Photo dump series #1 with Alice Lines, Editor of Homestyle Magazine
Lockdown Photo Dump is an editorial interview series where we celebrate everyday lived experiences and find joy in the ordinary and mundane. For the first instalment of the series, we are excited to introduce you to Alice Lines, Interior Stylist and Editor of New Zealand’s most loved interiors magazine - Homestyle. Alice takes us through her lockdown phone scroll from her bubble as we chat family, food and all things that sparks joy.
During this time, what have you learnt about yourself, and each other as a family?
We thrive on routine, but don't often achieve it! Seriously though, my partner Nick and I have learnt that debriefing together in the evenings enables us to start fresh each morning. Taking stock and shifting how we approach things day to day is key to our survival while we juggle parenting and running a business together.
How has movement affected your experience of lockdown?
We live in Auckland but are lucky to live close to a beach and aim to get down to it regularly to spread our legs — lol. Depending on the tide, there are rocky outcrops to fossick around on and the opportunity to feel, even if just for a moment, like we’re not stuck at home in the city.
Has food been a really big part of your lockdown experience?
I love cooking, so meal prep is always a key feature of our time together in lockdown. Breakfast is when I set our intentions for the day with my son Ted — hatching plans for activities and letting him know when Nick and I will be working. We’ve kind of switched our main meal from dinner to a family lunch around the table — usually some kind of vege bowl combo. Dinner is very off and on — I’ll either go all out making some yummy and nourishing dishes that can be thrown together in different ways over the next few days, often with Ted’s help, or be late-night snacking on Fix & Fogg Everything Butter on toast and double parking Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir and Pukka Relax Tea in front of my computer while I catch up on work.
How do you find stillness?
I did Claire Robbie’s meditation course during the last Level 4 lockdown, and I can strongly recommend it! I’m planning to sign up to some of her sessions at her newly launched studio SOMM in the week ahead too.
A podcast you are currently listening to?
My brain isn’t geared towards absorbing podcasts in lockdown, so I listen to RNZ during the day, or we listen to music. Nick’s in charge of our Spotify playlist, although Ted’s pretty hot on the requests these days.
Books you are currently reading?
Currently on my bedside table are Aesthetic Intelligence by Pauline Brown, The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest and Nothing is Lost: Selected Essays of Ingrid Sischy. They’re all written in such a way that you can just dip in and out of them.
What are you watching?
The Panthers is top of my list for when I take a night off.
What essentials have you been using regularly and would buy again?
I’m low-key skincare obsessed. I’ve really been getting into paying attention to my ‘routine’, which does double duty as a time-out ritual. In the morning, I wash my face with Sphaera’s Kawakawa & Activated Charcoal Face and Body Cleansing Bar, followed by Aesop’s B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel and Perfect Facial Hydrating Cream. In the evening, I’ve just started using Sans Superdose Sleep Infusion Masque and I’m super into it. Every other day, I love the fresh feeling of exfoliating with Maryse Manuka Leaf Exfoliating Polish, and once a week I wash my hair with Sphaera Nourish & Restore haircare bars.
When things go back to normal, I will be
Dining… with friends. Alma has been on my list for far too long.
Lunching… at &Sushi. I miss sushi!
Discovering… all the wild places we’ve been meaning to get to since the last lockdown! We’re mulling over a West Coast South Island road trip for summer.
Loving… catching up with my whānau again.
