd, North Bondi; (02) 9300 4400

10. ???

Crystal Castles

I’ve always loved crystals. I collect them in their raw or polished form for their various qualities, whether for healing, cleansing, good fortune or positivity, as well as for their sheer beauty.

I’ve been selling crystals through the store for some time, and I’ve also started selling beautiful crystal jewellery. I particularly love big statement pieces, a bold cocktail ring or a big crystal cluster necklace. The colours work really well with my winter collection and are a quick way to dress up a look.  

http://www.fleurwood.com/accessories/cat_75.html

Autumn/Winter Collection

This winter I’ve taken a slightly darker turn, naming the collection Black Dahlia after the infamous unsolved murder case in 1940s’ Los Angeles. But I was also inspired by the dark side of the fairytales I grew up with.

There’s plenty of my favourite lace this season, with sleeves and panels revealing glimpses of flesh, and dresses with swirling skirts adding a little drama to the romance. Simple print dresses have a nostalgic air, with some of the floral prints having a touch of the ’40s about them.

I always love to have some comfortable tailoring in the mix, with slouchy trousers with deep pockets, paired with a number of jacket styles with or without collars and lapels. There’s a longer line jacket that will pair well with a pretty dress, and a camel coat that has something of the femme fatale about it.

Knits always make me nostalgic and, hopefully this season you’ll feel the same way. Perhaps they’ll make you want to curl up in front of a film noir thriller?

Here’s a glimpse of what to expect in store this season.