Cannon Dolls in the Nutcracker w/ The National Ballet of Canada

Do you know the story of the Nutcracker? The little boy & girl and the Nutcracker toy, they go to sleep, the Nutcracker grows to life size and comes alive with the other toys and it’s all very magical. Almost as magical is being on stage in The Nutcraker with the National Ballet of Canada after you’ve dreamed of it your whole life. Add on having Mum, Steve & sister there to watch, double magic. We had a breif rehearsal in the studio. Watched our part, learned the plan, practiced a bit. There were ballerinas everywhere. Concentration happening here. The REAL Peter/Nutcracker, amazing dancer. Buff and masculine. (Casting deets) Sam learning where to walk on stage from dance instructor. Audience was out there. HI MUM! This was cool to me. Get ready time. This brings me back so many memories. I did ballet for 1/3 of my life, those formative years cast a long impression. It was always a dream leave the studio and go to the National Balle, also the only reason I ever fantasized about moving to Winnipeg. Backstage jitters? Nah. All good. We do not have a video of it. Kate’s sister was there and said we were great. Wearing doll cheeks is really fun. I kept them on all night. Used the new Nikon to take a bunch of these shots. Our whole part was over before we knew it and we’re ready to do it again. Time on stage was about 3.5 minutes. You can’t even see the audience with all the bright lights in your face. I love that feeling. There were over 2,000 people in the audience. It was so much fun, have I said that yet?. Mum’s told me a zillion times how great it was, said she’s “spellbound”. I didn’t know…

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Dream Come True: On Stage with The National Ballet

At the age of three I started ballet. I danced at Meyerhofer Academy in Cambridge lead by Miss Lisa for ten years. I learned so many things from that woman. To this day Mum says I remind her of Miss Lisa. My first recital was at Humanities Theatre in Waterloo when I was five, I was a fluffy cloud in our annual recital. This photo & costume are from in my first Solo as “The Clown”. Mum made this entire costume out of a beautiful fabric and we still have it at home. After five I began competition which sometimes took me out of school to travel with the other kids. I went to NY and Myrtle Beach, SC to Showstopper, the National American Dance Championships and did heaps of competitions in Ontario. I was at the studio several days a week for most of my childhood. I guess that’s where my love for the stage & sequins comes from. (Thanks for that too Mum!) I’m extremely grateful that Mum kept me in dance even though we had some tough times. I learned heaps from growing up in dance. Tonight, I will be backstage, in costume and part of a show that as a child, I only dreamed of. The National Ballet of Canada’s The Nutcracker is Toronto’s favourite holiday tradition and this year the  Ballet celebrates 60 years. With over 340 performances and 814,635 people enjoying it since 1995, the National Ballet’s The Nutcracker has been hailed “the best on the planet”. Thank you kindly to the National Ballet of Canada for asking me to be part of The Nutcracker. Mum and her BF are coming from out of town to see tonight’s performance. It truly is a dream come true! Sammy and I will be Cannon Dolls and look a little something like this: Here’s a sneak peek from backstage…

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The Ballet on Ossington w/ Ivana Santilli

Went to Ballet on Ossington for my first time Friday night. It was a blast! We popped bottles and danced the night away with Ivana Santilli. Who is awesome by the way! The Ballet is not ‘the ballet’ like the time I was in the Nutcracker with the National Ballet of Canada ballet, it’s just the the venue name. Me as a Canon Doll in the Nutcracker w/ the National Ballet of Canada It’s a sexy, fairly small, upstairs bar, with old school booths and often features burlesque dancers. See the full set of photo here, a few of my friends & favs below! @casiestewart -some great shots u in this album– thank u 4 comin & uppin’ the ante with ur vibes. again the 18th https://t.co/UFUmY8ovXE — Ivana Santilli (@IvanaSantilli) October 16, 2013   Haha I crack me up… DANCE FACE! Have an awesome day. Much love to you all! <3 CASIE Buy Cozaar Buy Diflucan Buy Finasteride

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Day 10: Stay Home Club

Monday! I always loved Monday because it’s the start of a new week and you never know what can happen. Today though, I know what will happen and the unknown is kinda scary. I am trying not to think about everything too deeply but it’s hard. I got back on the workouts this morning and it made me feel better. I love the IG Live workouts but at the same time, it’s a bit overwhelming to see what everyone is doing and how hard they’re working. I’m really trying not to eat all the snacks. I’ve been sticking to intermittent fasting but the night is hard, the anxiety kicks in and I want to grab the chips. I got out the art supplies and painted a couple of pieces of paper. I’ve been saving onion skins to use as a fabric dye. I have a pile of recycling for making an indoor garden. We’ve been very conscious of waste as we don’t have pickup, I’m not sure what we’re going to do about garbage & recycling yet. I made a curry but we are getting a bit low on supplies. We need to get groceries sometime soon. This is a helpful tip if your house is feeling dry, feel free to add something to the water to make it smell nice ex. citrus, vanilla, cloves & cinnamon, essential oil (not all at once!). Some of my activities today included a Mexican inspired breakfast scramble, National Ballet on IG Live, multiple pushup challenges, a DJ set by Kardinal w/ workout (15min), making energy balls, making toasted coconut macaroons, a chickpea curry in the Instant Pot, and watching the entire first season of ‘Feel Good’ on Netflix. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?

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Stop to Smell the Roses, Treat Yourself

I started this weekend off right with a trip to Hammam Spa early Saturday morning. I spent about 30 min in the steam room before my St. Tropez treatment. It’s a sunless tan type application and to be honest, I think it wore off already and I won’t do it again. The experience itself was great and I booked with Cynthia who is awesome. Smashed up some bananas in the blender to throw into this mix when it came out of the juicer. It was a great way to start Sunday morning. I made Sean and I nice breakfast and we watched Romancing the Stone, an old romance-find-the-treasure movie from the 80’s. These shoes arrived Friday from the NastyGal Shoe Cult. I made a mistake in the postal code when I purchased them and I totally thought they were on their way back to NG HQ. Had lunch at Free Times Cafe for Ariel & Chris’ engagement party. It was fun and the food was amazing. I really like Yiddish music. I wish I understood! The piano player was from the National Ballet of Canada too. Stopped by the Parkdale Flea Market on the way home. It was such a nice day out I just wanted to do things outside! I picked up a shirt for Sean with an illustrated bear that is running. It’s super cute. Made a delicious juice this morning with spinach, kale, grapefruit, apple, pear, and a dash of cinnamon. It’s so freaking good! If you missed our latest Cooking with Cuisinart episode with the juicer, watch it here. I feel good if I keep posting the juices I make because it serves as a good reminder for me to keep making them. I’d determined to drop a few LBs this month! When I arrived at the office…

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Juma Installation at Toronto World MasterCard Fashion Week

Toronto’s Juma, unveiled their Fall/Winter 2012 scarf collection at the Edward Day Gallery without the use of models, opting for an installation style event.  An elite group of Monday night fashionista faves soaked in the wonders of Juma’s silky garbs.  In case you didn’t know, Juma is a brother and sister team (Jamil and Alia) who create unisex, progressive ready-to-wear and accessories using their own digital prints inspired by art and travel. The upcoming season’s work was no exception and channeling aspects of local culture, and wildlife from the siblings travels in Thailand and Northern China but adding a spacey 60s mod vibe. I wonder what their trips are like. I can imagine they are quite unlike anything most family vacations I’ve been on! Since launching their line in the 2003, the duo have relocated to New York where they spend half their lives, bringing some inspiration to their designs. According to Jamil, the two of them looked forward to “developing an environment that will embody the personality of the collection.” I guess this was true enough.  The walls of the gallery were draped with dozens of scarves, not unlike the paintings that usually house the gallery’s walls, with glossy lacquered branches hanging here and there.  It was well fitting as Juma’s scarves really are works of art that bring loud psychedelic burps pops of colour to the  minimalist wardrobe that Toronto just can’t seem to escape from. Aside from launching the exotic and always eye-dazzling array of garments and scarves Juma has been quite busy on other fronts brokering deals with Holt Renfrew, (now available in shops!) designing a tutu for the National Ballet of Canada’s 60th Anniversary, and also planning a new store opening, (location still being kept a mystery) but I’m guessing either Toronto, or New York. – JESSE

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you missed the party on twitter yesterday

@roelo_nilla @foursquare Nooo! Say HI to Darren for me! 🙂 # hellooooo from 1 King West for #DellCapCanada day 😉 Nice to see @rightsleeve & @markevans! http://t.co/9i1ydWYU # i might be the youngest in the room # Really great chat on measurement & influence happening right now. Follow #SMmeasure @sysomos @40deuce. # Loving the artist who is drawing the conversation as it happens. Nice touch! #dellcapcanada # how many of you kids use a Dell computer? #dellcapcanada # Heaps of event tonight! Crikey. I’m speaking at #Ryerson to @IMAUnion 6pm. http://t.co/lmJxcgTa # lunch smells good. #dellcapcanada # lunh break update #dellcapcanada http://t.co/zwgZUHTy # Thanks for lunch #dellcapcanada Like my pen, haha! http://t.co/ryFSZnoS # cani have some more of this please @bohunkCA? http://t.co/aQ1960y6 # what’s my #affanscore @Affan? # Thanks for the #notebook #DellCapCanada! http://t.co/y0ha5657 # Guy beside me at #dellcapcanada is named Stuart, other guy beside me keeps talking to him. No one is talking to me BUT I look every time! # Thursday December 22 at 7:00 pm I will be appearing in #TheNutcracker with the NATIONAL BALLET OF CANADA! #DreamComeTrue # holding so many PC laptops today makes me really happy to have a macbook air. so skinny & light! # Dell uses some bamboo & mushroom packaging that is recyclable & good for environment. #interesting #dellcapday # “What do you do with a computer when it’s toast?” Um…throw it off the balcony? # HOW RUDE http://t.co/lc9tAc4E # HALLOWEEEEEEEEN. Weeee. Soon as 3pm tomorrow hits I will be in costume till Tuesday. # are there any drag races with actual drag queens? #causethatwouldbefunforaminute # New @Storify launches today. I love me some story making. # ha! awesome @rightsleeve googling facts in the middle of discussion. nice #twerk #dellcapcanada # hey chocolate face! http://t.co/DJ0CB7rL # Next up at #DellCapCanada…

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create something new every single day. write it down.

hello love, fakesy-banksy? yes i will help you. helping this guy is funnier in my head’s animated version. you’ll see it one day. oh hello hello, mirror mirror on the wall, these were the fairest photos of them all i like view, i like view a lot. hey there MO bro sean moffitt rode a mustache, a big hairy black one on wheels. all for a good cause 🙂 #MOridesTO santa was here, yonge street. i love the lights. can you see the tower? wood/ would? in a leaf, i see you… took these pix yesterday. by the time you’re reading this i’m on my way to the National Ballet of Canada, doing a talk to a group of students today. hi students in the class if you are reading this! feelin oretty great. woke up to new trainer on iPad with a yoga session (app is called All-In YOGA HD). magnificent that little device i tell ya. makes life more enjoyable. the internet is awesome:) don’t let the rain get you down.  happy monday ♥

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yesterday on twitter, this happened:

Photo: › seize the day. http://tumblr.com/xmjr749g1 # baby baby baby ohhhhhhhh # Taylor's bangs? # doing a talk at the National Ballet of Canada tomorrow # RE: i hope to meet a handsome face too! #smirnoffexchange http://disq.us/so8eq # RE: hocus focus! http://disq.us/snwtn # I just had the best experience here. (@ Ostara Spa) http://4sq.com/9DZdtc # hottie hoti hot RT @RyanMCheung: Vogue – http://twitpic.com/38vki5 # there will be abs https://casiestewart.com/2010/11/21/get-busy-1/ # have you ever been to sky city? https://casiestewart.com/2010/11/21/pretty-city-drive/ # plastic bag floating above my condo, approx 40 stories, then across the gardener to the lake. american beauty? not so much. sad = garbage 🙁 # cut on finger make hard typing. # i'm ready for winter. i forgot how much i like it. porridge & coffee looking out over the late. hibernation. warm. # is a firework. # RE: did you photograph it as well? http://disq.us/sm9zi # RE: babetourage. http://disq.us/sm9yp # je suis animated https://casiestewart.com/outfit191110/ # MOrning friends!!!!!!! Off to Santa Parade, gonna ride a mustache, then go for a 90 min luxury massage at @ostaraspa! Wonferful day! #

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i need some time for myself sometimes and sometimes i need some time with you

Woke up and went for a dip in the hot tub. It was so sunny and bright, a great way to start the day. Newest Moovboots. My fav ones for sure. Siberian Huskies. Warm and cozy. Read some news on Mashable. Love iPad Andy so much. We watch movies in bed, sleep together. Great view from the sunroom. When I wanna relax/space out I listen to this song. I find it most enjoyable on the TTC. I zone out and feel I am floating like a feather, daydreaming about peoples thoughts and where they are going, where they came from. Where I am going? What am I doing? Putting together a relaxing playlist on itunes, I need one.  I’m going to Ostara Spa on King Street for a long relaxing massage. I am stoked . It’s been ages since I’ve had a great massage and I’ve been working my ass off lately. It’s my first time going there too. Next week is busy busy. Doing a talk about Social Media & Personal Branding at The National Ballet of Canada on Monday, Tuesday I am doing Rogers Daytime TV, Thursday is the Movember Gala and I’m a judge. I can’t wait. The week after that I am in LA, SF and Dallas and I finally get to meet Richard Branson. THIS IS MY LIFE. I have to keep telling myself. I love it and I love sharing it here with you. Thank you for reading and don’t be shy to comment or email me. Now, I’ve gotta scoot to get my hair done because I am totes gonna be LATE!!!

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her world is rainbows, unicorns and flying stars

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. The weekend, yesterday, today. What more could you ask for than Spring in November? Summer in December? Ah, a girl can dream can’t she? Yes, a girl can dream. I absolutely love walking to work in the morning and home again at night. No more TTC, just me, an outfit and my cute little boots on the pavement. I really need to put some music on my ipod. I’ve been so wrapped up dreaming of iphone, I forgot about the little guy. Couple things to let you know… Just added a review to Chick Advisor, check it out.  I’ll be at the National Ballet tomorrow night for wine tasting (thanks for the invite). You’re welcome to join me, there’s still tickets. I’ve been listening to some pretty rad tunes lately including the new album from Yacht (who I love) and Adriane Lake (her album). I picked this little guy up on the weekend. Don’t you want it? I thought it represented me well. The store is Queen and Dovercourt and they’ve got a little sale on right now. I’ve started making some really snazzy jewels myself. All custom made and all one of a kind. I’ll post photos soon. Two friends were in the Financial Post yesterday, check out  Sarah from Sprouter and Mike from Scribble Live. They are both part of the awesomeness that made Toronto Twestival this year a huge success. Have an awesome day!

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Do Nothing and Chill ✔️

After days of being cooped up in the house, I needed to break free! Hung out w/2 of my bff last night and it was so nice to share laughs and stories. I’ve still got a cough today but feel a bit refreshed. Decided to skip yoga and hibernate. Yesterday I started watching Flesh and Bone on Amazon Video, a show about professional ballet. I stopped dance when I was 13 but I did ballet for 10 years. I spent a lot of my childhood at the dance studio. My teacher Lisa Meyerhofer was amazing. I learned heaps much from her, I realize more with age. She taught me to walk with confidence, shoulders back, head high. Dance was hard, there were a lot of times I wanted to quit but by not quitting, I gained so much. I learned to persevere and work through it. I remember crying to mum about wanting to quit and her not giving me that option. I can imagine as a parent that was hard but I’m incredibly grateful. I wrote about dance here. This is me ? Today Sean and I started Netflix’s new show Altered Carbon that came out on Friday. Pretty good so far. “Set in a future where consciousness is digitized and stored, a prisoner returns to life in a new body and must solve a mind-bending murder to win his freedom.”  FYI this show contains sex, drugs, and violence. It’s starring Joel Kinnaman the guy who plays Will Conway in House of Cards. Almost full frontal! ? OK, that’s all for today. Blending into the couch.  

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You Can Achieve Anything You Want If You Work At It

I found this photo in a box of tax receipts and it gave me such a warm feeling. I’m pretty sure mum has this costume still hanging up in a closet at home. When I was about 9 my jazz class did a competition number to the Inspector Gadget song and to this day I still remember some of it. I spent heaps of time at the dance studio as a kid. I started ballet around 3 and a half, had my first recital at 5, and spent a few years competing. I went all over Ontario, NY, and the National American Dance Championships in South Carolina a couple times. I distinctly remember times ballet was hard. Sometimes I hated it. I’d be crying after class, begging mum to let me quit. But she never did. And thank god for that. Although it was tough, dance taught me so much. It taught me hold my head high when I walk, how to enter a room, how to be on stage. I learned to not give up. I’m so thankful for the decade I spent dancing as kid. For my teacher Miss Lisa at Meyerhofer Academy in Cambridge. I’m grateful for mum who taught me to persevere through all the tough times. Also thankful for all the late nights, mum sat at the kitchen table making ballet skirts for the studio to pay for it. As I get older ,I appreciate more and more the hard work I put in when I was younger. This week Emily and I signed up for Tae Kwon Do. It’s her first go and my first time back in 20 years. [Side note: WHERE DID THE TIME GO, HOW AM I THAT OLD?]  TDK is another thing I spent a few years doing that taught me so much.  I have my green belt, won an Ontario trophy for…

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I WORK OUT

Carla said we’d be sore after yesterday’s workout and she was right. She pushed me harder than ever before this time. “I wanna see more resistance from you”, that means next day burning. My muscles feel good right now, as in, I can really feel them. I love Jukari because it comes from Cirque du Soleil and combines resistance training with a dance like acrobatics. King West Fitness is a beautiful gym and I wish I went more often. I need a new bike. Going to the gym is not (really) part of my routein but I’m attempting to make it one. This time last year I was going to The Motion Room once a week. I got so in shape. I turn 30 in May and I want to be the most fit of my life, ever. Hot tub soak post workout yesterday was lovely. I’m going to hot yoga later today w/ Barbie.. I’m up for trying out any workout right now. I’m quite keen to do a martial arts workout. Y’know, a few rounds on the heavy bag. I have my green belt in Olympic style (WTF) Tae Kwon Do, did you know that? Mum is second dan black belt! I wonder what other workouts would be fun? Aerial silks were pretty rad. Next month I start ballet on Wednesday’s at The National. I can’t wait to be back in ballet! I’m catching up on season two of United States of Tara right now. We got US Netflix on my XBOX by changing the IP. Came across this 101 Photography tips just now, check it out, 101 of them from Improve Photography. HAVE A WONDERFUL SUNDAY 🙂

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