Bars Are Open Again: Hemingways!

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!

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Day 453: Patios Are Open!

The day has finally come! Patios are open in Toronto so of course, I went to one! Natalie and I met up for a girl’s night and snagged a spot at Hemingway’s. I used to work there over a decade ago and it hadn’t been back in ages. It was nice to be back and we had a bunch of drinks, so fun. One of the bartenders I used to work with was still there and we laughed a lot. Hemingways is owned by a Kiwi and there is memorabilia from new Zealand all over, love it. Over the summer, I’ve booked off Friday afternoon so pretty excited to make the most of an almost-long weekend, every weekend. Woo hoo!

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TIFF DAY 1 – Tastemakers Lounge & Swarovski 007 Red Carpet

Whoa. It’s here. Today might busiest day in my 2012 calendar. Not. Even. Kidding. If I can make all my appointments and events I will question my humanity. Am I robot/alien? You will never know. (Shhh you in the back there, keep your secrets!) I have so much gratitude to give for my sister being PA (Production Assistant) on my show today, BMW sponsoring drivers for our Fashion’s Night Out team, tech related media interview in the AM, so may awesome events, my hair growing (don’t laugh), having my nails done (this is serious), and my bestie Lozzie Lauren O’Nizz being invited to all the same things as me. Thank you universe. Yesterday I went to media day at the TIFF Tastemakers Lounge put on by Rock-It Promo and I was SPOILED. Rotten! TIFF is truly more fun than a birthday or holidays because all the media friends are out, everyone is receiving gifts, and celebrating. Films take the first place for TIFF but trust me that fashion is a verrrrry close second. This is the eighth annual Tastemakers Lounge, it’s a Canadian gifting suite hosted during the Toronto International Film Festival. It brings local and international guests to indulge in exceptional products that Tastemakers Lounge is known for.  This was my third year and perhaps the best! Scroll my Instagram Photos: This is a sample (yes, really) of what celebrities will be getting at the Tastemakers Lounge this year. I feel a bit bad showing off but I made a care package for Barbie, gave a Le Dolci cupcake to the hotel concierge, Pop Chips to my concierge, and will treat Mum & Jenie too. Some of my favs are the  zillion nail designs from Kiss Products, amazing arc touch mouse from Yorkdale/Microsoft (that I am now using), 4 scents…

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You can’t fly with the eagles if you’re with the seagulls.

Title is advice from Mum. She said that to me a few years ago when I was trying to sort out where I wanted to go with my life. I always thought I wanted to work in fashion, then I did. After that, I thought wearing a suit, working long hours and being part of the downtown financial district was my dream. I stayed in that job as an IT recruiter having meetings at 8am (yeah omg, it was hell) and 2pm every single day. I hated it so much (job not the people!). One day my boss said “Casie, it doesn’t seem like you are having fun?” I replied “No, I’m not having fun at all. I badly want to quit but I need two weeks pay”. I left at the end of that very day, cheque on the way and started a job at Toronto’s most famous Kiwi restaurant shortly after. I knew the owner (HI MARTIN) and that because of my Kiwi citizenship I had a bloody good chance of getting hired. Working in the bar gave me the freedom (and same money TBH) to do what I wanted with my time. It was stress free and I loved chatting to the regulars and new customers. I worked at Hemingways for a few months and met some really rad people, it was like a family there. One of my recruiter friends sent me on an interview and moved into a job in IT. I worked for an online casino (it was cool, we had catered lunches) for two years and despite almost getting fired for doing it, worked on my blog A LOT. If my old boss reads this he will totally be shaking his head. Thanks Mike! When they caught on to all my blog activity, I decided…

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Feel It From The Inside

This one time I tried to do a cleanse. I made/drank the cayenne pepper, lemon, honey, water blend for about 8 hours. I hated it. I was so hungry after a long starving day at the office that I grabbed a big mac on the way home. I used to work in an office in the financial district and wear a suit every day. I had a meeting each morning called “Red Zone” where we went over accounts and urgent business. We had “Red Zone” again at 2pm and I worked really long hours. One day my boss called me into his office and said something like “Case, you don’t seem like you’re having fun anymore?“. I wasn’t. I was doing freelance PR on the side, I had a blog, I hated my job. I told him I didn’t like what I was doing and I thought about quitting but needed my two weeks pay. He said I could take my two weeks and be done end of day. I was thrilled! Freedom at last. I worked at Hemingways for a few months, a well known Kiwi restaurant in Yorkville. It was way more fun and I made the same money. Anyhow this whole story started with the idea that I am once again revisiting the idea of doing a cleanse this week. Starting Thursday, Total Cleanse is sending me 3 days of juice to drink and I’m kinda excited about it. (Starting it right after a Wednesday’s Jack Daniels party.)  Our condo gym gets new treadmills Friday which is good motivation to finally get back to the gym. Yippee. Have you ever done a cleanse? Tips, tricks. Anything is appreciated. I know some of you kids out there are real healthy.

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i don’t speak java but i can if you like

This is true. Remember that one. Rumor has it you can find this written all over the city. Positive grafitti is my fav. Hearts too. Well, hello there Hi I was heading to a research place where I ate this for lunch.  Basically selling little bits of my brain to mordern science. I am so very diverse in my skill set. You have no idea, I got mad skillz. We followed Starbucker with a visit to the Toy Store. Look what I got, a sheep, baaaaaaa. She loves it, Hello Kitty. This is worth a few good laughs. A couple years back I worked at Hemingways in Yorkville. I knew Martin the owner (a Kiwi) and thought as a New Zealand person they really should hire me. They did. I loved working there so much. It was really fun, the people were awesome and I made good tips. I was there during film fest time which is the best time to be there. We had a very fun time. Eli was great cause he offered to take our photo but he had no idea what he was getting into. After about 10 photos, he got it. Raymi played me Bad Romance on the jukebox. Have you heard mama monster’s new jam Sheibe? She says “I don’t speak German but I can if you like”. Hence title of this post, perhaps you made the connection already? This is the happy face of me talking about New Zealand Mountains with another kiwi. Annnnnnnnd we’re back. Eye spy Raymi has the camera. Nice new cards BTW. I need new cards now that Virgin America dropped the news yesterday about stopping service to Toronto. I’ll talk about that later. Too frustrated about it right now, must remain calm and not have a freakout. Imagine…

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yesterday on twitter, this happened:

Wheels http://twitpic.com/2kdqwz #DrawFreeForiPad # I got a message for you… http://twitpic.com/2kdpu6 #DrawFreeForiPad # Conclusion: I am always late/on the go. # Phone dying. Might be at the JD party @thedrakehotel later! Byeeeee # Its Patric Roy not Roi right? Someone told me wrong. # 12seconds – Patric Roi, your son is hot. #proof http://tiny12.tv/Z8P4W # Sunshine park hang. http://twitpic.com/2kcc73 # there is guy here with silver duck tape on two fingers. # at Hemingways where I used to work, these are the NZ All Blacks. see you in New Zealand haka's. http://dailybooth.com/u/4ndw3 # Dress 1 and dress 3 both win! I am at H&M on Bloor! Thanks team. Love shopping with you xoxo # Dress 3 wins. http://twitpic.com/2kbagd # Dress 2 http://twitpic.com/2kb9jn # Couple options coming. Dress 1. http://twitpic.com/2kb8u2 # I'm at Yonge/Bloor killing time till 6pm. Anywhere I can watch the #YandR at 4:30? #firstworldproblems # Downtown traffic. I hate you. That is all. # i hope this dinner is not a bait n' switch. # just got ticket for @androidTO. new block of tickets opened today. event is oct. 26 http://bit.ly/aTmvLH # Photo: http://tumblr.com/xmjhc8cqy # got a new theme for my site…new baby is gonna be so beauty 🙂 excited. stay tuned! # haha RT @TourLife: Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends # Leaving town this weekend, first time home in almost a year. Pretty stoked. # make the best of every good thing – care bears # #lifeinaday video gallery is pretty rad. http://post.ly/uzSU #

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gosh darnit, somebody pinch me.

Was up early. Can’t sleep in anymore. It’s like I’ll be miss something. I like to be busy, work hard. It’s a crazy cycle of inspiration, the more you do the more you can do. The guy beside me needs to STFU & stop talking so damn loud, honestly. Itunes – Days like This Spinna Club Remix. I escape. This is the song, listen to it and keep going. Today has been fun so far. Made it to my meeting today, late. Cabbie dropped me at 333 when I needed to be at 33. RAN. Yes ran in my coyboy boots and little black dress holding folder + purse with laptop two blocks from Jarvis to Yonge Street. ON THE HOTTEST SWEATY ASS DAY. I was so hot when I got there. Thank god I sat with Miranda at first so I could wipe my forehead with kleenex like a sweaty warthog. Imagine Pumba and Timba mixed together. Yeah. That went well. After I cooled down during meeting I  went and  had a dress contest. 1, 2 or 3? DRESS 1 DRESS 2 DRESS 3 They were all pretty cute. I like dresses. Short ones. They are my most fav thing to wear ever. Boots, short dress, smile, silverish jewels.  I picked dress 3. It is shorter in the front than back, rayon and elegant feeling. It sways in the wind and I feel like someone is about to take my photo. On my feet are vintage Capezio cowboy boots. I need to plan a fall swap clothing swap and invite you ladies over. Someone remind me! So I changed. I have to be at something at ther Roots Store on Bloor for 6pm then dinner at 7:30 then home. I really like home. I am physically ready for Fall…

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the hemingway: beer. booze. babes. butts.

A couple years ago, 2007, I was in a job I began to hate so one day, I flat out quit. I started doing freelance PR. It was good glam for a while but then I was poor ass. So… I went to work at Hemingways, Toronto’s very own Little New Zealand in Yorkville. It was really fun. I hadn’t worked in a resto in a few years. It was a bit tough at first to adjust to the lifestyle but it really didn’t take long. I made friends with a heap of awesome people, mostly hot girls. I worked there for the best busiest time of year too; end of summer before Flm Fest – Christmas. I was proud of myself for not getting sad about not making enough money doing freelance work, instead I pulled up my socks, hiked up my miniskirt and started serving. No matter what job I was doing, I never lost sight of what I truly love…being social. Instead of complaining about  the waitress life I took more shifts and worked as much as I could. It was a good strategy and worked well to bond with other employees. I got a call in December from an old colleague, in recruiting who had an opportunity he thought I’d be great for. Turns out, I was great for it! I left Hems for that job and stayed there until recently leaving to work for the MuchMTV Group. It’s amazing to think of all the changes I’ve gone through. Been going through lots of photos lately, there’s only about 10,000 from the past five or so years. Wendy was one of my fav’s. She was a little crazy one just like me. We partied alot together. It was more than fun.  She moved away to Japan…

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it’s good be a crazy cool kiwi girl

About two yearsago I worked at Hemingways, a Kiwi pub in Toronto or a couple months.I was working away on the patio one night and had been watching Conchords on HBO non-stop for about a month. It was On Demand andI could not get enough of it. I saw this one guy who had the most uncanny resemblance to Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords. At the same time,  I had also been checking out this cute boy who looked kinda like Brett Mackenzie, also from FOTC. I always have a thing for those cute ones that have the Sam Roberts hair. Seperately, I told them about FOTC, at the time it was a hilarious Kiwi show that hardly anyone had heard of. The were both nice and said  ‘ok, sounds kinda cool’ but I needed evidence. I rounded them up like sheep and got them together for a pic. Totally awesome. First pic is the real ones and the other two pictures are the fakes. They look just like ’em!

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