We are way over due for this meetingmeetup. Let’s celebrate ‘carnival season’ on Fat Tuesday with some good ol’ southern BBQ, live music and a whole bunch of awesome people. Get a ticket HERE through Guestlist.
If you have never been to #GenYTO, come! If you HAVE been before, you should especially come and see your friends. WE MISS YOU. Check out some posts from previous events here.
What is GenYTO?
In January 2009 Erin Bury, Renee Warren, Daniel Patricio, Dave Coleman and I started GenYTO. A group for the wired, creative and ambitious young people in the in the Toronto startup, marketing, PR and tech community. We’ve done some pretty fun things since 2009 and helped out a whole bunch of local, national & international charities. For more info visit the GenYTO tumblr.
Located in Parkdale, Breakaway Addiction Services has a mission to provide seamless, comprehensive and effective harm reduction services and a full range of addictions treatment services. Their services are offered through community-based facilities with a focus on street and community outreach.
Meet my fav sleeping accessory. I take this little piece of luxury with me on all travel adventures. It’s 100% pure silk and super soft. Cilque has a promotion right now where you get a free eye mask with purchase of robe or sheets. Can someone get me the robe please? Sheets? Valentine? I would love to sleep in those every night. Check ‘em out here.
For info on the tasty/fancy meals I’m testing out right now visit personalgournet.ca. Below is what I had for lunch today, grilled tiger shrimp w/ garlic & lemon jasmine rice and sweet peas. It was really good. Mega convenient having everything right here. You know how much I love to hibernate & work
It’s heart month and I’m feeling lovely. I have heaps going on this month and next and hopefully till the end of time. I love being busy. The most hustle in Winter means more fun for summer I reckon. On Feb. 20th I’m in a fashion show during Ottawa Fashion Week with a whole bunch of famous Canadians. Yeah, ME! Crazy, eh?
The show is for Unicef and the other models are Gabrielle Miller (Corner Gas/Call Me Fitz), Rosey Edeh (ET Canada), Tré Armstrong (So You Think You Can Dance Canada), Erica Wark (CBC’s Steven and Chris), Leesa Butler (f-list.ca), Elizabeth Manley (Olympic Silver Medalist), Gail McInnes (TDot TV), Cory Lee (Degrassi), TL Rader (Professional Ballroom Dancer), and Solange Tuyishime (UNICEF Canada Ambassador).
I’m not sure who I’m wearing yet but I’m hoping for something really glamourous. We’re taking the train to our nations capital and staying at a hotel for the weekend. I’ve never taken a long train ride and I know there is wifi so like, that’s the part I’m most excited for. WHAT A NERD. Oh well! I’ve done heaps of fashion shows in my life (so far) so walking the runway for charity is a total pleasure.
I was going to post the most obvious song but I did once already so I started looking for model songs. Then I looked at models and ended up at this, which is sexy, with models, and right in time for the superbowl. I’m actually going to a real super bowl party on Sunday. I’ve never been to one before! I don’t think? No.
Do you see now why I love Valfre so much? I always hug my besties when I see them. Hugs are good.
I must rush to a fancy steak house lunch presentation for a client which will then be followed by another lunch with a client. Today is business time! I’m gonan dress real professional just to throw them off. Mooohaha. Follow my Tweets to be part of the adventure.
The Balloon Tree by Phoebie Gilman was one of my favourite books as a child. We used to read heaps of books. Each summer Jenie and I would join the Summer Reading Club at the Preston library. I spent so much of my childhood at that place. I was either there, the dance studio, or gymnastics. I’m pretty sure I had my first reading by Robert Munsch at the Preston library. I remember meeting Phoebie Gilman and having my photo taken with her. Authors were my celebrities back then. When I wrote ‘Jeans: an anthology of poetry & prose‘ in 1996 we had our book launch there. We sold over 80 books that night and one dollar from the sale of each went to the Women’s Crisis Shelter. It was a magical night. I’l never forget how good it feels sitting there signing your own book for a lineup of people. I’ve been (slowly) working on another book. Write more, read more, that’s what I keep telling myself.
I’m a big believer in the power of positive thought and a few things I’ve been thinking about lately are libraries and speaking. Not necessarily together but in general. The crazy thing is, I got an email from Marketing Magazine asking me to speak at an event next month and guess where it is? A LIBRARY. My favourite library in the city, Toronto Reference. We’re talking youth culture and the founder of VICE Magazine will also be there talking about The Creators Project between Vice & Intel. I’ve been a Vice fan for about ten years and have a diploma in marketing so this is all quite exciting. THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN’T DO.
The Creators Project is really cool and well, CREATIVE.
“I have always imagined that Paradise
will be a kind of library.”
Jorge Luis Borges quotes (Argentinian Poet and Essayist, 1899-1986).
Last night at the SAY Media party for DX3 I had the time of my life playing with a parachute. It was so fun/cool/awesome, seriously.
The band man is Rich Aucoin and here are his deets so you can follow him. Canadian and good looking too.
I was shaking the parachute with about a hundred other people. A bunch were in the middle and running from side to side as the parachute went up and down dancing the air. Charlotte from SAY emailed this photo to me after the show and I’m sure there are heaps more in cameras around. Right when photo was taken I was in this totally awesome childlike state where I swear I don’t know if I’ve ever had so much fun. It was absolute bliss.
I’ve said it before and will again, the SAY Media team really know how to throw a party. In conversations last night I learned that lots of people were learning about the company for the first time. This is pretty rad for me because I’ve been working with them for almost a year now. I’m their Canadian ‘poster child’ for social & one of their passionate people building culture. I’ve mentioned them a few times on blog before.
I think lots of old friends were surprised to see my face on their signage. “Hey look, that’s you“
I fell in love with how SAY Media really ‘get it’ the first time I received an email and checked out their site. They work with Passionate Voices connecting us with brands and stuff we like. Last year when I was an Android user, I did a national campaign with HTC. SAY is the first ever real advertising I hooked up with too. Those fancy video ads in my sidebar, that’s them.
I’m heading to DX3 for day two today and will probably be hanging out in their booth when not in a session. Come stop by. Look for these faces:
Know what else was totally rad last night? Turns out Rich from the band knows of me from my old friend Ryan Brooks. Ryan and I were in Australia together years ago. Today is Australia Day! Small world after all. If you text Rich he will send you the album.
I’ve very quickly developed an addiction to Pinterest. I got lost in there last night pinning all kinds of things I love, style, travel and places I’ve been. It’s amazingly easy to browse and stumble through all kinds of pretty, smart, inspiring and wonderful things. Mine looks like this so far:
I came across this panting and it automatically caught my eye because it’s by Stewart Brand. Do you know Stewart Brand?
How about a ‘Stewart’ brand like Martha, Rod, Jon, Kristen, or French?
A few of my fav are Lloyd, Judy, Jenie, Donald, Matthew, and Lisa (hi family!).
First thing after finding the painting was google ‘stewart brand’ and it turns out he is QUITE the FUTURIST who “ has been a critical thinker and innovator who helped lay the foundations of our internetworked world” according to TED. I stayed up way to late listening him talk. TED really sucks you in! My brain must have been hungry.
I watched him talk then somehow got into Stewart history and patterns and learned about the different Stewart tartans. I always knew the red one but they’re all quite pretty.
I love the internet because I learn and consume so many things in a day. Think back to when you had to go to a library or an expert for answers?! Some of you might not even remember. We are the digital generation. WHAT DID/WILL YOU LEARN TODAY?
Now, I’m going to dress up in some type of amazing outfit like this and do work all day that relates to my blog and life. HAVE AN AWESOMER DAY.
I’m in Boston! My home for the weekend is downtown Double Tree, they have the best cookies. Follow my tweets for the adventure. We’re at The Bell right now. Bob is a regular and our friend Meri is on the bar. Going to Rocky Horror later!
Toronto’s been named second best city in the world! The big apple took the cake for first place but hey, it’s NEW YORK. Read it here in the Globe & Mail.
We had a mini blizzard in Toronto today. When I say ‘we’ I mean Toronto and not the kind of blizzard you get from Dairy Queen! Brrrrr.
Took this pano from the balcony just before sunset.
The weather was really moody today all up, down, angry, then the sun finally came out. I felt a bit like that too. This video is down by the lake when I was almost BLOWN OVER.
Stopped by the beach in the afternoon. No really, I went to the urban beach even though it was FREEEEZING. Sand & snow!
Embrace winter!
I love how the boats look, pretty, peaceful and cold. I have so man memories from this spot.
Hung out at CTS with Emma in the afternoon and she dressed me in a full leather outfit.
Decided to walk back from my meeting to get some fresh air.
Hanging out with these guys tonight.
These are my favourite chocolate treats if you are wondering what to get me for valentines.
In celebration of Toronto’s awesomeness and being one of the BEST CITIES to live in here’s a lovely tune from GTA cool kids Walk Off the Earth called ’Corner of Queen’. Queen Street FTW!
