Got my hair done at Sasson then popped around Yorkville before heading home. My hair is very blonde now and I love it! It was time to leave that pandemic hair behind. Kim at Sassoon is legit a blonde MAGICIAN. Bring on fresh blooms, sunshine, and warmer temps. She’s ready for brighter days.
I can’t believe it’s been two years since the pandemic started. It feels like only yesterday that we were all hunkering down and trying to figure out what was going on. We’re finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and I’m really looking forward to summer.
There’s something so peaceful about being up north in the winter. You can stand on the lake and listen to the ice move. The cold air is so refreshing. Easy to find your calm.
We drove up on Thursday and worked from the cottage Friday. It was the first day in a while that I didn’t close the rings on my Apple Watch but, f*ck it, I earned a break. On Saturday, I shovelled snow, played Nintendo, ate snacks, and finished watching Pieces of Her on Netflix. Good show, Toni Collette is one of my fav actors and does a great job playing this role.
Sunday was pretty warm and the top layer of the lake started to melt. I don’t expect the ice will go out until sometime in April. Our lake group usually makes bets on when it will fully melt. I haven’t made a prediction yet!
Things I love: long walks on frozen lakes, the smell of a cold winter day, carrying wood to make a fire, and being at the cottage with you.
Been on a pretty good track record with the Calm app. I usually do a sleep meditation or Sleep Story at night and the 10 min Daily Calm before I get out of bed. I think it’s helping with sleep and focus.
Working hard to keep that calm in my life.
Something you might not know about me is that I always check the wind speed. Every day I ask Alexa about the weather and then I ask her about the wind. If it’s over 10 km/h that means no wide brim hats. If it’s 15 km/h + in the summer I’ll opt for shorts instead of a dress. I don’t like running when the wind is +25+ km/h but I love the strong wind on a hot summer day.
Never really thought much about my own wedding but I’m super excited to be part of Lauren’s! ? Her and Brock are getting married this year so we went to the Modern Bride wedding show. Tbh not usually my kinda thing but as the official Maid of Honor, it’s my duty!
The show had a bunch of vendors and we missed the fashion show but found the wine.? Loved all the photobooths. We can have a good time anywhere and the day was full of fun & laughs. It’s been ages since the four of us hung out!
I’m totally a gym person now. Over the past four weeks of working out, I have amazed myself at my own strength. I’m lifting heavier weights each week and I truly look forward to pushing myself a little harder.
I had planned to only go for the month of February but I feel like I can’t stop now. Today I did a plank (3×45 seconds) with 35 Lbs which is a personal best!
My classes are not more than 5 people and the trainers work close to help you get the right form. When I look back to how nervous I was in my first class I feel like a totally different person. I look forward to my next class the way I used to look forward to going out. ?
I’m still running regularly but I’m terrified of slipping so if it’s icy, no run. One of the best things during winter is getting nice and toasty at the gym.
Let this be a reminder there’s no time like now to start something new and to do it for YOU.
This week I’ve been pretty tired but knowing spring is coming gives me hope. Warmer days will be here in a few weeks and things will get better. We’ve all made sacrifices the past two years and my fingers are crossed that this summer will be different. ☀️
Sending out a little reminder that there are 25 days till spring. Another 25 days after that we’ll be mid-April and flowers will be blooming. Hang in there, we’ll get through this!
On Friday I worked from the Hvr office in Yorkville. We’re gearing up for some very exciting things including a new podcast! Nelson and I are co-hosting with a bunch of amazing creators, brands, and business people. We spent part of the afternoon organizing the main office room for our new podcast studio and Nelson ordered all the gear. Also took my new bag from Spruce Vintage out for a spin, fits my computer and work stuff perfectly! ?
If you’re not on Hvr yet, what are you waiting for? Hvr turns every webpage into a social space where you can chat with friends without leaving the browser app. Visit this link to download on iOS or Android and skip the waitlist while we’re still invite-only. Here’s an example of one of my posts in Hvr, when you’re on the app, you can comment on any page or post to share with friends. Fun. ?
The last few weeks I’ve mostly been at home or the gym. It’s so nice to get dressed up, leave the house and work in an office. Looking forward to spending more time here as we set up the podcast and kick off PR.
Idk if I’ve ever been so excited in my whole life. The best is yet to come! Weee!
Right before the pandemic hit, Sean and I spent a weekend hanging out with my good friend Talia and her husband Nelson. I’d met Nelson briefly in passing but we’d never really chatted. Once we got to talking, he shared what he was working on and we bonded over our thoughts about the web, publishing, and social.
Nelson grew up in the publishing business as his family were co-owners of the Toronto Star. He and his brother Henry were building an app called Hvr that blends the features of browsing and social, bringing engagement back to websites. One of the first things he said was “We’re making browsing fun again” and from that moment, I was on board. As a long-time creator and publisher to the web, I’d never seen something so exciting!
Since 2005 my blog has been my home base on the internet. As social media emerged in 2010, conversations moved to platforms like Facebook and Twitter, taking engagement with them and away from websites. Today, when I hit publish on a blog post, then copy-paste the URL from a browser to a social platform, people will talk about it there. This gives engagement to huge platforms but doesn’t do much for me as a creator or for my website.
Fast forward to 2022, the web is changing, social media is just rented space, the best thing you can do as a creator is have a place you own online, a website.
Introducing Hvr, Where Browsing Meets Social
For the past year, I’ve been working closely with the Hvr team to develop the app by sharing my experience on the web and contributing to everything from design to copy and marketing.
We’re changing the browsing experience by making it easy to follow your favourite sites, discover new content, and share with friends, all in one place. No more copy-pasting links to countless apps to discuss the web.
Hvr creates an easier, real-time hub for my community, so I can stay on top of the commentary without missing a beat. I truly believe Hvr can and will revolutionize the way people consume content from websites. My passion for publishing and creating content has evolved into a passion for a platform, I’m excited for you to join me on Hvr.
The title of this post is a reminder for myself as much, if not more, than anyone else. Focus your power. Believe in yourself. You can do hard things.
A couple of weeks ago when I heard gyms were opening up I was keen to get back into one. I got an email with a 4-week special at a spot REALLY close to home so I went for it.
To be honest, I was a ball of nervous anxiety before my first class. I didn’t know what to expect, what to wear? If it would be too hard if I would enjoy it. In about 5 minutes of being there, my anxiety was gone. I knew it was a good idea and I made a friend.
This is my third week going and I love it. I never really knew how to work out, to use the machines. When I used to go to LA Fitness before the pandemic I did free weights & Nike Training app workouts + running. But NOW I’ve learned to LOVE squats and lifting heavier weights, using ALL the machines.
I’m proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something different.
I had such a great day on Saturday. Such a treat when the weekend rolls around and I have little to no plans. Love a Saturday winter wander, stopping into shops, taking in the sunshine, and letting my mind free.
Started the day at Othership, my first visit the new sauna + ice bath spot on Adelaide. It was amazing. I’ve already booked to go back again and will share more about the experience in another post.
After Othership, a friend and I had brunch at Oretta. It’s the first time I’d been for brunch since at least December 2019. I’m not really a ‘brunch girl‘ but we went for the special and paired our meal with coffee and a mimosa. It was lovely!
I spent the next two hours casually walking home through Queen West and Dundas West, before hitting Junction Triangle. It was cold but sunny and I was happy as can be.
The past two years have been hard but I’ve really found joy in little things like a nice long walk by myself. As the world starts to open up again, I vow to not get caught up in the rat race like I was.
This weekend Sean and I were up at the cottage. It was the first time I’d been up north since our getaway over the holidays. On Sunday we went to visit a friend on Lake Joe just north of Port Carling. Pat & Miranda have become cottage partners in crime for ice cold dips in the frozen lake.
Don’t mess with a girl and chainsaw! ?
Ok, ok, to be honest, I only carried it down to the lake (like Baby in Dirty Dancing with the watermelon), Sean is the real chainsaw king. Pat had a hole in the ice already but in 24 hours 2 inches of ice had formed. The boys made a nice fire beside our pool so we could warm up after going in.
I know it seems crazy but I absolutely love cold therapy. I was never someone who liked winter but since we’ve started doing cold dips in the ice, I’ve learned to love it. I’m listing a few benefits but please note this is not medical advice, do your research and check with your doctor before you do it.
Some Benefits of Cold Therapy
Decreased inflammation
Improved metabolism and weight loss
Mental clarity
Improved sleep
Boost your immune system
My other advice is to always do your dips with a friend. No ice is safe ice and your personal safety is the most important.
For anyone following my adventures, I haven’t been able to use our stock tank in the city because the patio door has been frozen. Excited to get back out there soon tho!
I wasn’t sure if I was going up to the cottage this weekend because rumours of a snowstorm were floating around. Once Friday rolled around, the weather was clear so we headed north after work.
Being in the city, I kinda forget how beautiful it is up north this time of year. The cold temps, snow, and ice embody such magic of winter. I love it. A decade ago I used to complain about the cold and count the days till spring, but now I look for joy no matter what the temperature.
We went for a nice long walk on the frozen lake and had some fun with a purple smoke grenade. The cold air is so refreshing and the views were breathtaking.
Went for dinner with Erin & Natalie at Hemingway’s. Was nice to be out! I had fish & chips and it was kinda greasy (obvs) but I wanted something that reminded me of New Zealand.
Wore a cute outfit and wasn’t out late. Sean picked me up at 8:30 and I got takeaway tacos.
My last visit there was summer 2021 when bars opened after lockdown, Natalie and I had a ball of a time lol. If you’ve been reading my blog a long while you’ll know I used to work at Hemingway’s 10+ years ago. I love that place and all the New Zealand nostalgia. Always a good time!
Cory and I made a date to go for a nice Saturday walk in the sun. It’s hard to stay positive with the compound stress of seasonal affective disorder, Covid, and general life anxiety, but seeing a friend and getting outside always makes me feel better. One great way to beat winter SAD is to plan a day with plant stores & vintage shopping.
The Urban Gardener is my fav local plant shop, I swear just walking in there will boost your mood. It’s warm, green, and filled with beautiful growing plants. I picked up a new lil’ guy to bring home with a nice new planter pot for him to live in.
Our next stop was Pictus Goods on Dupont which is filled with heaps of lovely goods for your home, candles, jewellery, and fresh flowers. Super cute shop! Highly recommend checking it out. They also have a GREAT selection of nice cards.
Our third stop was a private shopping appointment at Nouveau Riche Vintage which DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Tbh, IDK if I have EVER seen such an incredible collection. They have heaps of items for sale including designer, denim, coats, and accessories. The best part for me was the exclusive rental section we got to check out that’s filled with the best outfits you can dream of. SO GOOD.
I didn’t get anything but Cory scored a few goodies. I will deff be back there again!
This week has been pretty good. I’ve been out running every day except Monday when we had a massive snowstorm. I find it really helps my mental health. I remind myself daily to KEEP GOING no matter how cold it is or if I’m tired. I miss going out and seeing people but I’ve also made new routines that include making nice dinners, taking better care of my skin, and going to bed early.
On Sunday I met up with some friends for a hike around High Park, it was cold but refreshing. Didn’t realize there was a skating rink there! My skates are at the cottage and since I broke my collarbone a few years ago, my skating skills are not what they used to be. I’m scared of falling!
Trying to not let the winter SAD get me down and am working at finding joy in little things. If you’re looking for some ideas to boost your mood, I wrote a few posts about beating winter SAD.
