Natalie Leung
Born 12th May
Starsign: Taurus
Sydney, Australia
Studied Fashion Design
Blogging since April 2011
Why I started this Blog (and the core concept):
I have always craved freedom and escapism and I am in love with the romantic notion of 'running away'. I use plenty of means to keep myself in this state of mind and it has always had a presence in my life. As a result I have found I use my blog to represent my concept of escapes and to share my journey through life as I take that route. My passion is for the photography I use that gives my readers a route to escape their own lives to venture into mine. I think carefully about the location, backdrop and mood, not especially on what brand I am wearing, the latest trends or if I am styled 'correctly'.
I started this blog because at one point in my life, after studying Fashion Design and working as an assistant fashion buyer in a stiff office for two years, it left me feeling stale, caged and unhappy. I felt no freedom or creativity pulsing through my veins, I didn't feel alive in my career path.
After my, I reckon, 24th time of crying in the bathrooms at work I decided to browse through some fashion magazines. There in one of the articles was a photo of Rumi Neely and a caption: The most famous blogger in the world. I found her website, and I was struck by it. She looked like she possessed the most freedom in the world. I wanted that freedom, I craved it. For the first time in years I felt I could be creative again and a blog was the means to do it.
So I started my own, and although I had no clue on how to create a blog post or work my camera, I felt creativity welcoming me again. After a few weeks of experimentation I found my concept and defined my reason for blogging. I left my job in Fashion Buying and now I work in hospitality whilst maintaining my blog. Although I know in the future I will need to take on sponsors and do sponsored posts to keep my blog up and running, I am now much happier than I was a year ago.
My reasons for escaping my life all the time, I will admit, it started when I was in highschool. When I was younger I cared about boys too much and about falling in love. Yet, it wasn't that easy for me - I had alot of rejection and many boys dump me for years since I was 16.. up until recently (by 23 I found my real stable boyfriend and I'm currently 25). I was left scarred, lost, consumed, dependant and confused by my constant heart-break. I found myself properly at 22 when I made the ultimate escape happen, I spent 3 months overseas in 5 different countries spanning over Asia and Europe. I actually took that trip because I wanted to get over my first love, he had left me heart-broken and I felt I couldn't lift myself up again. That was my first ever real escape.
I spent a year and a half after that being single, and there I found out my true interests. Yet when times were hard I escaped my life, I took to walking alone in the city, to parks, and roadtrips.. listening to music.. visiting old flames.. being too impulsive.. defying my Mom.. drinking.. smoking.. and sitting alone on hills to watch the sunset.
I am of course, better now, but that side of me has been a part of my life for too long its hard to get past it so I embrace it happily now. My blog now helps me represent all of those feelings I feel now and felt in the past. Sometimes I do not say it in my words, but I most definitely try to say it through my photos.
The reason why I chose 'Lucy' as part of my blog name and not my real name 'Natalie' is because I think the feeling of escapism is universal and that many people have felt that need one time or another. 'Lucy' is always on a journey and she represents that part of me that wants to escape and I want her to represent everyone else's need to escape too.
This is why I am drawn to the dandelion and why I have one tattooed behind my ear; to me it is a beautiful flower that when stirred, the seeds get caught up with the breeze and drift away , being free for a few moments before floating back to the ground to bloom. I see myself this way at times.. sometimes being caught up by the breeze.. drifting away and floating down again.. and at any given moment.
Written by Natalie Leung August 2012
Why I started this Blog (and the core concept):
I have always craved freedom and escapism and I am in love with the romantic notion of 'running away'. I use plenty of means to keep myself in this state of mind and it has always had a presence in my life. As a result I have found I use my blog to represent my concept of escapes and to share my journey through life as I take that route. My passion is for the photography I use that gives my readers a route to escape their own lives to venture into mine. I think carefully about the location, backdrop and mood, not especially on what brand I am wearing, the latest trends or if I am styled 'correctly'.
I started this blog because at one point in my life, after studying Fashion Design and working as an assistant fashion buyer in a stiff office for two years, it left me feeling stale, caged and unhappy. I felt no freedom or creativity pulsing through my veins, I didn't feel alive in my career path.
After my, I reckon, 24th time of crying in the bathrooms at work I decided to browse through some fashion magazines. There in one of the articles was a photo of Rumi Neely and a caption: The most famous blogger in the world. I found her website, and I was struck by it. She looked like she possessed the most freedom in the world. I wanted that freedom, I craved it. For the first time in years I felt I could be creative again and a blog was the means to do it.
So I started my own, and although I had no clue on how to create a blog post or work my camera, I felt creativity welcoming me again. After a few weeks of experimentation I found my concept and defined my reason for blogging. I left my job in Fashion Buying and now I work in hospitality whilst maintaining my blog. Although I know in the future I will need to take on sponsors and do sponsored posts to keep my blog up and running, I am now much happier than I was a year ago.
My reasons for escaping my life all the time, I will admit, it started when I was in highschool. When I was younger I cared about boys too much and about falling in love. Yet, it wasn't that easy for me - I had alot of rejection and many boys dump me for years since I was 16.. up until recently (by 23 I found my real stable boyfriend and I'm currently 25). I was left scarred, lost, consumed, dependant and confused by my constant heart-break. I found myself properly at 22 when I made the ultimate escape happen, I spent 3 months overseas in 5 different countries spanning over Asia and Europe. I actually took that trip because I wanted to get over my first love, he had left me heart-broken and I felt I couldn't lift myself up again. That was my first ever real escape.
I spent a year and a half after that being single, and there I found out my true interests. Yet when times were hard I escaped my life, I took to walking alone in the city, to parks, and roadtrips.. listening to music.. visiting old flames.. being too impulsive.. defying my Mom.. drinking.. smoking.. and sitting alone on hills to watch the sunset.
I am of course, better now, but that side of me has been a part of my life for too long its hard to get past it so I embrace it happily now. My blog now helps me represent all of those feelings I feel now and felt in the past. Sometimes I do not say it in my words, but I most definitely try to say it through my photos.
The reason why I chose 'Lucy' as part of my blog name and not my real name 'Natalie' is because I think the feeling of escapism is universal and that many people have felt that need one time or another. 'Lucy' is always on a journey and she represents that part of me that wants to escape and I want her to represent everyone else's need to escape too.
This is why I am drawn to the dandelion and why I have one tattooed behind my ear; to me it is a beautiful flower that when stirred, the seeds get caught up with the breeze and drift away , being free for a few moments before floating back to the ground to bloom. I see myself this way at times.. sometimes being caught up by the breeze.. drifting away and floating down again.. and at any given moment.
Written by Natalie Leung August 2012
12 Things about Me
1. I was born in Auckland New Zealand, and moved to Sydney Australia when I was 6 years old
2. I am 1/2 Cambodian, 1/2 Chinese (Cantonese)
3. My favourite foods are Hot Chips with tomato sauce, and Japanese Curry Rice
4. My coffee order is a Soy Flat White
5. I work in Buying for a major retailer
6. My room is 90% Books
7. I find the purest joy in dancing at concerts, festivals, in the living room, in the car
8. I've owned many iPods. My current Sony Walkman has over 8,900 songs in it
9. I cry when I see animal rescue stories on the news
10. My favourite song is 'My Girl' by The Temptations
11. I have seven tattoos
12. I love driving Manual (stick)
2. I am 1/2 Cambodian, 1/2 Chinese (Cantonese)
3. My favourite foods are Hot Chips with tomato sauce, and Japanese Curry Rice
4. My coffee order is a Soy Flat White
5. I work in Buying for a major retailer
6. My room is 90% Books
7. I find the purest joy in dancing at concerts, festivals, in the living room, in the car
8. I've owned many iPods. My current Sony Walkman has over 8,900 songs in it
9. I cry when I see animal rescue stories on the news
10. My favourite song is 'My Girl' by The Temptations
11. I have seven tattoos
12. I love driving Manual (stick)
Favourite Quotations
From me:
"Ooooh let's get coffee!"
"Ooooh I love this song!"
"Have you seen the film clip to this song?"
"Happiness attracts Happiness"
From others:
*Arthur Abbott: "Iris, in the movies we have the leading ladies and we have the best friend. You, I can tell, are a leading lady, but for some reason you are behaving like the best friend"
*Iris: "You're so right. You're supposed to be the leading lady of your own life, for God's sake! Arthur, I've been going to a therapist for three years, and she's never explained things to me that well. That was brilliant. Brutal, but brilliant."
(From the movie: The Holiday)
(From the movie: The Holiday)
Iris: "I'm looking for corny in my life."
(From the movie: The Holiday)
Samantha: "Chill babe, we're all bad in someone's story"
(Sex & The City TV Series)
My Runaways - A Music Playlist
1. Kanye West - Runaway
2. Childish Gambino - Sober
3. The Killers - Mr. Brightside
4. Red Hearse - Everybody Wants You
5. The Smiths - Please Please Let Me Get What I Want this Time
6. The Beatles - You've Got to Hide your Love Away
7. Michelle Branch - Goodbye to You
8. Fleetwood Mac - Landslide
9. Damien Rice - The Blowers Daughter
10. Elton John - Your Song
11. Something Corporate - Punk Rock Princess
12. Eddie Vedder - Rise
13. Florence + The Machine - Shake It Out
14. The Weeknd - Wicked Games (Explicit)
15. José González - Stay Alive
16. Paramore - Fake Happy
17. Bazzi - Mine
18. Marianas Trench - Rhythm of your Heart
19. BTS - My Time
20. Post Malone & Swae Lee - Sunflower
21. Taylor Swift - Cruel Summer
22. Shawn Mendez - Use Somebody
23. Arctic Moneys - Cornerstore
Concerts & Festivals I've attended
Boyz 2 Men (2006)
Twins (2006)
2MANYDJS, Goldfrapp, Soulwax, Peaches, Yelle @ Parklife (2008)
La Roux (2009)PussyCat Dolls feat. Lady Gaga (2009)
The Bloody Beetroots (2009)
Jay Chou (2009)
Britney Spears (2009)
Lady Gaga (2010)Lupe Fiasco (2010)
Lisa Mitchell (2010)
Muse (2010)
The Temper Trap (2010)
U2 and Jay-Z (2010)
Missy Elliott, The Wombats @ Parklife (2010)
N.E.R.D (2010)
Muse, Lily Allen, Dizzie Rascal, Passion Pit, Calvin Harris @ Big Day Out (2010)
LMFAO, Avicii, Benny Benassi @ Stereosonic (2011)
Arctic Monkeys (2012)
James Morrison (2012)
Kanye West (2012)
Backstreet Boys & NKOTB (2012)
Zedd, Calvin Harris, Avicii @ Stereosonic (2012)
Rihanna (2013)
DEFCON (2013)
The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Killers, Band Of Horses, Vampire Weekend, Childish Gambino @ Big Day Out (2013)
Fifth Harmony (2016)
Pentatonix (2016)
Boney M (2017)
The Temptations & The Beach Boys (2017)
TLC, Nelly, Blackstreet Boys, 112, Montell Jordan, Mya @ RnB Nights (2017)
The Weeknd (2017)
Lorde (2018)
Fall Out Boy (2018)
Usher, Lil Jon, Sisqo, Ginuwine, Next, Fat Man Scoop @ RnB Nights @ Sydney (2018)
Taylor Swift (2018)
Bruno Mars and Dua Lipa (2019)
Death Cab For Cutie (2019)
Lucy Rose (2019)
Lucy Rose (2019)
Furnace & The Fundamentals (2019)
Shawn Mendez (2019)
Janet Jackson, Black Eyed Peas, Jason Deluro, Brandy @ RnB Nights @ Sydney (2019)
Kid Cudi, Lil Pump, Calvin Harris @ Festival X (2019)
Queen with Adam Lambert (2020)
Contact
lucyandtherunaways@gmail.com