You Know That Feeling, The One Like You’re Flying

Last night I went to an aerial yoga class at Fly Fitness . It was a media class and my first time trying it. Small group, couple friends in there, but MY GOD did I need that. I feel so fucking good! Seriously. I don’t usually swear (sorry mum) but that’s really how I feel.

This summer has been a life changer, having the BR surgery, recovering, reading, thinking, and setting some goals has really made me feel good. I’ve spent a lot of time cottage chilling but September is like a fresh start, a new start. Last night took me back to sitting at opening circle at Anamaya in Costa Rica. We all sat around together and had an uplifting talk about intentions, positive thoughts, it was so wonderful. We connected and smiled and tbh thinking about it makes me feel all warm inside. Yes, it’s a bit cheese but if you were there, or you have been in a moment after a great class like like that, you know what I mean.


Thank you Lisa Simone Richards for the invite. They studio gave me a 2 week unlimited pass so if anyone out there in the world wants to join me for a class I’m gonna give it a go. I’m going back for hardCORE reformer pilates tonight after I pick up Em from school.

I’m really keen to get fit again and want to keep this momentum! Also, not having to wear multiple bras makes it that much better. Ha! 

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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!

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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.

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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 catching visuals in the past but I have been told that nothing compares to the real thing! For the time being though, we will get to play at the Fallsview Casino resort instead and we are very excited. Perhaps even more so after reading these Canadian gambling reviews that those same friends told us about to get us in the mood. We are very much looking forward to playing casino games at the next best place until we can make it over to Las Vegas. We both love theatre so I would love to attend the Shaw Festival. They’ve got a bunch of packages that include dinner and a show. The 2016 playbill features Alice in Wonderland! I would also be down to check out Yuk Yuk’s for a few good LULZ; or one of the many shows at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.

Food– Narrowing down a few choice places to eat is hard, there are so many options! I’m looking at The Rainbow Room by Massimo Capra, 21 Club Steak & Seafood at Fallsview Casino Resort, and Windows by Jamie Kennedy Fresh Grill and Winebar which serves farm-to-table. Wellington Court in St. Catharines is another spot I really want to check out – and get all dressed up with my guy for a fancy date night!

I love visiting farmers markets when we’re in cottage country so before heading home I want to visit one of the MANY farmers’ markets and maybe pick up a couple pies from The Pie Plate.

Romantic Adventure – I would love to take a helicopter ride over the falls with Sean – a great chance to cozy up up to my honey and take in the beautiful views from up above! I’ve seen some amazing photos and although it might be kinda scary, I’ll do it for the ‘gram. You can also take a Whirlpool Aero Car, aka. antique cable car over the Niagara River.

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Wineries – The Jackson-Triggs Winery has a summer concert series and their amphitheatre looks beautiful. I’ve never experienced the wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) and Twenty Valley so I’m definitely planning to check out a few. If you’re looking for a wine tour, there are numerous companies in Niagara that do this and you can find them here. Some highlights include Crush on Niagara Wine Tours, Grape Escape Wine Tours, Grape & Wine Niagara Tours and Niagara Vintage Wine Tours. Now Twenty Valley is little bit off the beaten path, but I’ve heard it’s well worth it. Not only is it where half of Niagara Canada’s wineries live but it also has the most beautiful escarpment views! For a full list of Twenty Valley wineries click here.

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Relaxation – I would love to have a relaxing day at some of the amazing beaches along the North shore of Lake Erie in Niagara’s South Coast. Earlier this year we visited Cabo and Costa Rica. On the last day of each trip I arranged for us both to have massages, such a nice way to wind down before returning to work. There are SO MANY spas in Niagara. I’ve always wanted to go to 100 Fountain at Pillar & Post and depending where we stay I’ll look into other services.


For more info on our 8th Wonder of the World, right here in Ontario, check out visitniagaracanada.com. On Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram follow @Visit_Niagara. If you’ve got recos for romance or other fun things, please LMK!

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Brought to you by Niagara Canada and The Co.

This Week Has Been Chill AF

This Week Has Been Chill AF

We’ve had great food, heaps of naps, swam in the lake, daily boat rides, relaxed, and caught up on work. It’s amazing what a week away will do for your health, hair, skin, creativity. Still have a few more days then back to the city by Tuesday. Our weekend guests bailed so it’s just the two of us enjoying the cottage to ourselves. 


I’ve got an interview on Zoomer Radio Tuesday morning then my first aerial yoga class. Here’s to a few more days of paradise! ☀️ ILY Canada! ??

5 Books to Read This Summer & The New RECO App

5 Books to Read This Summer & The New RECO App

When I was a kid my summers were spent playing outside or at the library. Each year mum had us join the Summer Reading Club where we would read a bunch of books, play with the other kids, talk about books, and at the end of the summer, a Teddy Bear Picnic. ??? I have such fond memories of reading but over the last few years I hadn’t read many book, this year I set a goal to read more.

A couple months ago I got an ereader a couple months ago and since then I’ve read 10 books. More than I’ve read in five years! Here’s my top 5 summer reads that will leave you wanting more. Download the new RECO app from Chapters Indigo and read reviews of all the books I’ve recently read. Reco is about inspiring your friends to read great books more often, so on that note, here’s my fav five I’ve read recently.

5 Books to Read This Summer


This list is a mix of light summer reading and suspense drama. I like to switch it up! I love books that take me on an adventure and leave me thinking about the characters when I’m going about my day. Safe to say I loved each one!

  1. She’s Not There by Joy FieldingThis is my most recent read.  Darling daughter Samantha (2) is kidnapped from their hotel room in Mexico while Caroline Shipley and her husband are celebrating their 10 year anniversary. This book is a suspenseful thriller and has a few twists as the story unfolds. I couldn’t wait to finish this one,  was left wondering what would happen next every single time I put it down. 
  2. You by Carolyn KepnesI was sent a copy of this from Simon & Shuster and it was SO GOOD. A twisted tale of love and murder with Joe and Beck. I loved the modern language and social media references. I had a few WTF moments, some laughs, and the rest of the time I was biting my lip with suspense while turning the page. Follow this up with Hidden Bodies by same author, amazing book that was a little more creepy. I read them in the wrong order but they were both great. 
  3. The Girls by Emma ClineI read this because it was on all the summer reading lists and it lives up to the hype. Evie Boyd is only a teenager when she meets Suzanne and starts hanging around the cult like crew of misfits in a rundown compound. It’s the summer of 1969 and a seemingly sweet girl starts her summer all innocent and by the end there’s sex, drugs, and murder mystery she can’t seem to escape. 
  4. Sweetbitter by Stephanie DanlerIf you’ve ever worked in a restaurant you’ll instantly connect with this book. Tess moves to NYC with big dreams and wide eyes for a new more exciting life. After getting a job as a ‘backwaiter’ she begins to experience food, wine, partying, and all kinds of of experiences that shape her life.  There’s a bit of romance, a love triangle, and no shortage of ups and downs. 
  5. Dark Places by Gillian FlynnThis is the story of Libby Day who was only seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice” of Kinnakee, Kansas.” There’s a cult following of the murder and Libby discovers the Kill Club, who hopes to find evidence that will clear her brother Ben from the murder conviction. It’s a dark twisted thriller that’s incredibly well written. This book has been made into a movie w/ Charlize Theron but I’ve not seen it, reviews are meh! Same author as Gone Girl which, if you haven’t read, i’ll reco you do that too. 

Runners up to this list include Sweetbitter by Stepahie Danler, The Nest by Cynthia D’aprix Sweeney, Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave, and Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple.

The RECO App


This app is designed to give you recommendations from people you know an allows you to follow authors and other influencers on book choices. The app is easy to use and nicely designed, simple interface FTW. Reco is the first stand-alone digital experience from Indigo since they founded Kobo in 2009

Things to note:

Connect & Share: Share your fav books easily, write quick recos, make lists peole can follow

Discover: Find great books based on your interest, subscribe to curated lists from experts, personalization reminds me of Apple Music a bit with the topic selections,

Capture: Keep track of books you wanna read or have finished, make purchases from Indigo and Kobo in Canada, and iBooks, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo in the US and internationally.

Discuss: Discuss great books w/ your friends, connect w/ people who have common interests

Reco is available in Canada and the USA on any iOS device (iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad) from the Apple Store. Download it here.  Read my recos on the app here.

Read anything great lately? Love to know your recos in the app.

I’m sitting here wondering WHAT DO I READ NEXT?!

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The Boxed Water #ReTree Project & Brands That Give Back

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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.

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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

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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 along the way. Canadian company Mealshare provides one meal for each meal sold and to date has given 832,321 meals across Canada. Another great company I’ve written about a few times is Me To We and their beautiful artisan jewellery and products, see here. 

The Boxed Water motto is to ‘inspire a better tomorrow by rethinking packaged water today‘.  Join in the Re#Tree campaign in Canada, pick up some Boxed Water at Loblaws or Sobeys.

ALSO, if you’re looking for a CUTE DIY with the boxes, try repurposing one as a planter. ? ? ? I’ve got a little tiny tree in one of mine. ? Check out this great post by Kaylee on The Blondielocks.

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Here’s to making the world a bit better 🙂 Stay hydrated out there!

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