Last week, my bffLauren O’Nizzle and I were on the Jones Media Podcast – Keeping Up with the Joneses. It was super fun! If you know Lauren and I or have been on the internet for a long time, you’ll enjoy this.
We talk a lot about influencers, brand partnerships, and how social media has changed over the 10 years we’ve been friends.
This week on Keeping Up with the Joneses, we have Casie Stewart and Lauren Neil in conversation about starting as OG bloggers, tweet ups, their first paid gigs, how they transitioned into today’s influencer culture and tips for parents on how to engagement their kids in conversations about the internet.
Memory Lane – Stuff Mentioned in Podcast
Photo from Strombo’s TIFF party we mentioned in the podcast. Back there it was super rare to be invited to mainstream media parties. We were always ‘the bloggers’ around celebrities, actors, tv, and media people.
Photo from GENYTO event back in the early days of Twitter.
The vibrating mascara, one of the first things I ever received from a PR company. Read more here about some of the first stuff I received and some thoughts on disclosure.
Thanks for tuning in!
I’ve opened up comments on this post to feel free to leave one if while listening!
Over the last few years, I’ve had some amazing adventures with Aeroplan. In this post, I’m excited to share that Aeroplan has a booking tool that will help you earn more miles, faster.
Making Memories with Aeroplan
Looking through travel photos gives me so much joy. I was browsing iCloud finding photos for this post and was reminded of how travelling is truly one of the greatest things in life. You learn so much about yourself, other cultures, and it enriches your life, leaving you lasting memories.
Portugal 2018: On this day I took a bus tour around Lisbon by myself, listening to facts about history and architecture. I went shopping, ate a fresh Portuguese egg tart by the Belem Tower, and had ice cream on the beach. I took heaps of photos of the city and hardly any of myself. When I think back to this moment I was so warm and free, happy in the sunshine. It was one of my all-time favourite adventures with Aeroplan. If you’re heading to Lisbon and looking for some tips, check out this post.
Aeroplan’s Booking Tool
In addition to earning Aeroplan Miles on flights and purchases, Members can earn miles with 250,000 hotels and more than 11,000 car rental locations in 50 countries. You also earn miles on bookings made through aeroplan.com when you book using cash. My friend did the same when booking her trip to Crete, she then checked out e-mietwagenkreta for car rental deals, so I hear and it just made her trip so much better.
“travel has never been easier and more achievable”
They’ve made it super convenient and enhanced the online experience so you can add multiple items to your shopping cart and check out with ease. One of my favourite ways to earn is through my Aeroplan-affiliated financial card. I love logging in to aeroplan.com and seeing what purchases earned the most each month. I’m more likely to shop somewhere if I know I can earn more miles!
Limited Time Offer: Get double the miles
Book, earn, repeat!?Enjoy a special double the miles offer until April 14, 2019, and earn an additional ?4 bonus miles per dollar spent?. That means you’ll get a generous 8 miles per dollar spent on hotels and car rentals booked with cash through ?aeroplan.com?! Kick off your earning with an Aeroplan-affiliated financial card and with just one booking, you could earn enough miles for a short-haul round-trip flight reward. How amazing is that? Before you know it, you’ll be back on a plane!
Years ago Sean and I went to LA and we rented a convertible, as you do! Earning miles on things I’m already doing or buying is my favourite. I love logging into Aeroplan and seeing where I earned the most on my purchases that month.
I’m taking advantage of this double miles offer myself and planning a family vacation. Where should we go next?!
My connection to the Aeroplan started a loooooong time ago when mum got me my first Aeroplan card as a kid. I’ve been earning miles for 20 years! If you missed my video about this from last year, watch it here or below.
This post is in partnership with Aeroplan. If you’re not a member yet, what are you waiting for?! Sign up at enroll.aeroplan.com.
Your life is your movie. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You decide who plays a starring role, what kind of movie it is, and what path you take. Make a path leave a trail.
Take up space. Take up as much space as you need. Be proud of who you are. You are unique, there is only one you. Your stories matter. Share if you like or hold onto them for safekeeping.
Do what makes you feel good. The seasons are changing and you can change anytime you want to. You don’t need a day, a new moon, a new year, you just need to shift. Move in the direction you want to go. Make little steps each day or take strides. You got this.
Have faith in yourself and the universe will listen. You have to believe in yourself 100% in order for the universe to respond. Let go of self-doubt, don’t carry it with you anymore, it’s heavy and doesn’t serve you.
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Open doors for yourself.
We’ve been watching S3 of Queer Eye the last few days and I feel like this season is really personal. It’s the first time they’ve done makeovers on women, sisters, a wedding. It gave me all the feels, it’s hard not to cry. Since watching, I’ve found myself internalizing a lot of what they were saying.
Themes that really stuck out to me were about celebrating yourself believing in yourself, not talking negatively about yourself, to yourself. We all do it and I’ve been pretty hard on myself lately.
We all have things to be grateful for. We should be celebrating each day we wake up, our challenges as opportunities. Celebrating the bodies that carry us, the brain that all allows us to do things, the smile that greets strangers. We’re capable of so many things, so why do we stand in our own way?
In one episode a father mentions he wants to cook better food for his kids and that one of them is a little rounder. Right away, Antoni said, “who’s feeding her?” RIGHT? Like hello, an eye-opener. So simple but this stuck with me. Do I want to lose weight and be more fit? Yes. I am in charge of feeding myself and doing exercise? Yes. Ok well,do it then!!
The other day I called up a friend and we shared all the good things that happened to us lately. Who don’t we do this more? You should surround yourself with people who want to hear that stuff, who will embrace and encourage you. If you can’t share with the people around you, you’re around the wrong people. This week I started work on a film with 1188 and have been asked to give the Alumni Address at Conestoga College School of Business Convocation in June.
A little while ago I wrote a post titled “Be thankful where you are. This is once where you wanted to be“. I think about this a lot. Years ago I would be happy to be doing one of two of the handful of things I’ve got going on now. We need to remind ourselves of the small wins each day. This week I’ve been grateful for the warmer temperatures, living near the West Toronto Railpath, working from home, cooking good food, and all the Kon Mari I did over the winter. Has made spring cleaning a breeze!
Tonight I’m going to a Spring Equinox Sound bath hosted by Becca Lemire and I am SO Looking forward to it. A few years ago in LA, I went to my first sound bath (see post) and it was a transformative & life changing experience. I took a much-needed break and after that experience had a week of clarity and realization. Who knows what might happen tonight!
After what feels like the longest winter, it’s finally spring! This post is for all the weekend warriors, the road trip people, and anyone ready to roll into the sunset with the wind in their hair. Raise your hand hands! I can’t wait to get back up to the cottage and continue the opening duties.
Over the summer months, we spend a LOT of time back and forth from Muskoka to Toronto. I recently chatted with OK Tire about how to get your car in top shape for spring. Answers have been edited by me but the info is from an expert! Scroll down for a few tips on safety, changing a tire, and link to playlists. ? You will also find photos of me and cars I’ve driven/seen recently!
Big fan of car sharing
This stud!
Love a classic
Medicine Hat, Alberta
Q1: How does one prep the car if you’re a ‘weekend warrior’ that takes regular trips out of town?
A: Preventive maintenance is the best way to make sure your car is always ready for your weekend adventures. OK Tire recommends having your car inspected at every tire change and make sure you stick to that vehicle maintenance schedule.
Keep an emergency kit filled in the trunk with essentials
GPS is key, I love Google Maps/or Maps on iPhone
Don’t wait till you’re nearly out of gas to get gas, keep your tank at least 1/4 full!
Tunes are essential, have your passenger take care of this if you can (FYI – OK Tire also has Spotify playlists here)
Don’t forget snacks and games (for kids!) LIKE, WHO DOESN’T LOVE SNACKS!)
Q2: What’s the difference between winter/summer tires?
A: I know winter tires have more traction but there must be more than that so I investigated. DYK, winter tires are specifically designed to perform on wet, cold, snow-covered and icy surfaces? Winter tires have 2-3 times the number of sipes than your regular all-season tires, that provide hundreds of extra biting edges for better traction. The rubber compounds in winter tires are formulated to operate in colder weather and stay more flexible in temperatures below 7 degrees. This softer compound will wear down rapidly in the warmer months, so best to put those all-season tires back on before you hit the road.
While we’re talking about all-season, there’s a few different kinds to consider:
Low rolling resistance for fuel economy
Reduced siping and grooves for ride comfort and reduced road noise
Long tread life for high mileage use
Run-Flat/extended mobility
Varying degrees of performance
Q3: Long car ride, what do you need to have on hand to be safe?
A: My friend recently got a new car from ICL and we’re thinking of going somewhere long distance in it. But you need to be well prepared! You want to have a few essentials in the car at all times in case (god forbid!) there’s an emergency. Sean keeps a bin in the back of the truck with a bunch of this stuff in it. Things you want to have: phone charger, blanket, matches, candles, some type of non-perishable food, bottled water, first aid kit, jumper cables, gloves, spare tire, duct tape, tire gauge, and of course, a paper road map. Imagine you had no service or phone battery?! You’re gonna need that map! You need to make sure you have the correct car insurance policy too. When it comes to this, you may find that you have a lot of questions, such as is aarp any good? What is third party insurance? or What is the best policy for me? Take your time to do some research, as this is very important. I know someone who owns a Lexus and he got some lexus insurance which was perfect for him. Shop around and find the perfect policy!
Hot Tip: If you’re a passenger on a long car ride, do yourself a favour and order the Trtl pillow so you can sleep in the car. It’s amazing.
VW Canada at the AutoShow
Cyprus Hill Park, Alberta
Q4: How do you change a tire?
A: Confession, I’ve never had to change a tire myself so i wanted to ask this to get the low down.
Golden rule: FIND A SAFE LOCATION. As soon as you realize you have a flat tire, don’t abruptly brake or try to turn. Slow down and scan around for a level, straight stretch of road with a wide shoulder. An empty parking lot is ideal. Look for level ground to prevent your car from rolling. Also, straight stretches of road are better than curves because oncoming traffic is more likely to see you.
Never attempt to change your tire on a narrow shoulder near oncoming traffic. Move slowly until you find a safer spot. It sucks to drive on your rim but honestly, it’s better than being hit by a car.
Consult your trusty owner’s manual and review for specific steps on how to change a flat tire for your vehicle.
We can’t prevent flat tires but taking good care of your car improves performance and ensures your tires last as long as possible. Be safe out there!
Q5: If you puncture a tire, do you need to buy a whole new tire?
A: Key thing here, don’t try to repair a punctured tire yourself, it needs a specialist. In some cases, a tire can be fixed. Have a certified technician take a look and follow their recommendation.
When I was growing up my dad had a hot rod shop, ‘Toys For Boys’ and we spent heaps of time around old cars. Love this 1936 Ford 5 window coupe I found on their IG @OKTire.
This post is sponsored by OK Tire and the thoughts and interest is all me. I hope you find it useful!
About OK Tire As the largest independent tire and auto service retailer in Canada, OK Tire experts have the experience and knowledge to help you make the right decisions for your vehicle, no matter what the year, make or model. With over 300 locations coast to coast, OK Tire is 100% Canadian owned and operated. Customers can count on national support and the personal service of a local owner who lives in, shops in, and supports their community.
