IWD 2016 – Women @ Work Managing Career, Family & Legacy

Yesterday I was feeling pretty overwhelmed. I know we all have those days. I’ve been working on something with my speaker agent, prepping for a keynote in Edmonton, and then there’s a mounting email, and social updates. Sometimes I feel like I just need to shut down and take a break, I wonder how the heck I’m gonna do it all?! That’s usually when I ring mum and she talks me through, reminding me not to give up, and how hard I’ve worked to get here. She reminds me I’m probably tired, and maybe hungry. For this, I’m grateful. I call her almost everyday with something, so today on International Women’s Day, I’m especially thankful. When I got off the phone with mum the other night I arrived at the Rotman School of Business at U of T for a special presentation with TD, their 10 Lessons: Women @ Work Report. I was happy to see my friend & fellow social entrepreneur Gracie’s smiling face and we sat down together, all ears. Tweets from the night can be found at #YourStoryYourFuture. Excited to attend @TD_Canada's Women @ Work talk tonight with my girl @casiestewart! WERK! #yourstoryyourfuture pic.twitter.com/ZBtplnt3h1 — Gracie Carroll (@GracieCarroll) March 7, 2016 TD partnered with University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management to release a joint report that uncovers insights about how women across the country perceive the challenges and opportunities in advancing professionally. Career, relationships, family, finances, it’s hard (and often stressful) to manage this stuff all at the same time. I don’t have my own kids yet but there’s challenges with a blended family, we’ve got a sassy 8yr old 50% of the time, and Sean and I are both entrepreneurs, managing very different businesses. Learning about the challenges of other women in professional careers, really…

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Checking Out The New Terrace at First Canadian Place

Last week I stopped by First Canadian Place in the Toronto financial district to check out the new food terrace. Years ago I used to work in the area, it seems so long ago… Jetting out the door at 7:30am in a full business suit, heels, briefcase, and Windows Thinkpad, to make a daily 8am status meeting. I was a corporate recruiter specializing in tech, PMP Certified Project Managers, java & php developers. I forgot how fast everyone walks down walks down there, suits, pencil skirts, and lunch buddies everywhere. It was neat taking a stroll down memory lane and seeing the changes. The new elevated food court brings fresh design and a modern touch to FCP. There’s a great outdoor patio when the weather is warm and great food that’s well priced. That area can be expensive!   I picked up a few of my favs from Maman including their lasagne and a couple delicious cookies. This @mamantoronto is brining ☀️ to my day! TY @FirstCanadianPl, new #fcpfoodterrace is ! pic.twitter.com/zlV4K9IuiS — C∆SIE STEW∆RT (@casiestewart) November 27, 2015 One of the reasons to check out the First Canadian Place Food Terrace this week is they are donating 10% of sales to Community Food Centres Canada. With partners across Canada, CFCC brings people together to grow, cook, share and advocate for good food. Something awesome BESIDES FOOD at the new terrace is THERE ARE OUTLETS EVERYWHERE. It was near impossible to find a place to work on my blog at lunch back when I worked there. These little red booths are a hot spot (with outlets), perfect for catching up with a friend or catching a few private minutes alone in your busy day.  There’s more dining options being added to the terrace including Greenhouse Juice Co. and Five Guys burgers. Currently, you’ll find  Maman Toronto, The Cactus Club, Amaya Express, Jimmy the Greek, Maxim, Ruby Thai,Tim Horton’s, Pumpernickel’s, Mucho Burrito, Mr. Sub…

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World Elephant Day – Throwback to Visiting Maesa Elephant Camp

In honour of World Elephant Day, here’s a throwback visiting an elephant sanctuary in Chaing Mai,  Thailand.  ปางช้างแม่สา aka Maesa Elephant Camp is like a retirement camp for elephants that aren’t able to go back into the wild after they’ve worked. There are over 75 elephants and they do activities like soccer, basketball, and painting. I was so impressed with their painting skills!

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The Zombies Guide to Surviving Among the Living: How to Blend in at Dinner Parties 

Over the past couple weeks I’ve shared a few tips for surviving among the living them you’re a zombie in partnership with shomi Canada to promote the new show iZombie. This week for chapter 3 of The Zombies Guide to Surviving Among the Living, we look at easy ways to blend in at dinner parties. Always make sure you’ve got your phone close by, if we learned anything from the first two chapters it’s that humans are totally addicted to texting and are never without a mobile device. Don’t even think about taking a bite before snapping a photo of your food. You’ll notice this human behaviour is very common at any public eating facility. It’s a trend that’s totally taken over human eating rituals. Once you’re managed to get past the small talk and are seated at the table, snap a selfie. Then snap another after your first bite. Share how great our food it with the world on your fav social network. Avoid making eye contact and if you’re feeling bored, pick up your phone and text like you’ve got something really important happening. Even if it’s just jargon. Humans will assume you’re engaged in an intense text conversation. These tips will help any zombie trying to make it in a human world. This is my last post about The Zombies Guide but I’m passing the torch to Will Wong and Daniel (Do The Daniel) for the next  chapters. Check out the trailer for iZombie here and get yourself a free 30-day trial here. Follow along on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtags #shomi #TheZombiesGuide. CASIE

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Fashion | CatFootwear in New York City

Last week Brock and I went to New York City with Cat Footwear to visit their pop-up shop at Lexington & 47th in Midtown. The shop is there until the end of October and hosting a series of PR and media events, along with a preview of their SS15 collection (details on their blog). We had a great time meeting the US Cat Footwear team, artists, and NY media.   Loading Cat Footwear challenged five NYC-based artists to look at their iconic Colorado as a blank canvas and create #ColoradoCouture. Here’s what they came up with. It was rad to see the boot transformed so many ways. I’m planning to customize my own pair when they arrive.  Loading   Four of our #ColoradoCouture artists at last night’s opening, all wearing their Cat Boots of course. #catbootsnyc @ivanorama @lizlomax @sparkpretty @blubeard_misha_t  View on Instagram   I fell in love with these platforms, they are my fav from the 2015 collection.  Loading   Whoa CAT daddy, I need you in my life. Platform #SS15 from @CATfootwear. #fashion #NYC   View on Instagram On Tuesday, Oct. 21st, Style Bloggers Adam Gallagher and Sazan Barzani will be hosting a Shopping Night. You can pop-in to shop with them and chat fashion tips and styling advice from 7pm – 9pm. Tuesday nights event in #NYC w @SazBarzani for @CatFootwear you’re invited to!!!! pic.twitter.com/1O6HUSS2ca — Adam Gallagher (@IamGALLA) October 18, 2014 Thanks to the team at Cat Footwear Canada and Elevator Communications for taking us on a fun adventure in The Big Apple.Will share when I have more info about SS15 because I was super impressed with how funky and stylish the collection is. Today kicks off World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto and I’ll be at shows the rest of the week. Tonight I’m speaking at Humber PR’s 2nd Annual Blogger…

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Events | The Most Pride in the World

Have you seen these yet? They’re beautiful! This weekend I had Saturday morning coffee with Andrew Dobson. He’s the blogger babe behind dobbernation.com and regular writer for Metro News Canada. We checked out the rainbow crosswalks in The Village and gabbed about adventure. It’s so lovely to chat one on one with a friend in the sun. I almost got a ticket from this hot cop but told him I was getting a photo and jumped in the car with a smile. Toronto Pride is extra special this year because it’s World Pride and we’re hosting! I’ve been going to Pride since Dad took Jenie and I when we were kids. Have some really great moments and blogged about them around this time last year.  From now to the end of the month is crazy time w/MMVA, NXNE , Pop Up Perrier, 2 speaking gigs AND Pride. I’ll have heaps of stories to share and it will feel great when July long weekend rolls around. Here’s a few of my fav photos from Toronto Pride over the years. Thank googness for Google! All the pride photos I’ve every posted rounded up in one quick search. Toronto Pride Memories Jenie + Me, Stewart sister power! Last year w/ Sean on Church Street With love, CASIE

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Grey Goose ‘Taste By Appointment’ at Soho House

Last week I was invited to the Soho House as a guest of Grey Goose for an exclusive dinner for 10. It was an occasion called ‘Taste by Appointment’ where we learned all about taste, flavours, and of course, drank Grey Goose. I ran into my old friend Mr. Brainwash AGAIN too. (When I say old friend it’s because I met him there the week before!) I’ve been a fan of GG for ages and last year at Community Agency got to work w/ Grey Goose where I learned all about their latest FLY BEYOND campaign. The food at Soho is excellent and totally chowed down on the steak pictured below. Thanks to Ryan Emberley from C Daily for the photos, see the whole set here. Now who’s ready for a cocktail!? <3 CASIE

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But Darling, This Is Not Wonderland

I can’t even believe it’d as cold as it is in Toronto right now. It’s -26 Celsius. Canada is even colder than on Mars or the South Pole. Have been sitting on beside this heater at the office all day. haven’t taken off my scarf either. Coffee was nice and warm to start the day. This is my fav cup. Got my hair cut shorter on New Years Eve and this weekend I’m going back, back, to super blonde. I let it grow out and long for months, now I want it back. Today I spiced it up with pink Colour Bug in it by Kevin Murphy. Picked up this Unicorn sweater on New Year’s Eve too. If you’ve never stopped by The Store on Queen you deff should. It’s one of my fav shops to find things that are unique and the store owners are simply darling. You’ll love their photos too. <3 CASIE Pharmacy Overnight Drugs awc pharmacy online online Pharmacy

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MAKE EVERY MOMENT COUNT! #ContikiThai

I’ve mentioned it here and there around the web but this is my formal post, CONTIKI IS SENDING ME TO THAILAND! I leave on Saturday for 2 weeks away with about a dozen of Canada’s top YouTubers. I’ve never been to Asia and had to get a bunch of shots last week to get me prepped. We have an AMAZING itinerary planned by the great team at Contiki. I am honestly SO EXCITED. I’ve heard it’s a great time of year to go there and considering we might get snow today, I’m ready for some sunshine. I’ve been tracking the weather in Thailand and it’s been over 25 degrees every single day for the last week. I’ve been pinning photos and articles on a new Thailand – Nov. 2013 board. It’s so beautiful there!   I’ve known about Contiki as a great travel company from heaps of my cousins and friends down under. I love their NO REGRETS attitude and all the positive images they post  about travel and exploring the world. Like this one… Some Of the People Going Most of the peeps are YouTubers! I am stoked to meet them all. Grabbed this screen shot from Andrew Gunnarolla’s video about the trip. I’ve made a Twitter list of everyone going if you want to creep and meet my travel buddies. Former Much VJs Sarah Taylor and Tim Deegan are two you might recognize. I just got a new GoPro so I’ll be uploading vids to my YouTube channel along the trip. Subscribe here! Follow along our adventures with the #ContikiThai hashtag too. Top 5 things to Do in Thailand 1) Stock up at the night markets 2) Indulge at the spa 3) Hit the beach 4) Chill out at the temples 5) Dance at a Full Moon Party Things…

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2013 Chevy Camaro Convertable in California

We had so much fun cruising around in the 2013 Chevy Camaro Convertable in California. We randomly decided to get a rental once we got to the hotel and I’m so GLAD they had this. It was $25 more per day than a compact car  from Hertz and so totally worth it! You deff need a car in LA. I can’t imagine being on vacation or living there without a car. I loved hitting the open road and driving to the beach, top down of course. I loved Venice Beach the most. It reminded me so much of where I lived in Bondi Beach in Australia. Did you know that the real Abbot Kinney was a tobacco millionaire who founded it in 1905? Oh the things you learn on Wikipedia.  

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ANZAC Day Reminds Me I’m Proud to Be Kiwi

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand (like Nov. 11 in North America). If you’re just tuning in, my parents immigrated to Canada and I have dual citizenship (Canadian/Kiwi). All my family except Mum, Dad, & sister live there. I’m thankful for Facebook because I see so much more of them now! In spirit of Anzac Day and my love for New Zealand, some of my fav NZ people and blog moments below. Fav kiwi jewellery designer, Nick Von K NZ with Gala Gonzalez, Am Lul & Rumi Neely from Fashion Toast Front row at NZ Fashion Week 2010 w/ Derek Fabulous With Derek Fabulous & Nicole Miller A great Kiwi, the wonderful Isaac Likes MY FAV Kiwi Sweets Driving with my Cuzzy Arriving at Auckland airport, awesome! Auckland is totally online.  

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Like Butta: Butterfly Linens in My Bed

About a month ago got an email from Butterfly Dreams Luxury Bed Linens Ltd. asking if I would like to receive a set of sheets. Of course I said yes but now, after sleeping on and in them for a few weeks, it would be cruel to not tell you how great they are. I’ve never slept on anything like them. I want to stay in bed all day long. They are best without clothes. So soft against your skin, you really more than ever don’t want to get out of bed! The Butterfly Linens are made from  very fine microfibres that have been tightly woven into a very super high density fabric with heaps of benefits. Shrink resistant. High abrasion resistance, yielding dependable longevity. Stain resistant. Light weight, yet extremely durable. High tearing & tensile strength. High colour fastness to machine washing, dry cleaning, perspiration, light, rubbing and chlorine bleach. Nil formaldehyde. Neutral pH. Resists “pilling” and “clinging”. Dries quickly and therefore saves energy in drying time. Highly resistant to crease and crinkle, eliminating the need to iron, thus saving energy. Machine washable, dry cleanable, can be tumble-dried A unique softness and pliability – unequalled and unsurpassed!!! Free shipping to Canada & US w/ code “FREESHPG” I’m currently sleeping with the duvet, fitted sheet, and pillow cases. It’s heaven. I’ve been having such deep sleeps! My nightlife is forever changed. On that note, I wish I was in bed right now in bed right now. ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzz. Weekend, where art thou? <3 CASIE

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Yorkdale Expansion Opens Today w/ Ted Baker & More!

Last night I ventured uptown to Yorkdale Mall for the VIP pre-opening of the $220 million expansion. Yorkdale added 145,000-square feet of space 800 more parking spots, 27 new stores and a high-end food court. Five upscale stores are making their debut in Canada: Microsoft, Tesla Motors, Ted Baker London, Kate Spade and Ann Taylor Loft. As an Ambassador for Ted Baker in Canada, I was extremely happy to hang out in the store, try on clothes and meet the entire team. I got a few goodies too, Scuba dress, bulldog scarf, I haven’t been to Yorkdale in ages and it’s really quite a lovely destination. Stop into the Ted Baker store this weekend for a chance to win a $2,500 shopping spree. Hellooooo!   [View the story “Ted Baker London Launch in Toronto” on Storify] Ted Baker London Launch in Toronto Storified by CASIE STEWART · Fri, Nov 16 2012 09:01:55 All 3 in one photo! @GracieCarroll @itsallstyletome @casiestewart @ted_baker #TedBakerYKD http://pic.twitter.com/vIpo2YwnBest of Toronto Attention #Toronto! Come stop by the FIRST Canadian @Ted_Baker store at @YorkdaleStyle, now open! #TedBakerYKD http://pic.twitter.com/jNZKRDgpFaulhaber Comm Admiring gourmet-style fish’n’chips fm @partsnlabour @ted_baker @Photostar @YorkdaleStyle #toronto #mylifeasapromogirl http://pic.twitter.com/DJo8HVkxCarrie Davis Kiborn We caught @styleblogca at the @Ted_Baker launch tonight @YorkdaleStyle! #TedBakerYKDFaulhaber Comm I mean, really? Stunning doesn’t describe it well enough @Ted_Baker. Brilliant #Preview tonight. #Yorkdale2012 http://pic.twitter.com/1tBrNeuSDylan Dias RT @clickflickca: Hello @casiestewart @ted_baker http://yfrog.com/h7mogtijCASIE STEWART @Ted_Baker #Obsessed with this piece! Had a brilliant night in a brilliant store. #Yorkdale2012 http://pic.twitter.com/oev9vZG0Dylan Dias “@ted_baker: Ted has arrived in Toronto! Our new store @YorkdaleStyle is now open! http://pic.twitter.com/AfyQKAtj” @leo_savageOliver Worsley We love it! "@Shes_So_Savvy: @ted_baker ill take one of these please @yorkdalestyle http://pic.twitter.com/PPfVnd4C”Ted Baker RT @chrisdionne: Cutest @casiestewart right now @DieselCanada. #DieselYorkdale http://pic.twitter.com/kFwadFFtDieselCanada New ted_baker bag has puppy print inside. #love http://instagr.am/p/SGKS_DSa3t/CASIE STEWART In love with my first @Ted_Baker…

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Ford Escape: Track Driving, Kayaking, Rock Climbing

Last week I had a full on escape from the city. It was so much fun. It reminded me of camp when I was a kid but it was way better. We drove cars fast and had beers after. Chantel, Keri, and I have awesome jumps lol There was about 20 bloggers on our ‘escape’ and the day started with lunch, then games, kayaking, rock climbing and extreme driving on a closed track. We finished with dinner and drinks at Arto Gallery in Distillery District. I’ve been on a few trips with Ford this year and am consistently impressed with their innovation as a brand. Thankfully, they provided us with kayak trailers so we could easily move them from point A. to point B. I scaled seven stories like a spider monkey. First time outdoor rock climbing and I was awesome at it. Instagram: This was GNARLY! My driving partner for the day was Toronto blogger Lisa Charlieboy. I’ve known Lisa for years so spending the day wth her was awesome. We were in Banff together in July for the World Media Fest. See her post from the day at Urban Native Girl. Follow her on Twitter at @UrbanNativeGirl. We did pretty good in the challenges and laughed our heads off. Gas, sharp turns, slamming brakes. I really, REALLY loved driving the Escape (hard) on the track. This is my face after totally tearing it up. I may have injured a few pilons on the way. They are fine. Ford Park Assist: Look ma’ no hands! Extreme Kayaking (with my phone): By the time we drove back to the gallery and got dinner the digital team had produced a video of all the days content. We all watched it together, there are some really funny parts and crazy driving. I’m…

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