happy birthday canada you sexy thang

In 1996, on the weekend before Canada Day in my hometown of Cambridge, I was a contestant in the annual Miss Teen pageant. Since I was little I had always wanted to ride in the convertible waving like the Queen with a sash and tiara. That year I was in a group of about 18 girls all competing for a chance represent our city for a year at events as the Miss Teen. I had to write a speech about why I was proud to be Canadian. Before our speeches we had preliminaries and I was the first person to ever get 100%. They asked about Canadian history and politics, good thing Mum prepped me before my interview. I got up on stage in the middle of the mall podium to recite my speech for the audience. I was a natural. The judges scored me the highest and that day I won my first (and so far only) beauty pageant. I got to ride in the convertible for the Canada Day parade like it was my job. That was my favorite Canada Day ever. Canada Blog friends wrote about me recently, check it out!  

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Money Hacks for Millennials: Have You Saved for a Rainy Day?

Coincidently I am writing this post on a rainy day, and despite always hearing this expression, I didn’t know exactly what it meant. “Save for a rainy day?” more like “save for a rainy three to six months” in case you lose your job, break a limb, or god forbid some other unexpected life moment goes down. Over the past two years I’ve written a few posts with money tips for millennials. If you missed those, let me give you a little background on my situation, in 2005 I returned from Australia, tiny, tanned, and educated. I brought something else home with me tho, a HUGE debt. I owed over $30k in student loans and credit cards!? It was a tragic look at reality when all the bills started rolling in and I’d barely started my first full-time job in Toronto making under $30k/year. It seemed literally impossible to dig out of the hole I was in. I found myself saying “I need cash now ” more often than I wanted too. Having to find quick ways to get cash is difficult and I did struggle. Payday loans such as Fresh Loan were constantly recommended to me for a short term solution. Soon enough, I’d had enough and decided I needed to gey myself in gear. There is no way I was going to live in this debt forever. For many others it’s the same circumstance, they find themselves in a vicious circle, having to take out loans, ending in debt and hardly seeing a way to get out. Small loan lenders like this Norwegian based company, små-lån, can help people finding themselves in the same situation. Before taking out a small loan, you should read every detail carefully and fully understand your repayment methods. Not long after that I…

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Heading to Our Nations Capital, Ottawa!

Friday morning Mum and I are heading to Ottawa and it’s her first time flying Porter Airlines. I’m so excited to be travelling with her! Last time mum and I went on a trip together I was in middle school. We don’t often get to hang much, especially not in the summer is mum is usually at the boat and we spend heaps of time at the cottage. We’ll be seeing Serena Ryder, with special guests The Strumbellas at TD Place Stadium to celebrate Canada Day weekend. Earlier in the day, TD Bank and MusiCounts will be be announcing the 2015 MusiCounts grant recipients and have a special surprise planned for a local Ottawa recipient.  I’ll be doing a short interview w/ TD Canada about TD MusicCounts and sharing it with you next week. Oh hey @serenaryder! See you on July 3rd! #tdmusic #lansdowne #tdplace A photo posted by TD Place (@tdplace) on Jun 18, 2015 at 1:09pm PDT Feeling excited to take mum on a press trip and hang out at the hotel together. We don’t leave until 4pm the following day so hoping to take a walk on Parliament Hill. I’ve never been to Ottawa around Canada Day. Last time I was in Ottawa was March 2012 for Ottawa Fashion Week and it was very snowy. Looking forward to some fun times w/ mum and lots of laughs! 💛 CASIE

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What’s your fav room in the house??? #housie

In my latest little project with TD Canada I’ve joined them in celebrating the places we live. Whether it’s your first place or a fresh start somewhere new, there’s always one room in the house you like the most. In my last place I loved the living room, remember this view overlooking Lake Ontario and downtown Toronto? I spent hours staring out those windows. TD Canada is encouraging people to share their fav room in the house with a #housie, a 360-degree video selfie of your home. My fav room in our house is the roof top patio. Last summer I had a lovely garden up there and spruced up the place with some new furniture. My TD Canada #housie A video posted by C A S I E S T E W A R T (@casiestewart) on Apr 6, 2015 at 9:11am PDT How to create your own – I’m sure you know! Love to see your fav room in the house and how you celebrate your home. I need to celebrate today by doing some cleaning! Once uploaded to Twitter or Instagram your vid will be added to the others on tdhousie.com. <3 CASIE  

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Travel Tuesday: Vacations Aren’t Just for Soaking Up Sun!

Dreaming of an experiential vacation – wine tasting in Italy, yoga in India, surfing in Costa Rica, visiting Lower Shotover New Zealand to go Bungee Jumping? People often think of vacations as a jaunt away to soak up the sun but one way to REALLY enrich your life is a vacation where you learn something or take on a new experience. An RV vacation is a very popular choice for many people who want to go and see new sights and cultures from the comfort of their own vehicle. Those that do embark on such a vacation will want to make sure they have quality equipment, like Lifeline rv batteries, on board before doing so. A couple years ago I went on a solo surf + yoga vacation to Costa Rica, it was so much fun. Visiting this country was on my bucket list and I had always wanted to tick it off. With this being said, if it wasn’t for a friend of mine recommending I checked out a site like https://små-lån.com (as she knew I was struggling financially), I don’t think this trip would have been possible, but I am glad that I was able to make this happen. While I was there, I learnt how to do aerial silks and perfected my wave riding skills in the ocean. This was the little cabin I stayed at in the jungle at Anamaya Resort. In 2013, I ventured to Thailand and took a cooking class in one of my fav cuisines. I came home with new skills and a bright outlook on a different culture. I recently chatted with TD Canada Trust about how to make an experiential vacation a reality. These types of vacations are often seen as more costly and harder to plan. BUT, if you knuckle…

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Global News at Noon: Money tips for Millennials

I was recently included in a press release with TD for a study they did about millennials and money. They found that kids like us are better off if we see a financial advisor. When they called me about the study I said I agree 100%. About 5 years ago I set out a payment plan with a financial advisor to pay back my $30K. My goal was to be debt free by the time I turned 30 and I DID IT. I blogged about it recently here. Philistine Toronto shirt, Tiffany & Co silver pearls, Joe Fresh boyfriend jeans, NastyGal shoes It’s almost hard to believe this actually happened because there was a long stretch there where I wondered how I was ever gonna pay back my school and credit cards (from school). I honestly and sincerely encourage you to talk to a financial advisor because there’s nothing like having control over your debt instead of it controlling you. From millennial home buyers to millennials in the workplace, there are many stereotypes that the previous generation have on people in this age group, which isn’t always true. Although times are hard for this generation, it won’t get an better unless you decide to take charge! Here’s me on Global news at noon today with Faisal Yousuf from TD Bank. Millennials and money the two don’t always mix so well. The generation is often accused of mismanaging funds and wasteful spending. So we’ve brought in TD Canada’s Faisal Yousef, and blogger Casie Stewart to offer some solutions to gen y’s money woes.

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Kickoff to Summer – GrillzJam

This weekend, Shark|Ninja invited us to the incredible home of Toronto based artist Charles Pachter for a kickoff to summer. Panoramic views, great people, and the centrepiece of it all – a Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill. They were also giving away custom grillz onsite from Cappd. I didn’t win a custom grill but I would really like to have this outdoor grill on our patio. Especially Sean lol. Had a great chat with Charles about his career and beautiful home, both a private residence and gallery museum. He purchased the lot 1996 and there was a Jewish funeral home in the back, “I really took a chance with this place when no one else wanted to“. It was nice to see friends and eat snacks on the rooftop, just as the sun was setting. I had so many laughs my face legit hurt. Loved exploring the art, glass elevator, studio, and multiple patios. I first visited this house in 2010 (see below) and to quote myself, “Honestly, the place is stunning. If you ever get to go there, go. Actually, find a reason.” When I saw the theme was ’70’s mod/cool’, I knew my outfit right away. This silky jumpsuit has been sitting in my closet for months and I was waiting for the perfect moment to bring her out. Thank you Cappd, Ninja Kitchen Canada, DM Public for a great time & Charles Pachter for having us in your home. All photos by Nick, bestoftoronto.net. Show some love to this post on Instagram here! FROM THE ARCHIVES: SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 👩🏼‍💻 According to the archives, I first visited this same home in 2010 for a Toronto Film Fest party. Reading old blog posts is such a trip. It’s like an old diary, written by you at some point, yet you don’t remember writing…

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Jane Dope – Casie Collection!

Look at this vintage beauty! The art (of me!) was created by Jane Dope, a lifestyle company started by Cannabis industry legend Abi Roach. They’ve got all kinds of cute merch featuring some of Canada’s leading Women in Weed. Personally, I really want to order this specific bikini with w33d on it. Introducing the Casie Collection from Jane Dope, designed to celebrate the athletic, outgoing, and undeniably fashionable side of every Jane Dope woman. This collection features a vibrant array of tees, accessories, and stash bags that perfectly blend functionality with flair. Each piece is crafted for the active lifestyle, offering both comfort and style whether you’re hitting the gym, exploring the outdoors, or just keeping it casual. The Casie Collection embodies the spirit of the dynamic woman on the go, making it easy to stay stylish while embracing life’s adventures. Perfect for those who live their life with energy and style, this collection is your new go-to for all things chic and sporty. In case you’re new here, I’ve been openly part of this space since the early days of legalization, read an article about me on Lift.co here. Need a little stash pouch for your purse, makeup, or anything? Get this one! I often carry a huge purse while I’m on the go or travelling so having these little bags to organize my stuff is essential. The journal below is an image of my friend Jacqui Childs, love it. Check out all the collections here. Abi, thank you for including me in Jane Dope! I heard that they’re coming our with a line of makeup and maybe some other stuff. Make sure you’re following Jane Dope on IG here!

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The Perfect Glamping Getaway

If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immerse yourself in nature, glamping in Ontario is the perfect solution! Combining the comforts of modern amenities with the tranquility of the outdoors, glamping offers a unique and luxurious experience. To ensure that your glamping trip is a success, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind.

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Day 21: Reality Check

The news today is a very sobering reality of just how intense this situation is. I have been watching the live news reports on CP24 from 1 pm-3 pm and my chest is tight with anxiety. It is hard to believe the world we are living in, it’s not a movie or simulation, this is real life. It’s heartbreaking. Ontario alone could see 15K deaths and over 1M cases have been recorded around the world. Today I sent a couple of invoices for the last round of work I did and to be honest, I’m not sure what’s next? This Day in History: Covid-19 The Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic was declared on March 11, 2020. I am putting this information here as a reminder to look back on one day when this is all over (it has been floating around on Facebook). Premier Ford said we are looking at 2 years for this to fully be over and once the first round of the virus starts to ease up, we could see a second and third wave. There are now 11,283 Confirmed Cases in Canada on this day with 173 deaths. Gas prices are at a record low 68 cents.  School cancelled since March 13th until May 1st (kids aren’t likely going back until September) Self-distancing measures on the rise. Tape on the floors at grocery stores and other stores to help distance shoppers 2m from each other. Limited number of people inside stores, with 1 per family, therefore lineups are outside the store doors. Hand washing stations in the Store Entrances and Pexi-glass barriers installed around the Cashiers/Check-out Non-essential stores and businesses mandated closed. Parks, trails, entire cities locked up. Entire sports seasons cancelled. Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events – cancelled. Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings – cancelled. No…

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