2019 Recap
Hi ladies! 2019 is definitely gone! Felling good in this new year?
I’m feeling a new energy, and I have a few new ideas that I’d love to share with you at the right time.
For now I’d like to pin a quick recap of the 2019.
It has been a big year for me, and I’d like to thank a few people for this. It might seem easy on the other side, but the truth is we all need constant inspiration, support and love, whatever we do in life. So some of the achievements I’ve reached in 2019 are tiny and simple, but they are something I really needed. This 2019 recap is my way to thank some of my most beloved persons and some of those who were my biggest inspiration during the year. But 2019 recap is also a way to understand what I’ve done, set new goals for the new year and remember the best moments I’ve been thru.
It was a year of changes in many aspects of my life and it was that kind of middle year in between important decisions. It was also life changing for some of my best friends, and believe it or not, those changes have moved myself a bit forward too.
Every year seems to go away in the blink of an eye, and every December I find myself saying “OMG this year flew away too fast!”. And here is where a recap helps to look deeper and see that it actually hasn’t flew that fast. It is also nice to have a look at all the pics again and bring back the memories lived.
When I started this blog, my intention was to give purpose to the hours I spend on websites creating wish lists, and help rock girls to feel confident and fashion with their black outfits. I stared with the idea that it had to be only me on IG pics and that I have to find always something different and captivating. I thought ideas come up if I concentrate during my day off and I didn’t want to look at others. Also, at some point I believed I had to be like the others and do what they’re doing.
Now I know ideas come when I’m thinking about what I love and I’m surrounded by people that love me. I understood that the others are the biggest inspiration to link ideas together and, why not, to find a better refinement on what I see from them. I believe even more in my fashionably rock style, and I know that being myself, once again, is the most important thing.
♥
JANUARY
My 2019 started with a January that was the family month. We went back home, in Pordenone (North Italy), our hometown. It was freezing and grey, but it didn’t rain at all. Neither it snowed :'(. Although it was warming to see all our friends and families after 2 years away. All these pics are a bit blurry, but I love them how they are, cause the reason is we couldn’t stop laughing and hugging each others (I also didn’t think to post them on the blog).
We arrived just in time for NYE and we spend that night with my 2 best friends. They organised for us the booking in one of our favourite restaurants, and after we caught up with more friends in the heart of the city. The most warming thing for me, was the time spent with mum and aunt chatting and doing shopping, and the mornings with dad having breakfast in his usual cafe. For Daniele I believe it was the time spent with his brother, who’s living in Vancouver since 5 years.
We stayed 18 days, we’ve been to all our favourite restaurants and shops, we saw most of our friends, we had way too many aperitivi and food and we missed Sydney a bit. It was heart braking when we left cause we would like to have a bit more time, but it was amazing the feeling we had when we landed in Sydney.
We felt home.
♥
FEBRUARY
February was really fun. We caught up with literally everyone in Sydney and the warm weather allowed us to still get tanned and relaxed. We had a few parties around the city, we celebrated Daniele’s birthday and we had a lot of dinners at home with friends. It felt like a second start of 2019!
We really bonded with who are been since then our Sydney Family. Sometimes the distance helps to work out little discrepancies and you get to understand that friendship starts with what we have in common and continue with the respect of what makes us different.
Also, Daniele had a job to do in Kiama, and that gave us the opportunity to visit another beautiful NSW beach and its little city. That trip was a one day only, but it was such a relaxing day! The weather was absolutely perfect and the view from the hills breath taking.
♥
MARCH
March…wow! I almost forgot about this! It was one of the most beautiful day of 2019! We’ve been to visit the Centennial Vineyards in Bowral. Another breathe taking landscape and another delicious lunch. Three couples, lots of good laughs and relaxing vibes. I think this little trip is the one that made me wanna visit around more and care less about where to. I was one of those who thinks that trips are only where you can stay on a white beach for at least a week, but this vineyard finally opened my mind. Wherever we live there’s so much to see and discover that every single corner is worth visit. And don’t forget to shot it!
This is the other little achievement of my year: I started to be proud of my pics, and I unconsciously decide here to don’t be ashamed anymore to take them when my friends are around. Such a great feeling and a relief!
♥
APRIL
In April we had Easter at ours with a lot of friends and… I changed my haircut! This is seriously a big event for me! I always loved so much my long hair and always only cut the tips off ones per year (even every second year sometimes). But Sydney’s wind drives me nuts, and I reckon winter jumpers suits better a short haircut. So that’s what I did, cut them short just before winter. Very short for what I’m used to. I said I was going to let them grow back but I got used to them and I really like the long bob. At the moment I have more of a middle length, which I like anyways cause I can finally make them wavy, still with some hard work (but they still won’t last all day long).
Well, you know what they say… a woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life!
♥
MAY
It is in May that I reached one of the biggest achievement of 2019. I add a beauty section on the blog, thanks to April&Ko and their amazing products. I’ve never seen myself as a beauty advisor and I won’t start now to be. Anything wrong with them, simply beauty and makeup are not my strengths. I love to look after my skin, but honestly I’m still not sure if I’m doing it right. But April&Ko products give me such a good feeling on my skin, that I couldn’t keep them only for myself.
This year there is actually more to come about them! And a little bit more about skincare and beauty products in general.
♥
JUNE
June was when I understood how I want my IG to be, despite everything, and when I stared to give it a proper shape. I got some unexpected likes and even more unexpected followers. I’m still on a low level on it, but you can’t imagine how much it was satisfying to see a growth, even if little! It was a bit of a motivation to keep going. I think we all need to know our value every now and then, and we need to here it from the outside.
I also stared to think properly about the quotes I want to share with you. As you can see in my profile, they’re always pieces of rock lyrics, and I love to find them and share my favourite songs with you. The thing I love the most about this is that everyone can see and feel what they want in these quotes.
June was also the first wedding dress trial for my girlfriend. When she asked me to attend it with her it was a honour for me. I would have loved just to be there to support her, but she honoured me twice cause she said “I want you also because you’re the one with taste”. (!!!) Then she realised you don’t get a wedding dress with taste. 😉
Last, June was Vivid Sydney. I promise this year I’ll shot more of it!
♥
JULY
Oh boy! July was the month of ‘GO OUT FOR LUNCH’! Probably the most expensive month of 2019! With our 2 favourite couples, we’ve been out for lunch every Sunday. It was awesome to have a sort of a new tradition, and we ate in some great restaurants. Until we realised it was a bit too expensive and we dropped the thing and decided to do it monthly.
Also, in July I changed my blog logo! I used Canva.com to created it (I’m using it also for my quotes and clothes collages) and I really like it now, I think it represents me and my style much better. But I can’t promise I won’t change it again, cause I think it is still a bit too much. We’ll see!
♥
AUGUST
From August on, 2019 was quite intense. In August we did the baby shower for our friends. We booked in a good Italian restaurant in Surry Hills, we fill them with gifts for the baby and we made them cry with the card we wrote. Of course me and Daniele gift a bit of rock to dress the future baby boy. It was such a great day!
We’ve also been to the Taronga zoo (fist time for me and Daniele) thank to the little niece of the mum to be, who was here with granma to visit and to help once the baby was born. I got to see penguins for the first time (I know it sounds weird, but it is true), and understand why they are my favourite animals. They make me laugh, so they make me happy. And they gave me a sensation of calm and I couldn’t stop look at them.
We visited Leura as well, because of a friend birthday. We were meant to go to walk around the hills and see the waterfall, but it was that cold that we couldn’t feel our noses, so we kept ourselves warm in a pub on the hill, drinking and eating.
The same friend also got in a band and had his first live in August. Of course we were there!
♥
SEPTEMBER
Crazy busy September…! It was my girlfriend bday, her niece bday and her baby boy birth! A bit all about her, but I do love to do things for my persons, and this was the perfect occasion to make them feel loved and share some of the best moments together. We organised a lot for the little niece, cause she was here with no friends and we wanted her to have the most amazing party (unicorn party!).
We also were there in every single moment before and during the birth of our little Daniel. Such a fulfilling experience. I will never forget it, and I can’t wait for him to be a teen and tell him to see his face! 😉
Another couple of friends got a little one too, a Pug! He really likes my bags. How cute… <3
♥
OCTOBER
Well, if September was for my friends, October was definitely my month!
I turned 30. (!!!!)
I had a lot of opposing emotions before the date. A bit of concerns about what I’ve done since now, a bit of sadness for what I haven’t and a bit of deep thinking. At the end I realised that even if how I thought I would be done by this age didn’t happened all, I’m proud of who I am and how I’ve been able to change following life. Cause life happens, and the best you can do is figure out how to keep yourself on track without put aside your dreams. Instead, work even harder to make them real and always, always believe in yourself. I also realise how much I’m loved, and this can’t be programmed.
We’ve been to Palm Cove, in Queensland, and when we came back I had the most beautiful surprise, a boat party, followed by a private dinner party.
A couple of friends from Melbourne came for the party, an another tried the best to be there but couldn’t. My girlfriend came with the whole family, little Daniel was only 3 weeks old. Everyone was happy and they seemed to me like they were having fun meeting each others. If this is not love, I don’t know what is it.
♥
NOVEMBER
Here we go: hens party, baptism and personal shopper/stylist.
The only thing I didn’t organised was the baptism. Little Daniel had his day and we all kissed and hugged him like crazy. In the mean time I organised my girlfriend hens. It was consuming but funny and amazing as well. I wanted every single thing to be perfect, and it almost was. I’m very proud of how it came out and I will write some tips about it soon, so stay tuned!
Another thing I’m proud of, is that I’ve been able to help the groom with his wedding outfit, and my girlfriend with her guest wedding outfit. Such a great experience (I’d never dress a man before) and such a honour again. I’ve been able to sharpen my skills and get more confident than ever that this is my thing in life.
♥
DECEMBER
You’ll think December is all about Xmas. For us it wasn’t! It was more about the wedding, and then a bit of Xmas.
The wedding was amazing! Beautiful waterfront location with the city skyline on the background, amazing picnic on the hill with such a great style, groom and bride were the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen and everyone was happy to be there. Can you ask more from a wedding?
This month was also the best for me looking at personal achievements. I realised how many of my friends are now believing in my work, in me and in my style. And not only friends. But friends are for me the best goal, cause I think that if they have the will to tell you that you’re doing great, they can really see the shine while you’re doing it. Strangers compliments are those who get you started and keep you concentrated to do better every day; but friends enthusiasm and ask for ideas, are what motivate and energise you when you think you can’t do it. I received so many congratulations for my ideas, style and organisation capabilities.
I feel so happy about it that I don’t really know what words can describe it better.
Last but not least, in December we moved to a beautiful apartment in Bondi. We now have a 10 minutes walk to go to the beach, the apartment is white and grey (no more beige in my life!) and I’m 15 minutes from work. It seem to be perfect finally. Everyone who walked in said it’s really cozy and cute, and we think so too. I can’t wait to fill it more with new furniture and deco, and tell you everything about it! maybe a new category on the blog? We’ll see 😛
♥
♥ FINAL RECAP OF 2019 ♥
So with this 2019 recap, I can definitely say it was a full year! I achieved some little goals that were not programmed, and some others that I hoped (and worked) hard for but weren’t expected at all.
The things I’m most grateful for are the love I received and the possibility to travel I had. It was a great feeling to finally be able to have a look around, even with weekend and daily trips. I’m also proud to become more confident about this blog and the dreams behind it. The support received from you and my friends means so much for me. I’m stronger and more focused, keeping in mind that IF I WANT I CAN and also that WHO CARES. Who cares about the others, because everyone have a dream and thousands of fears with it. I can, because if I’ve been able to kick some of these fears away I just have to keep going and never ever think to give it up.
It wasn’t all easy this 2019. It was difficult and challenging. As well as consuming sometimes and frustrating on some aspects. I had quite a lot of headaches and stomach cramps, but I do believe it is worth. Nothing is free and neither is easy, so let’s kick another year together making it even better than this 2019!
♥ GOALS FOR 2020 ♥
What are my goals for this 2020? Quite a few. Hopefully I will reach them all, but we’ll see what kinda life is going to happen this year.
I would love to be able to travel more and visit more of Australia. There are so many places I’d like to see, and I feel that now it’s the time to. When we’ve been to Palm Cove for my bday, I wanted to start a tradition. This is it: fly away every year for my or Daniele’s bday, and do at least another short trip. I also enjoy to write about what we visit, to share these beauties with you and to keep it forever in this diary. I wanna keep my travel not to organised tho. Just visit and do what I feel like in the moment. No plans.
I wanna find more time to write, and if I can’t find it I will create it, no matter what. I love doing it and I don’t want my job to keep me away from my blog as it did in 2019. I’d like to be able to post twice per week. I’m scheduling now ;).
In the second half of 2019 I’ve also missed a bit of rock. Therefore I will go back on track and read ideally a book per month (not only rock stories) and resume our habit to go to live concerts. There are some awesome bands coming to Australia this year!
I would love to involve Daniele even more in the blog and some friends too, so that I can give you a little bit more of me and us. Make it a bit more personal sort of thing :).
Happy 2020 to you all! Hope you had a great start and see you very soon! Don’t forget to Subscribe!
Love you <3
JuliaG.
