5 Questions for 5 women at the Grounds: Our ode to international women’s day
To celebrate International Women’s Day this week, we thought we’d introduce you to some of the lovely ladies around The Grounds. Some you might know quite well, but others are hard at work behind the scenes and not so often seen and heard from by those not here every day!
We love everyone in The Grounds family, but for this post we want to keep the focus on some of the women that make The Grounds great! You’ll see as you read, how much family actually means to this place, and how a sense of connection to family and friends is central to why The Grounds exists.
We’ve asked 5 women 5 questions and this is what they had to say…
YVONNE CHOKER
What is your connection to The Grounds ?
I’m Ramzey’s (The Grounds Co-Founder) mum.
What does The Grounds mean to you?
The Grounds is everything to me – it’s the epitome of family fulfilment and I have such a strong identity connection with all of the spaces and places here.
It’s incredible that my son envisioned this beautiful world to honour his father; my husband who passed away; and the growth and transformation means everything to me.
Who is a person that you look up to (and why)?
I admire all of my beautiful children. Their goals stem from a family centre and it brings me so much joy to see them create success from the lessons they learnt from their father. I’m so proud to watch them grow and see their goals come to fruition – they’re very inspiring.
What do you do to relax and escape the stresses of the world?
I love entertaining my friends at The Grounds – I’m so proud of the space and the beauty of the design here and I love to bring them here and treat them to the space.
Spending quality time with my family is also very important to me.
Two big passion points for me are gardening and design and I find such an escape in channeling that passion into different projects. I love being involved in continuous evolution of The Garden space here at The Grounds working with Erin [The Grounds Horticulturalist] as well as helping Silva [The Grounds Florals by Silva] bring exciting installations and projects to life.
What’s next for you?
It’s all about spending time with my grandchildren and seeing where my kids lead us to next with the exciting projects they have in store; they’ve kept me so fulfilled since losing my husband. I get a great deal of pleasure out of being involved where I can in the design projects in the pipeline, so I’ll continue to help them there too.
CAROLINE CHOKER
What is your connection to The Grounds?
I am Ramzey’s sister and the interior designer for The Grounds.
What does The Grounds mean to you?
To me, it’s a home we have created to enrich people’s lives; a place of beauty and tranquility where patrons can re-energise and escape the everyday chaos of city life.
Who is a person that you look up to (and why)?
My dad! He was the most inspiring man who taught our family that everything and anything was possible in life.
His energy and his wisdom is something that we hold onto, and we aspire to be like him everyday.
What do you do to relax and escape the stresses of the world?
Travel – as soon as I’m on a plane and heading to a destination I’m able to unwind.
I also exercise regularly and indulge in weekly massages to help me relax and refocus my mind.
What’s next for you?
This year I’m looking forward to starting a family with my partner Vince.
THERESE MOUSSA
What is your role at The Grounds?
I am The Grounds Creative Developer and Stylist. My role is to lead the creative direction, style the Interiors, food shoots and events.
I look after the styling and the feel of each of the spaces at the Grounds, including The Cafe, The Garden, The Atrium, The Potting Shed and The Lock In.
I work on all of our special events, including our recent Valentine’s Day in The Garden and our off-site pop ups such as The Grounds by The Sea.
What does The Grounds mean to you?
The Grounds is my creative outlet – I am obsessed with working here.
To me, it’s a beautiful, whimsical circus set in a secret overgrown garden where everyone comes from near and far to find a sense of escapism from the real world.
I don’t see it as work, I see it as a canvas through which I can express my creativity and bring my ideas to life.
Who is a person that you look up to (and why)?
I wouldn’t say there’s one person in particular that I look up to, instead there are a few – here are my top 3.
- Tim Burton for his amazing skills at creating quirky and eccentric fantasy movies.
- Wes Anderson for his amazing ability to storytell through set design & costume.
- Kelly Wearstler for her incredible taste in textures & colour palettes.
What do you do to relax and escape the stresses of the world?
I love going to art galleries, reading up on amazing artists and set designers, planting, cooking, and of course watching cartoons and animation (I’m just a big kid at heart).
What’s next for you?
Our new venture The Grounds of the City is due to open very soon and I am super duper excited about it as we have been working on this project for over two and a half years with ACME&CO. I can’t wait for it to open so we can share with the world our new concept, which is so different to our Alexandria “Grounds” look and feel.
NATASHA CEVIKER
What is your role at The Grounds?
I’m the Cafe Manager at The Grounds
What does The Grounds mean to you?
The Grounds is a place that I come to work, to learn something new, challenge myself & grow.
Who is a person that you look up to (and why)?
There’s many different people that I look up to various reasons, Albert Einstein for his civil rights involvement. The Dalai Lama for his love & compassion. Tony Robbins for helping people eliminate fear in their mind & helping them reach greater heights. And my parents, who were raised by their parents, who grew up around war & the great depression.
What do you do to relax and escape the stresses of the world?
I like to go underwater! snorkelling allows me to escape into the aquatic ecosystem.
What’s next for you?
Development & growth.
SUDHA KANDEL SAPKOTA
What is your role at The Grounds?
I am a chef at The Grounds of Alexandria.
What does The Grounds mean to you?
The Grounds is incredibly important to me. Since I started working here, I’ve grown a lot as a person and become much stronger and more motivated. The role has bought with it so many positive opportunities and I’ve learnt so much. It’s become a place where I come to feel inspired and challenged.
Who is a person that you look up to (and why)?
I look up to my mother the most, she has been such a positive example in my life and I admire that she always remains strong and shows resilience when times are tough. I admire her kindness, her talent and her dedication to not only our family, but to work and society as a whole.
What do you do to relax and escape the stresses of the world?
I love spending time with my family – I’m blessed with a baby boy who brings me so much joy and always puts a smile on my face. Yoga is also one of my passions, and I love to watch interesting documentaries and series’.
What’s next for you?
I hope to one day establish and run my own business.