Jonathan Nolan

Jonathan Nolan

Jonathan and is an Icebergs regular and is a fan of our dog which is a sure way of entering our circle of friendship.

He has a gentle and charming presence.

What is your Bondi story?

I grew up by the sea in Ireland, in Sandycove in south Dublin. The sea swimming spot there, the Forty Foot, recently featured in the series Bad Sisters (Ed. terrific show!). So part of the deal when I emigrated from landlocked London to Sydney with my Australian husband, Stephen was to be near the coast and Bondi suited us perfectly. Bondi constantly nurtured my understanding of Australia and beach culture, which fed into my role as brand, design and image manager for the Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games. I even called the design company I started after the Olympics, Coast Design. Recently, having retired a few years ago, I've been a volunteer member of Waverley Council's Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, and now Bondi feeds me creatively and mentally in more subliminal and pressure-free ways! 

How do you spend the first hour of your day?

Checking overnight messages from overseas family and friends (Dad is 90 this year so there's always something to discuss or see from my siblings). Making very strong tea (bringing Stephen tea in bed), sifting kefir and assembling a fruit and muesli breakfast before heading to Icebergs for a swim. Some days I'm also doing a quick knead of dough to get it proving while I swim. (I love carbs! I have the second Irish stomach which is specifically for potatoes.)

Is there one thing you’d like people to know about you? 

I love shopping, but that doesn't mean buying lots of stuff! Shopping was a free London weekend pastime for me and my friends in the 80s and 90s. It's in the blood, as I come from a retail family and started work in the family store, Brian S Nolan. And in London in the nineties I was head of design, print and publishing for the Oxford Street department store Selfridges – crazy busy, constant retail churn, but pure creative bliss for me!