Sophie Piearcey talks dating, Netflix and her #my9pm

New Zealand content creator, photographer and all-round adventurer, Sophie Piearcey is one to watch. When she’s not dreaming up beautiful content (Notes of a Northerner), you’ll find her in the outdoors or drinking a cup of Yorkshire tea. We spoke to her about how routine helps her manage her business, who cooks in her household and what her 9pm ritual looks like. 

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and what a typical day in the life of Sophie looks like?

A typical day in my life? Every day is so different which makes it such a dream. I run my own content and social media business, so I’m either behind the camera shooting campaigns or I’m in front of the laptop scheduling, editing and connecting with my awesome clients. I always make sure to cram in at least five cups of tea and a movement session, either at the gym, swimming or running along the Queenstown Trail. I'm also a huge foodie, so getting in some delicious snacks is a pivotal part of my day.

2. Being a freelance creative, do you have a set routine? And how do you make a good habit stick? 

Routine keeps me sane. I get up at 6.30am every morning, have a cup of tea and read my emails, it helps keep my day in check. I also stick to exercising at least once a day after 4pm – it gives me something to work towards and rounds off my day nicely. 9pm is when I start to wind down, do my last client checks and get ready for bed. It’s those little things that we do every day that keep us grounded. 

3. As newlyweds, are you thinking about picking up any new habits? 

We’ve been notorious dine in people. I love food, I love to cook for my man and I love experimenting in the kitchen. However, when we got married we vowed to date out at least once a month so that we could experience new places and flavours together. We both run our own businesses from home so getting out of the house (no work, no distractions and no pot washing) is such an awesome treat for us. 

4. Are you or the hubby responsible for cooking? And do you believe in the golden rule: whoever cooks shall not clean?

100% - if I’m cooking, you won’t catch me near the kitchen sink. It has been an underlying silent rule our entire relationship haha. We both have dishes that we are better at, so we take it in turns - it’s really whoever fancies cooking that evening. We’re also the perfect double team, Robbie is a top veg chopper and I’m a fabulous spice adder, so sometimes we find ourselves both getting involved. But then who cleans the mess? Hmm…

5. Who is the more romantic one? 

Oh, I would say I am. I’m a sucker for cute gifts, lunchbox love notes and declaring my love at any given opportunity. But then Robbie is a fantastic gift giver and always nails something so personal and lovely. We both have a big wooden box under the bed filled with cards, notes and photos from our time together. I think it’s such a nice thing to keep and look back on in years to come.

6.What’s your first date night memory? 

We didn’t actually date until about six months into our relationship. We met in Australia, had a whirlwind few weeks and then I left for the UK. Upon my return a few weeks later, I moved straight in and the girls I worked with at the time begged us to go on our first ‘official’ date. We got dressed up, found a small Mexican place, ate chicken wings out of a wine bucket and drank white wine that tasted like vinegar. Perfect first date if you ask me!

7. What does your 9pm look like? Any evening rituals? 

Yes, I have to wind down. Sometimes my days can be so hectic, so making sure I have an evening ritual in place is important. I have a great skincare routine that I look forward to every evening. I also love food prepping, not only does it help the morning rush but it’s another reason for me to be involved in the kitchen. We also make sure we watch one programme a night together, whether it be the new David Attenborough on Netflix, Peaky Blinders or Jimmy Carr’s 8 Out of 10 Cats.

8. Who controls the Netflix remote? 

100% me. Purley because I have the patience to sit through and search for new things whereas Robbie would happily watch reruns of friends his whole life. We love a bit of Gogglebox, so when episodes become available we’ll agree to binge-watch those.

9. What was the last show you watched?

We recently just finished Peaky Blinders and OH MY what an incredible series! We waited for ages for it to appear on Netflix and when it did, we watched an episode a night. I’m so ready for the next instalment.

First Table availability for the next seven days now rolls over at 9pm in New Zealand. Which means you can book a popular table for the week ahead, at a more reasonable hour! We’d love to see what your 9pm ritual looks like, whether it’s Netflix and chill, racing to book a First Table or enjoying a drink with friends. Share it with us on Facebook: /FirstTableNZ and Instagram: /@FirstTable with the hashtag #my9pm