5 Minutes with Sacha Strebe

 
I was born in Cairns, but grew up on the Gold Coast in Queensland where all of my immediate family still reside. After studying for a BA in Languages & Linguistics, I went to live in London for 2 years. After that, I went backpacking solo through Europe and subsequently met my now husband in Nice, France (but that is a story for another time!). I eventually returned home and went back to university to complete a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism for one year before I was hired as a cadet at the Gold Coast Bulletin. It took me a few years in several departments to earn my stripes and climb the ranks until I finally secured a coveted spot in the features department where I worked on their Tuesday magazine reporting on local style and beauty trends. 

About a year or so in that role my husband secured a job at Nobody Denim in Melbourne, Victoria. Our son, Neon was only two years old at the time and we had no family down there, but we loved the idea of moving to the city and starting a new life together. We spent four incredible years in Melbourne, made lifelong friends, and just reveled in the arts, style, and culture of the city but it was time to move again.

So we sold almost everything and made the international move to Arizona where my husband, Troy grew up. We had no contacts or job prospects but within two weeks, I secured a job at Clique as the Lifestyle Editor of MyDomaine (former sister site to Who What Wear) so we packed up and drove to Los Angeles. Troy found an incredible apartment in the heart of Silver Lake on Craiglist and it was our home for eight years. We worked our asses off to build a life for ourselves in the City of Angels navigating parenting with no family support and demanding jobs, but we are so proud of what we’ve achieved and the new family and friends we’ve made here.

After working in several director roles across design and beauty media, I landed at EyeSwoon where I have the profound opportunity to co-create and collaborate with interior designer, chef, and author, Athena Calderone. Last year, we finally bought our first home in Altadena (near Pasadena). It’s about 15 minutes from the heart of downtown but it feels like we’re in the middle of nature because located in the foothills of the San Gabrielino mountains. It reminds me of home in Australia so much. We love to hike and mountain bike all of the trails that are just on our doorstep now. We couldn’t be happier.

What are some hidden gems in LA that everyone who visits should explore? 

The Huntington Library and it's surrounding gardens are a must-see. They have a new tea house there that I am dying to visit but it’s booked out for months! Make sure you go when the roses are blooming—it’s incredible! I also really love the short hike near our house called Millard Falls which has a beautiful waterfall at the end. And you must go antiquing and thrifting in Pasadena! There are so many amazing places. For art and design, check out Galerie Ground, Apparatus, Galerie Half, and of course, our Aussie friends, Olive Atelier who have an incredible space near the arts district in downtown LA.