Hello from down south! This week I’m in New Orleans staying at Mardi Gran Manor with a few friends from TO. We each have our own apartment in a beautiful set of units behind a big gate in the French Quarter. I’m stocked up on groceries and all moved in for the week. Hoping to catch some sun and start off December with a nice tan. I’m sitting at a small table outside my unit by the pool as I write this. I was here in September to speak at a conference so spent a few hours then getting my bearings. In the French Quarter, we’re a few doors down from Brad & Angelina’s old place and Nicholas Cage has a spot down the street. I love the architecture and the streets are alive with music. All the buildings are hidden behind huge window shutters and or large gates. At first, I thought it seemed kind of run down but as soon you’re lucky to get a glimpse into someone’s house or behind a gate, there’s see nothing but beauty. Chandeliers, fountains, and gardens all over the place. This morning Natalie and  I went to Cafe Du Monde for coffee & beignets then walked…

OK, this post is kind of long, the TL;DR is I’M GOING TO NEW ZEALAND! I’d been saving up money & Aeroplan miles for months and in an amazing twist of events, Aeroplan is sending ME AND MUM and we’re going on a 21-day road trip next month. I’m so excited. I’ve wanted to go back and see my family for SO LONG and I’m thankful to Aeroplan for helping us get there, especially around the holidays! ???? It’s been hard to keep a secret until now but get ready for non-stop NZ for the next few months!Scroll to read a lovely story of how this came together! Last year around the holidays time I really missed my family, as I do every year except the one Christmas we had together when I was 12 (see above). I said to Sean, maybe next year I’ll get back to NZ for their summer. It was kind of a dream because it’s really far and expensive and you need to go for a while (few weeks). A few months into 2017 I started saving for a trip. I figured the only way I was going to actually get there is if I…

We closed the cottage yesterday. As soon as we got north of the city there was snow. I’ve seen snow every winter of my life but I still feel a burst of energy and excitement for the first snowfall of the year. As we got progressively north the snow continued and we drove through our first snow squall (almost blizzard!). Since the cottage isn’t winterized, closing up involves putting huge wood panels on the windows, draining the lines,  dryer sheets everywhere (to keep critters away), emptying the fridges (we have condiment overload now), cleaning, and final lock up. There is a lot of lifting, garbage, flashlights, and tools. I always take a minute to be grateful for the work, the views, and doing it together. Sean and I have been opening and closing it for about 5 years now. Winter wonderland! ❄️❄️❄️ #muskoka #cottagelife pic.twitter.com/pG7kl1W45v — CASIE STEWART ☀️ (@casiestewart) November 19, 2017 I got to thinking about how our lives will change before we make it back up in the Spring. It’ll likely be late March or April, and a lot can happen in 4 months. I’ll be away for about 4 weeks over the holidays and I really hope we can take a family vacation…

Some people like aisle seats but I always pick window if I can.  I like something to lean on and I love staring out the window. Takeoff is one of my favourite parts. I love being on planes, it means you’re going somewhere! I’m deep in planning my winter vacations and couldn’t be happier, it’ all starting to come together!  I leave for New Orleans in 2 weeks, then for a big 21-day adventure in December. I can’t wait. Nothing like knowing you’ve got sunshine in your future! If you’re looking to get away soon, I’m sharing this link for you to get some $$ back on your accommodation. Use Booking.com and they’ll reward us both with a $40 CAD gift if you use this link. Once you check out of your hotel, the reward from booking.com  will show up as a refund on your credit card. If you have questions about how it exactly works, read the FAQ here. The Nice thing about booking.com is they have no booking fees, free cancellation (most rooms), and price matching. Also, if you haven’t signed up for Ebates make sure you do that before going to booking.com, you’ll get 2% back on your purchase! Their average cashback per order is…