Travel Goals: RV Adventure 2017

When I was a kid my grandpa Doug converted an old school bus into the ultimate traveller complete w/ stove, bbq, and a few beds. We would drive about 2hrs to the Down Under Summer Games with heaps of Kiwis and Aussies. It was so much fun, we would sing, dance, have a a hangi, go fishing, and watch the dads do a gumboot toss. It’s a down under thing haha. This summer I’m planning to live out one of my dreams and so an RV adventure. GoRVing Canada has invited me and I’ve not set out the details but it’s going down. ? Or East, West, who knows! GoRVing.ca helps RVers in Canada with information about RV dealers, RV rentals, RV parks and campgrounds. Find all kinds of info at gorving.ca. ???? The airstream section was my favourite. It’s totally hipster of me but I love the hyyge, cozy, retro of it all. I think I could do a summer living in one of these as long as I had wifi and freshwater. I’ve learned to need way fewer things over the last few years. There are so many different kitchen/sleep/bathroom options, sizes, and pries in RVs. I knew there would be a lot to consider as a friend told me about the campingfunzone.com RV/trailer article she read and what you need to take into consideration but I was overwhelmed! I was impressed by the luxe of some, full kitchens, big fridge, queen beds. Overheard a conversation of a few people talking about how they used to live on their boat and now are looking for a nice RV to travel land on. So cool! A few years back my mum & her bf lived on their boat for a year and sailed to the Bahamas. I’ve always admired…

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Yes! This Is Your Life, The One You Created

? This week in LA was a relaxing, reset, recharge. It started w/ a Sunday sound bath & breath workshop where I set my intention for the next few days. ??I spent a lot of time alone this trip, driving a convertible all over LA, one-on-one visits w/ old friends, discovering new things, random shopping, last minute airbnbs, and a fancy ? dinner by myself before flying home. Today we hosted Emily’s 9th birthday party ? (whoa kids!! ?) and after I started thinking about work. And it made me feel good! I love Sunday cooking and tomorrow I’m making a soup for my job. Sometimes I think to myself ‘this is my life?’ and I’m *finally* starting to (hello 2017) say ‘YEAH GIRL IT IS YOUR LIFE, YOU CREATED IT‘. I’m feeling energized and inspired by everything around me right now, similar to when I started my blog almost 12 years ago. Whoa dinosaur, April 2017 is 12! ? I’m really exited for 2017, to try new things, and put even more action into stuff that brings me pure joy. Feeling a fire in my soul and warmth in my heart and what is another word for #blessed bc, well y’know what I mean. Here’s to making every single day feel like vacation. ?

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DTLA: We’re All Stars Here ?

Woke up in Beverly Hills and checked to make sure the car was there, it was! (I parked on the street and thought it was a safe spot but in the morning I learned that was actually a red zone. All good!)  Left my airbnb to drive around Rodeo Drive before  going to The Academy, The Broad, and the Arts District. I’ve been busy so will break things up a bit, heaps of photos! ☀️???✈️ My goal for this LA trip was to spend time doing what I want when I want. I needed a reset. I needed a break. I wanted to explore LA, see friends, and take in the whole experience while driving a convertible. Well, check that off my 2017 list baby because it’s exactly what I’ve done. Yay! ?

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TRAVEL | Vegas, Baby! #CES2017

First trip of 2017 starts bright and early tomorrow morning. I’m heading to LAS VEGAS! I’ll be joining a bunch of journalists + influencers from North America for CES and my trip is sponsored by Harman Kardon (JBL, Bang & Olufsen etc). They’re hosting us at the Hard Rock Hotel and on Friday night they’ve got STING playing a concert in the hotel bar. I AM SO EXCITED.  Aside from my set itinerary, I’ll be exploring the conference floor, attending talks, and rounding up all the hottest tech trends. ▶︎ Later this month I’m speaking on a panel at WeAreWearables Toronto about tech trends from CES. Get a ticket for it here! I’m also checking out VR stuff for Sean’s company Occupied VR. I can’t wait. CES is so freaking exciting. I went a couple years ago, tech heaven! It’s also a bit warmer there than Toronto. I’m also hoping to check out the Neon Sign Museum and maybe do a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon. After Vegas, I’m driving to LA with a friend and staying in Venice Beach for the week. I can’t wait to document this trip.

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Travel | Escape & Discover – A Surprise Weekend in Sudbury, ON

This summer I went on a really fun adventure with Ford Canada. They sent us these great luggage bags and told us to pack for a weekend. We had no idea where we were going and in my fret of nervousness the night before, went crazy I decorated my bag. In a group of 20 or so bloggers, it wasn’t hard to know where my bag was at all times. Dare to be different! ??? They sent a driver to pick me up bright and early on a Saturday morning when I was whisked off to a Ford Dealership to meet the gang and find out what was going on. After some snacks & coffee it was time for the reveal. I was handed an envelope with this card and a boarding pass. I did NOT think we would be going anywhere by airplane. Good thing I didn’t pack full size lotions! My team and I jumped in our next car and went straight to Porter Airlines. It felt a bit like The Amazing Race when 4 groups all went separate ways to different destinations. There was a Comicon happening downtown in Sudbury that weekend. Noticed a lot of really cool street art. The paper is called the ‘North Bay Nugget’ ? ?. Went for a hike in the Duchesnay Falls. Ate a seriously huge poutine. We spent the night at a great little 3bdrm beach house bed & breakfast on the lake. We had planned to try loads of water sports and I had packed my wet suit and my dryrobe equivalent, but after a toe-dip inspection we decided it was a no go. The water was pretttttty cold. I had been to Sudbury as a kid but I didn’t remember much. It was pretty neat to see the…

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Tech | Travel More + Shop at Apple Using the New RBC Rewards App

Last week I was in Arizona doing something I love, documenting my trip on my new iPhone and taking an adventure with friends to somewhere I’ve never been. Tech and travel have always been something I really enjoy so I’m always trying to bring more of those into my life. RBC has a great new app for people who also like these things, like you, called RBC Rewards. The app is now avail on iOS and Android and allows you to do things like book flights, hotels, cars, or shop for your fav tech stuff at best Buy or Apple. best part is you can redeem your RBC Rewards points for all this stuff.  The app will also reco products and show you offers based on interests. iOS users can use Touch ID to sign in. Sean uses his RBC Business Avion card so he’s racked up a ton of points. We used RBC Rewards to bring a friend with us to LA a couple years ago. Knowing he can now use those points via the app at the Apple Store mean one thing…iPhone Upgrade! My Fav Perks of the RBC Rewards App – Search/book flight, hotel, car rentals, using a mix of points + cash – Shop Apple & Best Buy w/ points + cash – Use points for RBC Rewards merch and GCs [metaslider id=38363] My mum has been an RBC customer for as long as I can remember so in my research I asked if she uses their rewards program, and she does! Something she was really excited to tell me was how she uses Payback with Points to redeem points toward her RBC Rewards credit card. “As a world leader in mobile technology, RBC is committed to innovation and pushing the boundaries of what is possible in order to meet the evolving expectations of our clients,” Jacquelina Calisto, Vice President, Digital & Commercialization, RBC All of…

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Travel | I’m in Arizona! Here All Week Travelling Route 66!

Hi, I’m currently writing to you from our luxury van travelling to Route 66 through the Sonoran Desert. We just visited the iconic Wigwam Hotel in Holbrook. Arrived late last night and will be on the road all week touring the highway staying at a different spot each night. We’re about to take a tour of the Petrified Forrest. Petrified wood in the Rainbow Forest. So cool. This photo was at Route 66 at Disneyland in California but I WILL recreate it this week.  I packed the same dress! Road trippin'! #66kicks #MyAZtrip pic.twitter.com/fSfuAg9fwi — CASiE STEWART (@casiestewart) October 17, 2016

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Travel | I’m in South Florida this week! 

Follow my Snap, Instagram, and Tweets for sunshine and adventures. Updates from other media on the trip are on the #SeizeTheKeys hashtag! ?☀️?✈️️???‍? Heading to breakfast now them Hemingway’s House. Later today I’m planning to bike around some more then we’re going paddle boarding at night! BLOODLINE WAS FILMED HERE! Trying Key Lime at every meal ?? Rented a bike to explore Key West Our backyard at Chelsea House Hotel Today was so great. In Florida all week and ready for adventure. Biked around Key West, swam, beach, saw roosters & iguanas. Ready to retire tbh. #travel #thisismylife #seizethekeys A photo posted by ? C A S I E S T E W A R T (@casiestewart) on Oct 2, 2016 at 6:59pm PDT  

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Tech | #SeizeTheKeys! ☀️? I’m Heading Down to Florida!

Well, it’s just starting to cool down and I’ve got something warm and exciting to share… on Sunday I’m going to the Florida Keys! I’m heading down with Florida Tourism and a couple other blog friends. I’ll be documenting my experience on Facebook (w/ Live!), Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram. I can’t WAIT to see what we’re doing. I got a heads up that we’ll be Night Boarding, which is stand up paddle (SUP) on board that are LIT. I love my SUP board so stoked for this I’ve had the Beach Boys song Kokomo in my head all week. (There used to be a bar in the Keys called Kokomo!) I’ve also looked up famous movie scenes filmed there and this one is on my to-do list haha. Have you been to the Florida Keys? Any recos of what we should do there? LMK!  

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Meet The 2016/2017 Team TELUS Advocates (waves hi!)

I first met with Telus PR in 2009, since we’ve done some amazing things together. Back then, ‘influencer marketing’ was something for celebrities (Paris, Britney, Beyonce) and I was still working at Much/MTV. Since then, Telus and I have done some really fun things together like mobile updates from around the world, scaling a building, building a garden, and donating to charities. Last year, TELUS created #TeamTelus Advocates, an official group of influencers across Canada to help them spread Telus vibes across the country through community involvement, sharing experiences, and talking about tech. I’m happy to share I’m on the 2016/17 team w/ a bunch of great Canadians! I’ve got a few stories planned over the next couple months including getting my dad set up his first android, travel packages (I’m away most of October!!) AND MY NEW iPHONE 7+! OMG, I can’t wait to get my new phone and take that camera on adventures. Check out some of the #TeamTELUS Advocates below, see full list here. In case you missed the videos we did this year, check out the Mother’s Day one below and scroll a little bit more to see my excited face after scaling down Toronto City Hall at the Rope for Hope for Make-A-Wish Foundation the year before. [youtube id=”7fShXKG4Udw”] Recently, I wrote about my love for the Telus mobile network when we’re up at the cottage, I seriously have the best service up there. Next week I’m joining the Toronto team for The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. October 1st 1pm, Beaches, Toronto. Details here if you want to join me! Thanks for following my adventures, and since a lot of updates come from my phone or via mobile wifi, we really Telus to thank for keeping us connected. I’m excited to share adventures and stories with you this year. Next trip announcement coming soooooooon, there will be…

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Weekend Roadtrippin’ w/ Enterprise CarShare

Last weekend I had my first Enterprise CarShare experience. I applied for a membership a couple weeks before, then downloaded the app for iPhone, logged in using my Member ID, and started browsing cars and dates.  In my experience it’s nice to have a small car for city driving that’s convenient to park and good on gas. Once my car was booked in the app I was ready to roll. I scheduled pickup for Friday at noon and arrived at the pickup location shortly after. Tapped my card on the windshield sensor and it was unlocked. Spent the afternoon running errands in Queen West then popped over to visit my sister in the Beaches. It took a few tries to get used to locking and unlocking the car but it was a breeze overall (instead of using the power locks you tap your member card to the windshield sensor).

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The 8th Wonder of the World, Beautiful Niagara, Ontario

When I was growing up, visiting Niagara Canada was something we did a few times a year. My parents are from New Zealand, so the wonder of the falls and all that surrounds them was something we wanted to show ALL overseas visitors. Now that I’m a grownup, (yay adulting!) I’m looking to visit for a nice relaxing weekend of togetherness. A few years ago we went to Niagara for vacation and it was so fun driving around and discovering new things. There’s heaps of attractions in the Niagara Region, so I’m making a list of fun, couple stuff we can do together. It’s a great getaway that’s not too far from anyone living in Ontario or just over the USA border. Road trip time! This month, Niagara Canada is stating their claim as The 8th Wonder of the World. The region has so much to offer – it’s truly one of mine and Sean’s fav places to escape for romantic couples getaway. And of course, those falls are a massive 176 feet with 150,000 gallons of water crashing down per second, now that truly IS a wonder. Fun Couples Things to Do In Niagara, Ontario Nightlife – I really love casino carpets and stage shows so we definitely want to pop over to the Fallsview Casino Resort and check out one of their amazing presentations. Everyone (including us) has heard about what an unbelievable experience it is to play casino games in Las Vegas and this is something that we would love to get to do one day. Our friends can’t stop going on about it, so I can’t wait until we can join in with their conversations. I have played a few online casino games like those that involve a combination of Online Fishing, Real Money, and eye…

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Being Your Own Boss Has Its Perks – Cottage Workation!

This week we are working form the cottage.☀️?✌?  I find I’m really productive up here. It’s a nice mix of working hard, writing, and taking breaks, snacks, and naps. I usually spend the day writing and doing blog biz things then after 2pm, I go down to the dock, float in the lake, or read on my Kobo. I’m about to finish She’s Not There by Joy Fielding today. ?? ? This will be my 10th book since April, summer goals ✔️!!! A photo posted by ? C A S I E S T E W A R T (@casiestewart) on Aug 8, 2016 at 8:22am PDT Today is Sean’s 40th birthday! I know, he looks so young, what a babe! I baked a layered red velvet cake yesterday for later and we opened presents this morning. We’ve got some friends joining us end of the week to celebrate together. If you’re following my Snapchat you’ll have seen these photos and the MASSIVE WATERMELON I got the other day. It’s seriously the biggest one I’ve EVER SEEN. I might cut into it this afternoon. ??? In other news, SEAN GOT ME A CLAWFOOT TUB. I’m in love with it. It’s SO BIG. It’s not set up yet but it will be eventually. I’ve dreamed of having one of these and I’m absolutely over the moon. I sat in it, inside the garage for about 20 minutes yesterday, with no water. It’s MASSIVE! Sending you sunshine from cottage country, here’s to a great week!

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Cerulean Sea, Blue Skies, Boston Besties

This weekend in Boston was really fun. ?? ✈️  The friends I was visiting totally surprised me and flew in a couple we both know from San Francisco, (who used to live in Boston). I totally screamed when they walked in the backyard! ? I love surprises and they totally hid this from me for the last week. THANK YOU BOB AND ELLEN ILU! ?   They pulled together all my Boston BFFs and we had heaps of fun eating great food and lounging by the pool. On Friday night we had dinner with Kristen (in photo) and from then till Sunday morning when I left I was smiling and laughing. I took a break from Snapchat and Pokemon to spend some real FACE TIME with my friends. It was great! It’s been 2 years since I saw any of the crew and some even longer! They always say I bring the sunshine and I totally did, it was an absolute perfect day on Saturday. ☀️? I got home last night after another great flight with Porter Airlines. I absolutely love flying Porter. I’m not 100% on my next vacation destination  *yet* but early August we are up at the cottage for 9 days and I can’t WAIT. It’s Sean’s birthday that week and last year we rented a Seadoo. Have a post-op appt with my surgeon today and hopefully everything is a-ok. Still recovering and in some pain. I’m really happy with the results tho, it’s the first time in my life I’ve been able to comfortable wearing a bathing suit top! ☀️ Here’s to a great week! ☀️  

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