January 2016 - Lake Diary

In Love With This Crazy Shadow

Never thought it was that windy. J and I went out for a walk just before the sunset the other day around the neighbourhood. The sun was glowing softly and the temperature was just perfect but oh my. The wind.

It was surprisingly windy, so I kinda regretted wearing a flowy silk dress and hoped there was a hairband handy to tie my hair up. We managed to have some photos that looked calm but that naughty wind kept blowing my dress up, my hair all over the place. My hands were very busy pulling my dress down and holding my hair away from my eyes so I could see the world. One thing for sure to remember: always wear great underwear!

On the flip side, we had a lot of fun playing with light and shadows against a red wall. The crazy wind, my crazy hair and crazy shadow just worked perfectly together. This is the picture I’m falling in love with:

Do you like my shadow?

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Photos: Candidtown Photography

Topshop black silk dress, Louis Vuitton Neverfull bag, suede boots, necklace from a boutique in Germany.

29 January 2016

Healthy Living Never Felt So Easy

Healthy Living

As humans, we all have a responsibility to treat our bodies with care. Everybody knows this, but actively employing a healthy lifestyle is easier said than done.

Finding the right balance between good health and enjoying life is a must. With these simple hacks, even those that have previously struggled will enjoy positive results. Within a few months, the transformation will leave you looking and feeling on top of the world.

Here are a few things that might help:

Respect Your Body

When attempting to improve general health, most people will rush out and start exercising. This is great. Nevertheless, it’s mightily crucial that you take heed of the signs that your body gives off.

No two bodies are the same, and finding a routine to suit your body type and health goals is vital. Perhaps more importantly, though, you need to manage injuries and conditions. Failure to do this quickly can see things escalate into serious problems. Nobody wants that.

Healthy living is all about building a positive relationship with your body. Being receptive to the things it tells you is imperative.

Make Healthy Eating Less Boring

If you are going to treat your body right, then it’s vital that you fuel it with the right energy. Most people would like to do this, but there’s only one major problem. It’s so tedious.

Photo

Eating bland foods on a 24/7 basis isn’t great. It fails to satisfy your emotional needs and can ultimately lead you back to eating badly.

Those upgrades are easier to keep when it’s fun. Appreciate those factors, and you should be just fine.

Quit Bad Habits

Adding positive elements to your life is important. However, it’s often the removal of negative aspects that can bring the biggest change.

Saying no to cigarettes, for example, can have a telling impact on your physical fitness and appearance. Meanwhile, it can help your organs regain full health too.

If you feel that the challenge is too much, then you can always embrace the help of other sufferers that are trying to quit. There’s strength in numbers, and those support groups can make all the difference.

Make Time For Others

In the bid for healthy living, you will find yourself investing in personal needs. However, human interaction is the key to happiness. Mental health is just as important as physical attributes. So be sure to spend time with those people you love.

Arranging a family holiday or taking days out can make a vast impact. Besides, it’s a great way to encourage better interactions with Mother Nature. This in itself is a great way to boost your general well-being.

A healthy mind promotes a healthy body. Satisfy those emotional needs, and you should see physical improvements too.

22 January 2016

Pearls & Black Lace At Kirribili

Style Diary, Things To Do In Sydney

Kirribili is one of my favorite vantage points that offers brilliant views to Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Those photos were taken last month on Boxing day ( 26th December). It was heavily overcast when we first arrived and the rain started rushing down after 20 minutes or so. You can probably see some rain drops in the last photo.

I decided to wear a white top with this black lace skirt to go with a classic black and white theme. This white top is quite unique not only because it’s pleated in different ways but also because it has 2 different kind of straps: one shoulder strap has 2 rows of small pearls. A long strand of pear necklace is then inevitably added to compete the outfit.

Instead of pure black or white shoes, I picked these pair of Manolo Blahnik leather sandals with those hot pink crystal rings on them. Hot pink isn’t at all serious as black and white but given it’s Christmas time, public holiday and all that, a bit of right color seemed appropriate.

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Photos: Candidtown Photography

19 January 2016

Morning Meandering In Manns Point Park

Style Diary, Things To Do In Sydney

Views to the city from Manns Point park

views to the City from Manns Point Sydney

Manns Point is a unique park in Sydney that has 2 levels. I only explored the upper lever the first time and thought it was an hidden narrow park with great view to the city. This time we discovered its stunning lower level and the walking trail connecting the lower and upper lever.

It was early in the morning so again I had messy hair and zero makeup, even my pants were slightly wrinkled but all of that didn’t really matter. How I enjoyed the tranquil water view dotted with yachts, the morning fresh air and the little hike to the top!

While walking to a bench to take a seat, this little furry friend followed me all the way and stayed to play for a few minutes. Dogs sure love cuddles and a good pat!

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Photos: Candidtown Photography

15 January 2016

Wide Leg Pants At Wollongong

Australia, Style + Design, Style Diary

The Breakwater lighthouse behind me

On the right: The Flagstaff Hill lighthouse

Wide leg pants are back. I’m not a trend follower but I know this because a couple of PR agents sent me photos featuring some rather ugly wide leg pants.

One of the reasons I don’t follow fashion trend for the sake of it is because not all styles would fit me well. Wide leg pants are exceptions. I like them. It was pointed out to me quite a few times that my legs are relatively short (though overall I can be classified as tall in person) and not as straight as they should be. Wide leg pants don’t show my flaws that much. For that reason alone, I like wide leg pants, but not the ugly ones.

As the saying goes: Fashion comes in cycles. Wide leg pants, are IN not for the first time. I had many of them from a long time ago but have cleared them out over the years. The only one left now is this pair of Chloe white pants. They are not that wide legged but still count.

Now back to the location: Wollongong. We were not even planning going to Wollongong that day. We were driving to Port Kembla and Wollongong is just on the way. We took a wrong turn & were immediately drawn to this row of large rocks. It was an easy decision to pull over have some photos taken there.

There are 2 light houses in Wollongong not far from each other. The bigger one the hill (The Flagstaff Hill lighthouse) attracts a lot more visitors on average but don’t you think the smaller one ( The Breakwater lighthouse) and its harbour surroundings are more photogenic?

11 January 2016

What To Do If Your Friend Becomes Depressed

Healthy Living

Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions affecting people today. However, most people have little understanding of the realities of the illness. That means it’s often difficult to help friends and loved ones who begin to suffer from depression and associated disorders. What to do if your friend becomes depressed? At the end of the day, nobody wants to see people they care about losing interest in life. So, it’s vital that we all educate ourselves about the best ways to help. The information on this page will make a great starting point.

Give them your time

When people become depressed, they can often feel like their world is ending. No matter how many times you tell them to pull themselves together, their mood doesn’t seem to improve. That is because the depression doesn’t come from adverse events or social circumstances. It’s a chemical imbalance in the brain that causes all the problems. Instead of telling your friend where they are going wrong, just sit and listen to them. In most instances, people suffering with depression will get a certain level of relief when they can discuss their feelings.

Make sure their family is aware

Most people don’t like discussing their depression with people who are likely to provide a negative response. So, your friend might not have told their family about the situation. You should encourage them to speak with their parents and siblings as soon as possible. It’s not fair that you should deal with the issue alone. If nothing else, they might offer you some support in helping your friend. Also, you can find out a little more about the family medical history, and whether your friend is prone to such conditions.

Encourage them to seek help

There are many support groups and clinical psychologists who could help your friend to deal with their condition. Sometimes it’s easier to get back on track when you’re dealing with people who understand. With that in mind, you should encourage your friend to seek professional help as soon as possible.

The doctors and support workers they encounter will know about techniques that can ease the strain. They will also help you to gain a better understanding of the situation. Most people with depression end up taking medication to keep their moods under control. However, many talking therapies are known to work well. It’s essential that your friend gives up all their bad habits like smoking and heavy drinking because they will only make things worse. Explain to your friend that they don’t have to take drugs if they don’t think it will help.

It’s impossible to say when depression will strike and someone you know might deteriorate. So, make sure you keep your eyes open and look for the warning signs. Depressed people often withdraw from social activities and work during the early stages of their condition. They can also exhibit a lack of interest in the things that used to bring them joy. Some people don’t know they are depressed, and so they need friends like you to help them out. Never give up on someone who’s going through a hard time. You might be the only person with whom they want to communicate.

Do you have someone close to you suffering from depression? How does it affect your life?

7 January 2016

A Little Zombie Walk On Austinmer Beach

Australia, Style Diary

Zombie walk on the beach… a happy zombie for once

Sydney has been raining literally non-stop for a week now. Without even a minute break from those heavy rain drops from the sky, one can only sit inside and dream about beach weather.

Those photos are from my last trip to Austinmer Beach a couple of weeks ago. Autinmer beach is about one and a half hours’ drive south from Sydney, close to Wollongong city centre. Why drive so far to a beach while there are so many wonderful beaches in Sydney? Perhaps the scenic drive is quite enjoyable; perhaps that large rock platform has our names on it; perhaps it has this little shop that can cook up the best fish and chips. Whatever the reason, a day trip to Austinmer beach always manage to make me feel energized and happy.

And that’s all that matters. Do whatever makes you happy, whenever you can.

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Photos: Candidtown Photography

Silk top from Marcs, Ray Ban sunglass.

6 January 2016

5 Steps To Make Each Day Count

Grow Better, Self Movitavtion

Watching Titanic the first time, I thought it was a beautiful, well made movie. That was it. No emotional impact whatsoever. Fast forward a few years, again I thought it was a well made movie the second time watching it. But this time I shed a few tears. Tears for their beautiful, deep love for each other and the tragic ending; tears from a little pity that love like that doesn’t exist in real life. Fast forward another couple of years, as the New Year’s bell rang for 2016, Jack Dawson’s toast for dinner miraculously kept ringing in my head:” To make each day count.”

To Make Each Day Count

I’ve heard that phrase many times but it never had an impact on me before. Perhaps in my younger years I just assumed, there would be countless days ahead of me forever. Perhaps I finally came to a realisation how much I’ve wasted my life. In light of having a life with no regret, here’s my intention for 2016 and onwards: To make each day count. But how? Life is full of good intentions. How to make this intention a reality? Here are my 5 steps to make each day count.

Ask yourself this question everyday

What I meant by this is to ask yourself every morning before getting out of bed “What can I do today to make my day worthwhile.” Then mentally review your day every night before going to sleep, “What did I do today to make today count?” This can all be done while lying in bed.

2. Do one thing that is important to you

There maybe many things on your daily to do list. Pick out one thing that means the most to you and get that done first. If your main goal is to stay healthy and excise everyday is important to you, do your exercise first thing in the morning. You’ll feel more accomplished once you’ve ticked off the most important thing off your to do list.

3. Do what you love

Find joy in life. Have you ever been so busy making a living to a degree that you forgot life is meant to be fun too? I have.

Ask yourself what you enjoy doing, then do it. “Too busy” is not a valid excuse. We should never deprive ourselves from simple pleasures in life. If you are not doing what you love as your job, there are many other little things that can bring joy to your life. It could be as simple as a cold beer in a hot summer day, 2 minutes of day dreaming in your fantasy world or 5 minutes dance in your living room… while nobody is watching.

4. Keep learning

I used to hate studying and thought I’d stop studying after finishing my Master’s Degree. But now I know that one can never stop learning.

You can actually learn everywhere. Ponder on simple things. Observe your surroundings. Or if you prefer, have yourself enrolled on a course like an online MBA programs in California.

The possibilities are endless if you can just keep learning day by day. I want to yell at my younger self: “Have an open mind and be relentlessly curious!” Fortunately it’s never too late to learn, just about anything. Yep, old dogs can learn new tricks.

It’s true.

5. Have no fear

I’m a natural worrier and lazy. I loath everything that is slightly difficult to me. If something scares me, I’d run away from it immediately and have a snack, or a nap.

They say “Do one thing that scares you everyday.” You don’t have to. Just remember, when something scares you comes to your way, do not run away. Face your fear head on. You’ll miss so many opportunities if you run away, or quit.

Go on, you are much braver than you think you are.

Now back to you.

What is your intention for the new year?

4 January 2016

Happy 2016!

Style + Design, Style Diary

Many many years ago, I drove two of my girlfriends to the Canberra flower show. Like all girls who love flowers, we took lots of photos with those beautiful flower blossoms. When we got back to Sydney and looked at the photos together, someone pointed out: “Yvonne, you have the same smile in every photo, with mouth widely open.” Yes, I was trying to do the right thing – smile for the camera. But it wasn’t natural and it looked so awkward!

Nowadays as a photographer, I always let my clients know that, you don’t have to force smile to look good in photos. If you want to project a friendly image, just think about something that makes you happy and you’ll smile naturally.

Of course it’s never that easy to look natural in front of the camera and I’m always a work in progress.

We had this quick impromptu shoot early last month during sunset. The sun was going down quickly and I had 2 minutes to get dressed.

My hair was messy and I had zero makeup on my face. But it didn’t matter, because hat + sunglasses = best hair & makeup. With that, I was ready in 2 minutes. Who wants to waste time on makeup!

Invest in good hats and sunglasses and you’ll always look somewhat stylish.

I hope you’re all having a fabulous time with your loved ones.

Here’s to a healthy, prosperous & very happy 2016!

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Photos: CandidTown Photography

Crochet dress, Ray Ban sunglasses, Dolce & Gabbana handbag and a large floppy hat

2 January 2016

Archive for month: January, 2016

To Make Each Day Count

Ask yourself this question everyday

2. Do one thing that is important to you

3. Do what you love

4. Keep learning

5. Have no fear