CASIE STEWART
THIS IS MY LIFE • BLOG EST. 2005
Travel

The 8th Wonder of the World, Beautiful Niagara, Ontario

The 8th Wonder of the World, Beautiful Niagara, Ontario

When I was growing up, visiting Niagara Canada was something we did a few times a year. My parents are from New Zealand, so the wonder of the falls and all that surrounds them was something we wanted to show ALL overseas visitors. Now that I’m a grownup, (yay adulting!) I’m looking to visit for a nice relaxing weekend of togetherness. A few years ago we went to Niagara for vacation and it was so fun driving around and discovering new things. There’s heaps of attractions in the Niagara Region, so I’m making a list of fun, couple stuff we can do together. It’s a great getaway that’s not too far from anyone living in Ontario or just over the USA border. Road trip time! This month, Niagara Canada is stating their claim as The 8th Wonder of the World. The region has so much to offer – it’s truly one of mine and Sean’s fav places to escape for romantic couples getaway. And of course, those falls are a massive 176 feet with 150,000 gallons of water crashing down per second, now that truly IS a wonder. Fun Couples Things to Do In Niagara, Ontario Nightlife – I really love casino carpets and stage shows so we definitely want to pop over to the Fallsview Casino Resort and check out one of their amazing presentations. Everyone (including us) has heard about what an unbelievable experience it is to play casino games in Las Vegas and this is something that we would love to get to do one day. Our friends can’t stop going on about it, so I can’t wait until we can join in with their conversations. I have played a few online casino games like those that involve a combination of Online Fishing, Real Money, and eye…

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Fashion

The Boxed Water #ReTree Project & Brands That Give Back

The Boxed Water #ReTree Project & Brands That Give Back

It doesn’t seem that long ago I was at WayHome North of Barrie. It was a lot more Coachella-ish this year with the huge ferris wheel. Aside from going to the festival, I spent a bunch of time in the lake at the cottage because it was SO HOT. I kept hydrated with Boxed Water and paired that with my TOMS sunnies & shoes for comfort & style, all while doing a bit of good for the world. ? ? I love when brands adopt a business model that gives back to an organization or cause. If you read my recent post on Skincare Stuff You’ll Find in My Summer Bag you’ll know that Boxed Water donates 2 trees for each mention of #ReTree on social. This summer alone, Boxed Water has planted 250,000 trees with the help of people like us. Their goal is to plant 1 million!  How is Boxed Water helping the environment? – 74% of packaging is made from trees, a renewable resource – They ship boxes flat to their filler, lowering our carbon footprint – They use a thin foil barrier for freshness and HDPE for the waterproof liner and cap – The entire carton is recyclable and 100% BPA free – Trees used in their boxes come from well-managed forests – As a member of 1% For The Planet, Boxed Water commits at least one percent of their total sales annually to reforestation The Biz Model of Giving Back I’ve gotten a few compliments on these shoes and glasses (above) and would you believe they’re TOMS? They’ve moved on from those canvas shoes we were all wearing a couple years ago to more fashion forward items that adopt their one-for-one model. It started with shoes and now the company provide glasses & sight surgery through eyewear, improved access to water, and more. TOMS paved the way for the buy-one give one model, inspiring others…

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Beauty

Skincare Stuff You’ll Find in My Summer Bag

Skincare Stuff You’ll Find in My Summer Bag

Summer, yay! ?? Hard to believe it’s almost the of July! ?? Have no fear, there’s still plenty of time to soak up the sunshine, read books in the hammock, and have delicious snacks on the dock. As you know I spend most weekends at the cottage over the summer, this list of skincare stuff isn’t super fancy but it’s a combo of things I was sent to try out (then replaced with my own money) or products I stock up on so there’s one at home and the cottage. I love all things skincare and there are so many other products I want to try. If you’re as passionate about skincare as me, you could become a social marketer. If you don’t know what this is or you’d like to learn more, click here. This post is sponsored by Boxed Water, is a socially conscious packaged-water company re-thinking the way water is sold, shipped and consumed. For every photo posted of Boxed Water with#ReTree on social, they’ll plant two trees. ?? I love the little box, so cute. Ok, here we go! Summer Skincare Stuff I Love 1. WATER – Drink heaps of it. Your skin will thank you. ? Drinking water has some fantastic benefits, it can make your skin look really bright. The Neostrata Enlighten Ultra Brightening Cleanser is a creamy foaming cleanser that also brightens the skin if your skin often looks a little dull. Boxed Water is triple filtered for purity using reverse osmosis, carbon filtration and UV systems and filled in both Michigan & Utah. The entire carton is recyclable and 100% BPA free with 1% of all sales going to reforestation. ? ? ? You can find it at Loblaws or Sobeys in Canada. ?? Keep your skin and immune system healthy by…

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LIFE

Putting Your Best Face Forward w/ Dr. Lisa Kellett

Putting Your Best Face Forward w/ Dr. Lisa Kellett

This year I turned 34, I know, hard to believe! I’ve always had a young youthful spirit and boundless energy, think back to the other weekend when I drew all over my bag for the Ford adventure. Mum had a chuckle when I showed her this photo, sometimes I’m still 8 years old. I have been noticing a few flaws in my skin as I’ve aged and while it’s normal, I wanted to take measures to prevent it from getting worse. A few of my friends suggested an austin cosmetic surgeon but a few months ago I was given the opportunity to learn about Emervel, a soft dermal filler for dealing with fine lines and wrinkles. It’s used most for enhancing lips and minimizing the signs of ageing. For a professional procedure, Nurse Bec, at Injectable Effects, can perform dermal filler treatments on clients looking to regain youthful looking skin. It was good timing because I’ve had more chats about ‘enhancing’ beauty at events over the last year than ever. Earlier this year I shared the Emervel Kissability report with info on plumping up your pout. YouTube Canada gave me some stats about beauty & fashion trends on the rise, three of the top beauty trends are eyelash extensions, eyebrow filler, and lipstick. Canada also ranks 3rd worldwide for ‘lip filler’ which had a big spike last year and continues to grow. According to dermatologist Dr. Lisa Kellett, “Emervel Lips helps achieve a balanced and harmonious look, and, combined with other products in the Emervel line, can give the face a more youthful and rejuvenated appearance. Patients are very satisfied with the natural-looking and long-lasting results.” I made an appt with Dr. Lisa Kellett for a consultation without knowing too much but I was interested in seeing about minimizing smile…

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LIFE

BRB Moving Pokemon from Games to Lifestyle Folder

BRB Moving Pokemon from Games to Lifestyle Folder

Not gonna lie, I spent a significant amount of time yesterday searching and catching Pokemon. I never thought I’d be saying this! When I got home from the cottage it was so nice out I decided to go for a run (to see if there were any Pokestops or Pokemon Gyms near my house, there were!). I ran around going to all the closest stops collecting Pokeballs, whist stopping do a few exercises in between each one. I managed to get up to level 5 so I could finally join a team and battle someone at a gym. Pokemon is always fun, Pokemon Go is even more fun. Of course, finding a site like www.kigurumi.co, is downright amazing. I had a friend who used to play Pokemon all the time when I was younger. He loved Pokemon Fire Red and would spend hours trying to catch all the different Pokemon to complete his Pokedex! We recently discovered that you can actually play the classic Pokemon games like Fire Red online using a site called Royal Roms, just click the link to find out more. This all may seem foreign to you if you haven’t tried the game but let me tell you, it’s a phenomenon taking over with more daily users than Snapchat, Tinder, Instagram, OR Twitter. Pokemon Go is the fastest growing thing we’ve seen in a long time. Here’s a few great resources I found on how you can use Pokemon for business and how it’s helping peoples mental and physical health, really. #PokemonGO has amassed 21 million active users in days. It is now the biggest mobile game in U.S. history. pic.twitter.com/ihpknLYDEm — Ryan Brown (@Toadsanime) July 13, 2016 Pokemon Go Is Driving Insane Amounts of Sales at Small Local Businesses What not drop a lure and…

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LIFE

Winners & Marshalls FW 2016

Winners & Marshalls FW 2016

Last week I went to the Fall Winter preview for Winners & Marshalls in Canada. Winners holds a special place in my heart because ever since one opened in Cambridge, ON (my hometown) mum and I always made a date of going to check out the merch. Right before Labour Day weekend and also late January are the best times to get the Winners clearance deals. I can’t tell you how many times I found a real bargain, something most people would pick over, consider too wild, or weird, then come next season it was totally the rage. Follow Talia at @talia_stylist!

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LIFE

Beer, Chips, Ferris Wheel, and The Adventure Contnues

Beer, Chips, Ferris Wheel, and The Adventure Contnues

My packages all get delivered to the 1188 office so sometimes I arrive art the office and it’s like Christmas! Yesterday I got a rad present from Blue Moon Brewery & VICE Canada, a party invite in the form of a colouring book with a nice set of pencils. So neat! The drawings are all by The Crazy Plate Lady (check her out here, so cool). DYK THERES A KETCHUP DAY? Now you do! Lay’s sent a BOX of ketchup chips. I’ve shared most w/ the office because even though I could eat them all, I really shouldn’t. ? Another clue in the weekend adventure w/ Ford Canada, they delivered this bag complete with a custom luggage tag.  The Twitter conversation continued after this delivery but I still don’t know where we are going or what to pack. I’m thinking I’ll take everything Columbia Sportswear has given me and stay super casual.  @FordCarsonM I'm great at packing versatile outfits pic.twitter.com/hasrftEqip — CASiE STEWART (@casiestewart) June 8, 2016 @MattDS_FOC @FordCanada @NATIONALPR a ha! #escapeanddiscover pic.twitter.com/PHRfecOM8u — CASiE STEWART (@casiestewart) June 8, 2016 On Monday night I went to the Rogers Upfronts. If you’re not familiar w/ TV, it’s where they gather media and advertisers to share stats and introduce new programming. After, they have a huge banger. I laid on the field at 3rd base with a few of my bros and watched the show. After, ate all the snacks and rode the ferris wheel that was INSIDE the Blue Jays Stadium. So cool.  Each of the channels (Vice, sports, etc) had a booth set up to share cool things about new shows. There was also beach volleyball, candy bars, and a couple food trucks.  Saw this on my travels yesterday and loved it. You really don’t have to be a…

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LIFE MUSKOKA

Remember the Moments

Remember the Moments

This weekend was so nice and chill. We had a couple friends up at the cottage. Saturday was super sunny and beautiful while Sunday was the perfect lazy, rainy, couch day. Put the LayBag in the water and it is so awesome. I purchased it after seeing ads on FB and I’m super glad I did. It’s a bit harder to fill up than it looks in the commercial but I’ve almost got it down. This summer Sean and I have had heaps of time up at the cottage and it’s really helped me chill out. Ever since my digital detox in April I’ve really tried to take some relax time on the weekends. This weekend I’m going away with Ford Canada on a mystery getaway. If you check the #EscapeandDiscover hashtag on Twitter a bunch of us bloggers have been anxiously trying to try and figure out what we’re doing. Blog friends, #EscapeAndDiscover? — CASiE STEWART (@casiestewart) May 30, 2016 Oh Internet ILU.

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LIFE

Mindful Driving with the Ford Edge

Mindful Driving with the Ford Edge

For me, last month was all about taking a break. The first three months of 2016 were super busy and I was feeling tired. Like, over whelmed don’t-feel-likeinternetting tired. After 10 years of blogging and being part of the internet, I’ve learned that it’s important to recharge your batteries with a break, reading a book, or taking a vacation. Being in media/social media can take a lot out of you and I needed to chill. My trip to Costa Rica was the perfect way to slow down and take a digital detox. When I got back, Ford hooked me up with a brand new Ford Edge Sport similar to those that they sell at Wichita Ford Car Dealers Conklin Cars, for a week and taught me about mindful driving. I had a private yoga session with YuMee in the Ford Edge where she taught me some tricks for long drives (cottage) or in car stretching (back, wrists, hands, fingers). We did a few poses outside the car too. YOGA ANYWHERE. YumMee reminded me it’s important to do a posture check when you’re in the car, it’s easy to slouch which can leave you tired or strain your shoulders. Reminder to sit up straight right now! A couple things I really like about the Ford Edge that I found made it relaxing and chill to drive: – Ford SYNC3, you can use Siri while driving and voice commands to control the console – no cap on the gas thing aka EasyFuel – lumbar support on the front seats, great for lower back – Enhanced Active Park Assist, major stress saver for parallel and perpendicular parking – Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), the car actually beeps when there’s someone in your blindspot Next month I’m going on an overnight adventure with Ford…

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LIFE

Return on Enjoyment: Finding That Work-Life Balance

Return on Enjoyment: Finding That Work-Life Balance

I find taking vacation or ‘staycations’ essential to my sanity. If you’re following my Twitter or Snapchat you’ll know that I’m always on the go doing something, events, speaking, dinner, travel. I love it, but tbh it’s pretty exhausting. Putting heaps of energy out (friends, work, or social) can take a lot out of you. In a recent TD survey, they found that us millennials have a hard time finding balance between financial and work commitments, and taking time to relax is a challenge. I can totally relate to this. TD found that 46% of millennials don’t take their allotted vacation days, mostly due to heavy workload (31%) and lack of travel funds (29%). Back when I was working in an agency, I hardly ever took vacation, felt pressure to work late, and when I did take vacation, found myself constantly checking my phone and responding to emails. I know I’m not alone here! The survey found, 90% of Canadian millennials agree that vacation time, even mini-vacations or “staycations”, are essential to keeping them happy. Taking time to recharge doesn’t have to be expensive, I find a good binge weekend with some cooking, takeout, and a nap (or two!) boosts me up. Having a financial plan and a budget will help you get that ROE – Return on Enjoyment. ? This weekend we opened the cottage, going there, even for a 24 hour getaway gives me leaps and bounds of energy. Don’t have a cottage? Make friends with someone who does (heh heh) or check out options like Airbnb or Glamping Hub for affordable getaways. Millennials like us can save for activities by creating a financial plan to account for funding life’s pleasures (or unexpected moments). We could all use a little more vitamin SEA, amiright? ? Other activities with…

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