Life Lately: June 2025

May 2025, Sentinel Beach with my love.

Hi there. It’s been a while since I’ve written anything here.

As the sun sets on the last day of June and we enter into the second half of the year (madness), I wanted to make a feeble attempt at writing again. There have been plenty of unreleased drafts and mumbling thoughts on my Notes, forever lost to the ether. I have felt the inklings of the winter blues, and perhaps, I’m reaching deeper into my soul for some inspiration.

I keep a log of cherished memories on the back of my diary, and it’s wild how we’ve reached this junction. Time just seems to zoom past, and I’m grateful that these memories keep me grounded on the beauty that I’ve experienced this year thus far.

Currently, it’s the 30th of June 2025. I’m house sitting at my dear friend Mikayla’s home, and Troy is at the gym. I’m nursing a hip injury — my obturator, precisely — and I am massively missing movement. I’ve just returned from a wonderful time in Europe, and the second half of the year doesn’t include many travel plans apart from celebrating River’s first birthday, and my sister’s engagement party in Melbourne in November. It’s the first time in a long while that I don’t have any set travel plans, and I am feeling uncertain about it all, to be honest.

Europe was a blast though.

This year has brought a new season: LOVE. The depth and richness that I have felt in connecting with my people and my partner is priceless. I may not have gone to festivals, nor gotten the golden tan that I desire, but I have spent quality time with those that I love. I continue to create work that I am proud of.

No one knows what’s ahead. But I want to commit to growing and learning. I was never the best with winter-ing. I am a summer sunshine island girl through and through, but I am also learning the necessary hibernation that this season brings. I am learning more about rest, thanks to my injury that keeps coming back, and the slower flow of work. I am learning to be grateful about the shift in my work and the fresh perspective it’s bringing me: I am shooting more commercial jobs and actually enjoying it. I am learning that I don’t have to always be productive and “busy” to be worthy. I am learning that slowing down is also productive, and actually beneficial for my well-being. Because that’s what it’s about, right? This balance, this growth: it’s for the betterment of my well-being.

My therapist reflected back on the changes within me as of late. I seem to be focusing on practises that are slower paced, activities that feel grounding and nourishing. I am leaning in to rest.

With that, I leave you with a list of things that have occupied the first half of 2025.

MOVEMENT

  • I am obsessed with Nicky’s classes at Chroma at SALA

  • Since my injury, I have been trying out some reformer pilates classes!

  • I started teaching rhythm cycling again at Cadence, but alas, my injury means it’s on pause for a while.

  • I definitely need to come back to yoga and bouldering.

  • Earlier in the year, I became hooked on Embia House in Richmond, Melbourne. The team, the people, the classes… Everything about their studio was incredible.

RECOVERY

  • Contrast therapy at HANA.

  • I had my first session with Jeremy at Bodyworx in Mt Eden and it was incredible!

  • For all physio needs, I always trust the team at Leaton Performance in Grafton.

  • I’ve been trying out Saltd - their magnesium oils and bath flakes are divine.

TV

Troy and I have been loving our evening rituals of watching a show with dinner.

  • The Residence — adorably quirky, witty, and beautifully filmed

  • Adolescence — confronting, haunting, incredible. Those one-shot takes?! I’m sorry, what?

  • Land Man — Billy Bob in his element. Thoroughly enjoyed this show. Already can’t wait for the next season!

  • KAOS — I am grieving the fact that they won’t make a second season of this glorious perspective of Greek Mythology. Jeff Goldblum is amazing.

  • Tried Yellowstone - couldn’t get into it.

  • Tried Succession - also DNF. I think we made it to episode 2 or 3?

  • Obsessed with Severance and White Lotus. If you have theories for Severance, please come to me with your Powerpoint Presentation, thank you. The work is important and mysterious. 

  • Peaky Blinders — I managed to last until Season 5 until it felt repetitive, but we were hooked on this for a while. 

  • Mobland — Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren. Dare I say more?  

  • Disclaimer — kept me guessing for ages, an incredible story altogether.

  • The Bear — much angst, such chaos. I should really try and watch the next season that’s out.

  • Queen’s Gambit — I am now playing chess again because of this lol. Truly a masterpiece of a show.

  • Altered Carbon — Season 1 felt like a movie every episode. Sad that it didn’t get renewed for Season 3 though. Miss Casey is in it and is INCREDIBLE (Dichen Lachman is my new girl crush).

Movies

February was full on health issues, so I wallowed in despair by watching a few movies that I haven’t seen. And the Oscars provided some inspiration.

  • I finally watched Lord of the Rings! We went through ALL of the extended LOTR and The Hobbit.

  • Rewatched all of Harry pottery lol 

  • Conclave - favourite. Voldemort as a religious character = iconic. Majestic cinematography.

  • Anora - I did not understand why it won so many Oscars…

  • Nosferatu - didn’t feel like it had enough of a plot. Great costumes though.

  • SINNERS. Oh my lord. Favourite movie of the year thus far.

  • Next on my list: The Materialists because Pedro.

LISTENING

READING

This is a biggie. I have been trying to find something that makes me feel as alive as I did after reading Throne of Glass and Manacled, but nothing has come close. Nonetheless, I enjoyed these books this year… (I’m on Goodreads, too.)

  • Road of Bones / The Ashen Series by Demi Winters

  • Raymond Feist’s the Magician Series

  • Quicksilver by Callie Hart (oh hi Kingfisher — much smut)

  • Onyx Storm - amazing, but oh gosh did it confuse me at the start (and all throughout, really. I’ve forgotten so much from Book 2).

  • The Midnight Library

  • Currently re-reading Empire of Storms x Tower of Dawn tandem read with Troy! He’s on Asassin’s Blade and Kingdom of Ash next. I’m so excited for him.

SKINCARE

OBSESSED WITH 

  • Knitting and chess!

RESTAURANT

You know I’m a baddie when it comes to budgeting foodie, so here are my top finds this year.

  • Obviously OTTO forever

  • San Ray - the chocolate mousse is everything

  • We celebrated our anniversary at Rhu, and after trying The Grove (RIP) and  Lillius, we had to go on First Table (50% off on their 10-course menu!) and try Rhu.

  • We said goodbye to Bar Celeste and went to their last service on the 14th of June :(

FOOD HACK

  • Overnight Chia Pudding / Snack - my dear Melbourne Spin friends (hi Hunter, Em and Hayley!) shared THIS recipe for chia pudding and I haven’t turned back. I add some protein powder, cashews and blueberries too.

PATTY Y PAN

I ate my weight in croissants and pain au chocolat in France (even the airport ones are amazing) and nothing really compares. I shall report back if I find any great ones in Auckland.

PATTERY

I haven’t created that much in the past year since selling my wheel, but Eloise has kindly let me borrow her one. So I’ve been practising with some cylinders and cups. Maybe I’ll start making mugs and vases again. Soon.

BREWING

  • Ozone’s El Yalcon

  • Benny kindly sent us some of the BEST coffee I have had in my life: Five Ways Coffee & Roastery from Amsterdam

COOKING

  • Still a massive fan of WOOP (30% discount code here). The recipes are just full of variety and easy to cook.

  • Troy loves his red meat so we’ve been trying to cook steak with roast veggies or rice and broccoli. Gotta get the protein.

WINE

  • Seriously the best discovery has been Bare Wine on Brown St in Ponsonby. They have the best range of natural wine that I have seen in NZ.

APPS / GAMES

Yes I have become that person with games on their phones.

  • Travel Town is my current go-to. Lol.

  • Township (we call it farms) is also a fun one without any ads and I can get lost in it, woops.

  • Eloise encouraged me to download an app called Learn Chess with Dr Wolf, because, chess.

  • I am on a 375-day streak with Duolingo. Please join the cult. Por favor.

  • FINCH. It’s a to-do list but also a tamagochi — come and join my little friend circle! Friend code: 5Z2H32364Y

If you’ve made it this far, thank you. She’s just a girl who wants to share and release some thoughts and emotions through words.

As Troy reminded me today, we have a roof over our heads, we have food, we have each other. Anything else on top of that is a blessing, a beautiful extra gift that we can do. It’s more than what others have, and I always seem to forget to have this perspective. I have more than enough and I am loved. Tomorrow will bring its own worries, but today, right now, the past 6 months have been beautiful, still.

ListsPatty LageraLife Lately, 2025Comment