In the lead up to Mother's Day, we spent some time with Lucy Feagins, founder of the much loved and highly influential digital design hub The Design Files which can have you scrolling for hours on end. Lucy invited us into her (as expected) oh so stylish Fitzroy home to meet her Mum Chrissie and daughter Minnie, Lucy's literal mini-me, and chat about how they they plan to celebrate together this Mother's Day.
"For us, a simple, long lunch at home is all it takes to reconnect."
What is on the agenda for you and your family this Mother’s Day?
We tend to keep it low-key, hopefully just a long lunch at home with the whole family. I’ll probably cook something simple but a bit special, like a roast lamb with veggies, and maybe a special treat for dessert, like one of Julia Busuttil Nishimura’s cake recipes.
Do you have any particular family traditions that you like to honour each Mother’s Day?
I’m really close with my Mum and I’m so lucky we live in the same suburb, so I get to see her all the time! Mind you, with living so close, our catch ups can sometimes get a bit transactional - we spend a lot of time midweek discussing school pick up logistics and not much time actually enjoying each other’s company! So Mother's Day provides an excuse to stop and spend quality time together - for us, a simple, long lunch at home is all it takes to reconnect.
What are your top entertaining tips when hosting a family lunch?
I like slow-cooking something in the oven so I don’t have to be hovering over a stove - plus, winter is nearly here so it’s definitely a good time for that sort of hearty food! My go to is a slow-cooked lamb roast, with roast veggies. If you pop the meat in the oven at breakfast time it’ll be ready for a late lunch, plus the whole house will smell delicious!
Also, I make sure to stock up on delicious non alcoholic drinks because I don’t drink alcohol anymore, and also, it makes the day last longer (and conversation better!) when there are enough tasty non alcoholic tipples to offer people in between glasses of wine. My absolute fave for any occasion are TINA drinks served over ice in a wine glass.
What is one thing that you’ve learned from your mum Chrissie that you hope to pass down to your daughter Minnie?
My Mum has the best emotional intelligence of anyone I know. She has an intuitive gift for genuinely connecting with people, making everyone feel heard and getting a great outcome in any situation. I am not sure if I have inherited that gift but I’m working on it!
"My mum has an intuitive gift for genuinely connecting with people, making everyone feel heard and getting a great outcome in any situation."
Photography by Amelia Stanwix.
