LUI Ritual: Montarna McDonald
Here at LUI, we love the idea of rituals: those little everyday practices that help you feel calm, centred and whole. We believe shaving deserves to be part of this self-care routine. In celebration of mindful moments, the LUI Ritual series asks friends of the brand about their own positive habits and how they elevate their day.
HI, MY NAME IS… Montarna McDonald.
BUT EVERYONE CALLS ME… my friends call me Mon, my family call me Tarnsy.
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP I DREAMED OF BEING… initially, a pop star a la the Spice Girls (I was obsessed) and then from around the age of 12 I wanted to be the Editor of Vogue!
BUT NOW I WORK AS… I’m the founder and director of communications firm The Audience Agency. In simple terms, I’m a publicist/PR gal.
THE FIRST THING I DO WHEN I WAKE UP IS… I wish I had something more inspiring to say here but I’m a stereotypical publicist and business owner; I check my phone! First for the baby monitors to make sure my girls are okay (hopefully still snoozing), followed by my emails. I’ve got clients and staff based in the UK so I wake up to an onslaught of comms. I don’t necessarily action anything, I just do a quick once over to get the lay of the land and make sure there’s nothing urgent going on.
THE LAST SONG I PLAYED ON SPOTIFY… '9 to 5' by Dolly Parton. The girls are loving this song at the moment and I can’t say I’m mad about it.
MY MORNING ROUTINE IS…
1. Check my phone, for the baby monitors and overnight emails.
2. I have a shower before the kids are awake. I listen to a Body by Berner playlist to ease into the day and try to set a calm tone for the morning.
3. I get the girls up and we do breakfast. Sometimes we eat at home, sometimes at a café, which is actually such a nice way to start the day together. We get coffee and then I do school drop off.
4. Then I take a little breath and go for a walk or do a Pilates class. Lately I’ve been so busy I haven’t had the energy for Pilates so I’ve been enjoying my walks.
5. I like to be at my desk working by 10am.
THE PERFUME I SPRAY ON RIGHT BEFORE I LEAVE THE HOUSE IS… Lost Cherry by Tom Ford.
MY COFFEE ORDER IS… small oat latte.
THROUGHOUT MY DAY I FIND JOY IN… If I’m not with my kids, I’m happiest when connecting with people. Whether that’s check-ins with my friends, family, my staff or clients, I love catching up with the people in my life. I’m fortunate that after 10 years of running The Audience Agency I’m in a position to surround myself with likeminded people and brands. It is my greatest joy in life to support them.
MY LUNCH ORDER IS… I go through phases with lunch and I’ll eat the same thing everyday until I can’t look at it anymore. At the moment I am loving the superfood salad from Indigo in Double Bay.
MY 3PM PICK-ME-UP IS… a Diet Coke or a raspberry DASH Water.
AFTER A LONG DAY I SWITCH OFF BY… taking a hot bath followed by watching a TV show in bed.
THE LAST BOOK I COULDN’T PUT DOWN… I read a lot of parenting books. I’m fascinated by the psychology of children. My 3 and 5 year old daughters are very savvy and strong willed so I’m interested in finding tactics to harness their strong personalities but also to remain polite and respectable. I'm currently reading 'Why Is My Child in Charge?' by Claire Lerner.
MY NIGHTTIME ROUTINE IS…
1. The regular dinner, bath, bed routine with the girls.
2. Once they’re down I often get back to work – it could be catching up on emails or completing WIP calls with my clients/staff in the UK.
3. I then shower or have a bath and do my skincare routine.
4. Time to check in with friends or catch up on social media.
5. Watch an episode or two of a show or read my book and go to bed.
THE LAST THING I DO BEFORE BED IS… check on my daughters. Turn off night lights and check their sleep music is at a good level, make sure they are tucked in and give them a kiss.
YOU CAN FIND ME ONLINE AT... @MONTARNAPITT, @THEAUDIENCEAGENCY and THE HOT SAUCE.