Busy at the gym, making good meals, getting good sleep, taking care of myself. Before the pandemic, I spent so much time out in the world doing things that didn’t reallllly make me happy. I was in this pattern of going out all the time, eating garbage, drinking. It was fun, at times. I still like to go out here and there, but not as often.
I’m happy being a different kind of busy.
The other night Natalie and I went to Delta Bingo, it was FUN. We dressed up cute and got to the Friday night game starting at 7 pm. I hadn’t gone to Bingo since I was a teenager with my dad. Neither of us won anything and tbh we weren’t taking it too seriously. We ate a lot of snacks and laughed pretty much the whole time.
At one point, a very serious lady player came over to tell us the tricks of the trade. I think she was annoyed at how much fun we were having.
Would deff go back again with a few more friends. Hopefully we’ll get lucky! Bingo babes ftw.
After what felt like the longest winter ever, spring has finally arrived! I don’t know about you, but I’m so excited for sunny days, warmer weather & all the things that come with this time of year. It’s just over a month until my birthday and this year is a big one. 🎉
One of my favourite things about spring is that it’s a time for new beginnings. Everything feels fresh and new and there’s always so much to look forward to. I love seeing the trees and flowers start to bloom and the days getting longer.
It’s a reminder that no matter how dark and cold things may get, there’s always the promise of better days ahead.
In other news I’m going to Bingo on Friday so picked up a couple of dotters for myself and a friend. I haven’t gone since I was a teenager with dad and tbh I am so excited. I’m 100 now.
It was so nice to be at the office today. I love a good IRL LOL. Requested a full-length mirror for the podcast Studio and Nelson delivered! Sometimes I can’t believe my life is real, sometimes when I look back at the day, It feels like a dream.
Last week I was so tired. Pretty sure it was Daylight Saving time, mixed with pandemic anxiety, and maybe a little burnout. I was wiped. Slept for most of the weekend and felt much better going into this week.
IDK about you but I always feel great after I workout. You know, when your heart is pounding and you’re sweating, but you feel alive and energized? Some days I don’t feel like going but I know it will only take a few minutes for my mood to change. Also, I paid for the classes so I REALLY hate to miss one lol.
There’s something about pushing yourself physically that makes you feel alive, saying “I can do this. I am strong.” I love that feeling, it’s been great for my mental health.
If you’re feeling down or stressed out, go for a walk/run, lift some weights, or do something that gets you moving. I guarantee you’ll feel better. ✌️😊
P.S. Here’s a video of me skipping. I used to LOVE SKIPPING.
It’s been a hard few months but winter is nearly behind us and hopefully this pandemic too. I’m looking forward to wearing my transitional coats, rain boots, and flowers starting to bloom. Hang in there, things are getting better.
1. Connecting with friends and family. I went to see mum last week, it had been months since I’d seen her. We had a nice walk and laughed over dinner. Nothing quite like a hug from mum. LOVE YOU! 💖
2. Getting outside. Even if it’s just for a walk around the block, fresh air and vitamin D are magic. I try to run each morning but if I don’t get there, I go for a mid-day walk or an evening stroll. Longer days make all the difference. ☀️
3. Keeping busy. The gym has been keeping me busy and I’ve been planning dates with friends I’ve not seen in a while. Now that things are opening up there’s more fun to be had out in the world. 🤗
4. Practicing self-care. You don’t need to wait for the weekend to do that face mask, have a nice bath, or pamper yourself. I love a good self-care hour or evening during the week. I’m pretty dedicated to sleep lately and rarely go to bed without a calming meditation. 🛌
5. Trying something new. A friend and I have started a crypto class and Nelson and I are launching a PODCAST. YAY, NEW THINGS. 🎉 I’m pretty excited about it and it feels good to step out of (…or maybe into?) my comfort zone. I’ll share more on this soon.
Went to the Hippie Market with Lauren & Jen last weekend. It was so fun! Honestly, if you haven’t been, you need to follow @hippiemarketlife and mark the next one in your iCal. See my posts from previous events here.
There were heaps of vendors, vintage finds, and housewares. Lauren and I got matching necklaces and we took lots of photos. Of course. Cowboy, Lauren & Brock’s new pup from Texas came too and he was a hit with everyone!
It was a really cold day but I didn’t mind the walk from home to Dundas & Ossington. The sun was shining and I felt happy in my heart! 💖 A good outfit always helps too!
This post was written by AI.
I recently had to renew my passport and I was absolutely mortified by the photo. I mean, it’s not like I was expecting to look like a supermodel but I definitely didn’t expect to look so terrified. At least I’ll be able to laugh about this photo for years to come. Whenever I pull my passport out to show people, I’ll be able to say “Yep, that’s really me” and watch their reactions. If you’re ever in a situation where you need a new passport photo, just know that it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t turn out perfect. And if it does turn out bad, just try to laugh it off like I did. I’m going to get a new passport photo taken as soon as possible.
Hope you all have a great day!
What is GTP-3? Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3 (GPT-3) is an autoregressive language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text. 🤓 ✌️
Got my hair done at Sasson then popped around Yorkville before heading home. My hair is very blonde now and I love it! It was time to leave that pandemic hair behind. Kim at Sassoon is legit a blonde MAGICIAN. Bring on fresh blooms, sunshine, and warmer temps. She’s ready for brighter days.
I can’t believe it’s been two years since the pandemic started. It feels like only yesterday that we were all hunkering down and trying to figure out what was going on. We’re finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and I’m really looking forward to summer.
There’s something so peaceful about being up north in the winter. You can stand on the lake and listen to the ice move. The cold air is so refreshing. Easy to find your calm.
We drove up on Thursday and worked from the cottage Friday. It was the first day in a while that I didn’t close the rings on my Apple Watch but, f*ck it, I earned a break. On Saturday, I shovelled snow, played Nintendo, ate snacks, and finished watching Pieces of Her on Netflix. Good show, Toni Collette is one of my fav actors and does a great job playing this role.
Sunday was pretty warm and the top layer of the lake started to melt. I don’t expect the ice will go out until sometime in April. Our lake group usually makes bets on when it will fully melt. I haven’t made a prediction yet!
Things I love: long walks on frozen lakes, the smell of a cold winter day, carrying wood to make a fire, and being at the cottage with you.
Been on a pretty good track record with the Calm app. I usually do a sleep meditation or Sleep Story at night and the 10 min Daily Calm before I get out of bed. I think it’s helping with sleep and focus.
Working hard to keep that calm in my life.
Something you might not know about me is that I always check the wind speed. Every day I ask Alexa about the weather and then I ask her about the wind. If it’s over 10 km/h that means no wide brim hats. If it’s 15 km/h + in the summer I’ll opt for shorts instead of a dress. I don’t like running when the wind is +25+ km/h but I love the strong wind on a hot summer day.
This weekend was very windy. ?
Never really thought much about my own wedding but I’m super excited to be part of Lauren’s! ? Her and Brock are getting married this year so we went to the Modern Bride wedding show. Tbh not usually my kinda thing but as the official Maid of Honor, it’s my duty!
The show had a bunch of vendors and we missed the fashion show but found the wine.? Loved all the photobooths. We can have a good time anywhere and the day was full of fun & laughs. It’s been ages since the four of us hung out!
I’m totally a gym person now. Over the past four weeks of working out, I have amazed myself at my own strength. I’m lifting heavier weights each week and I truly look forward to pushing myself a little harder.
I had planned to only go for the month of February but I feel like I can’t stop now. Today I did a plank (3×45 seconds) with 35 Lbs which is a personal best!
My classes are not more than 5 people and the trainers work close to help you get the right form. When I look back to how nervous I was in my first class I feel like a totally different person. I look forward to my next class the way I used to look forward to going out. ?
I’m still running regularly but I’m terrified of slipping so if it’s icy, no run. One of the best things during winter is getting nice and toasty at the gym.
Let this be a reminder there’s no time like now to start something new and to do it for YOU.
Happy Friday and I hope you have a great weekend!
This week I’ve been pretty tired but knowing spring is coming gives me hope. Warmer days will be here in a few weeks and things will get better. We’ve all made sacrifices the past two years and my fingers are crossed that this summer will be different. ☀️
Sending out a little reminder that there are 25 days till spring. Another 25 days after that we’ll be mid-April and flowers will be blooming. Hang in there, we’ll get through this!
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On Friday I worked from the Hvr office in Yorkville. We’re gearing up for some very exciting things including a new podcast! Nelson and I are co-hosting with a bunch of amazing creators, brands, and business people. We spent part of the afternoon organizing the main office room for our new podcast studio and Nelson ordered all the gear. Also took my new bag from Spruce Vintage out for a spin, fits my computer and work stuff perfectly! ?
If you’re not on Hvr yet, what are you waiting for? Hvr turns every webpage into a social space where you can chat with friends without leaving the browser app. Visit this link to download on iOS or Android and skip the waitlist while we’re still invite-only. Here’s an example of one of my posts in Hvr, when you’re on the app, you can comment on any page or post to share with friends. Fun. ?
The last few weeks I’ve mostly been at home or the gym. It’s so nice to get dressed up, leave the house and work in an office. Looking forward to spending more time here as we set up the podcast and kick off PR.
Idk if I’ve ever been so excited in my whole life. The best is yet to come! Weee!
Right before the pandemic hit, Sean and I spent a weekend hanging out with my good friend Talia and her husband Nelson. I’d met Nelson briefly in passing but we’d never really chatted. Once we got to talking, he shared what he was working on and we bonded over our thoughts about the web, publishing, and social.
Nelson grew up in the publishing business as his family were co-owners of the Toronto Star. He and his brother Henry were building an app called Hvr that blends the features of browsing and social, bringing engagement back to websites. One of the first things he said was “We’re making browsing fun again” and from that moment, I was on board. As a long-time creator and publisher to the web, I’d never seen something so exciting!
Since 2005 my blog has been my home base on the internet. As social media emerged in 2010, conversations moved to platforms like Facebook and Twitter, taking engagement with them and away from websites. Today, when I hit publish on a blog post, then copy-paste the URL from a browser to a social platform, people will talk about it there. This gives engagement to huge platforms but doesn’t do much for me as a creator or for my website.
Fast forward to 2022, the web is changing, social media is just rented space, the best thing you can do as a creator is have a place you own online, a website.
For the past year, I’ve been working closely with the Hvr team to develop the app by sharing my experience on the web and contributing to everything from design to copy and marketing.
We’re changing the browsing experience by making it easy to follow your favourite sites, discover new content, and share with friends, all in one place. No more copy-pasting links to countless apps to discuss the web.
Hvr creates an easier, real-time hub for my community, so I can stay on top of the commentary without missing a beat. I truly believe Hvr can and will revolutionize the way people consume content from websites. My passion for publishing and creating content has evolved into a passion for a platform, I’m excited for you to join me on Hvr.
We’re also built the Hvr Sitepartner Program to help bloggers & publishers make more money from the places they own, their websites. You can sign up right in the Hvr app by tapping the gear icon top left on your profile.
Hvr, is now available for iOS or Android.
I’m excited for you to experience my blog on Hvr because it’s much more fun.
The title of this post is a reminder for myself as much, if not more, than anyone else. Focus your power. Believe in yourself. You can do hard things.
A couple of weeks ago when I heard gyms were opening up I was keen to get back into one. I got an email with a 4-week special at a spot REALLY close to home so I went for it.
To be honest, I was a ball of nervous anxiety before my first class. I didn’t know what to expect, what to wear? If it would be too hard if I would enjoy it. In about 5 minutes of being there, my anxiety was gone. I knew it was a good idea and I made a friend.
This is my third week going and I love it. I never really knew how to work out, to use the machines. When I used to go to LA Fitness before the pandemic I did free weights & Nike Training app workouts + running. But NOW I’ve learned to LOVE squats and lifting heavier weights, using ALL the machines.
I’m proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something different.
I can’t wait for my next workout.
☀️ FOCUS YOUR POWER ☀️
Workout set by my friend! Check out Sasha Exeter x Joe Fresh!
I had such a great day on Saturday. Such a treat when the weekend rolls around and I have little to no plans. Love a Saturday winter wander, stopping into shops, taking in the sunshine, and letting my mind free.
Started the day at Othership, my first visit the new sauna + ice bath spot on Adelaide. It was amazing. I’ve already booked to go back again and will share more about the experience in another post.
After Othership, a friend and I had brunch at Oretta. It’s the first time I’d been for brunch since at least December 2019. I’m not really a ‘brunch girl‘ but we went for the special and paired our meal with coffee and a mimosa. It was lovely!
I spent the next two hours casually walking home through Queen West and Dundas West, before hitting Junction Triangle. It was cold but sunny and I was happy as can be.
The past two years have been hard but I’ve really found joy in little things like a nice long walk by myself. As the world starts to open up again, I vow to not get caught up in the rat race like I was.
I’m looking for a simple kinda life.
This weekend Sean and I were up at the cottage. It was the first time I’d been up north since our getaway over the holidays. On Sunday we went to visit a friend on Lake Joe just north of Port Carling. Pat & Miranda have become cottage partners in crime for ice cold dips in the frozen lake.
Don’t mess with a girl and chainsaw! ?
Ok, ok, to be honest, I only carried it down to the lake (like Baby in Dirty Dancing with the watermelon), Sean is the real chainsaw king. Pat had a hole in the ice already but in 24 hours 2 inches of ice had formed. The boys made a nice fire beside our pool so we could warm up after going in.
I know it seems crazy but I absolutely love cold therapy. I was never someone who liked winter but since we’ve started doing cold dips in the ice, I’ve learned to love it. I’m listing a few benefits but please note this is not medical advice, do your research and check with your doctor before you do it.
My other advice is to always do your dips with a friend. No ice is safe ice and your personal safety is the most important.
For anyone following my adventures, I haven’t been able to use our stock tank in the city because the patio door has been frozen. Excited to get back out there soon tho!
I wasn’t sure if I was going up to the cottage this weekend because rumours of a snowstorm were floating around. Once Friday rolled around, the weather was clear so we headed north after work.
Being in the city, I kinda forget how beautiful it is up north this time of year. The cold temps, snow, and ice embody such magic of winter. I love it. A decade ago I used to complain about the cold and count the days till spring, but now I look for joy no matter what the temperature.
We went for a nice long walk on the frozen lake and had some fun with a purple smoke grenade. The cold air is so refreshing and the views were breathtaking.
Went for dinner with Erin & Natalie at Hemingway’s. Was nice to be out! I had fish & chips and it was kinda greasy (obvs) but I wanted something that reminded me of New Zealand.
Wore a cute outfit and wasn’t out late. Sean picked me up at 8:30 and I got takeaway tacos.
My last visit there was summer 2021 when bars opened after lockdown, Natalie and I had a ball of a time lol. If you’ve been reading my blog a long while you’ll know I used to work at Hemingway’s 10+ years ago. I love that place and all the New Zealand nostalgia. Always a good time!
Cory and I made a date to go for a nice Saturday walk in the sun. It’s hard to stay positive with the compound stress of seasonal affective disorder, Covid, and general life anxiety, but seeing a friend and getting outside always makes me feel better. One great way to beat winter SAD is to plan a day with plant stores & vintage shopping.
The Urban Gardener is my fav local plant shop, I swear just walking in there will boost your mood. It’s warm, green, and filled with beautiful growing plants. I picked up a new lil’ guy to bring home with a nice new planter pot for him to live in.
Our next stop was Pictus Goods on Dupont which is filled with heaps of lovely goods for your home, candles, jewellery, and fresh flowers. Super cute shop! Highly recommend checking it out. They also have a GREAT selection of nice cards.
Our third stop was a private shopping appointment at Nouveau Riche Vintage which DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Tbh, IDK if I have EVER seen such an incredible collection. They have heaps of items for sale including designer, denim, coats, and accessories. The best part for me was the exclusive rental section we got to check out that’s filled with the best outfits you can dream of. SO GOOD.
I didn’t get anything but Cory scored a few goodies. I will deff be back there again!
This week has been pretty good. I’ve been out running every day except Monday when we had a massive snowstorm. I find it really helps my mental health. I remind myself daily to KEEP GOING no matter how cold it is or if I’m tired. I miss going out and seeing people but I’ve also made new routines that include making nice dinners, taking better care of my skin, and going to bed early.
On Sunday I met up with some friends for a hike around High Park, it was cold but refreshing. Didn’t realize there was a skating rink there! My skates are at the cottage and since I broke my collarbone a few years ago, my skating skills are not what they used to be. I’m scared of falling!
Trying to not let the winter SAD get me down and am working at finding joy in little things. If you’re looking for some ideas to boost your mood, I wrote a few posts about beating winter SAD.
Happy Friday & have a great weekend!
I’m a firm believer that there’s no bad weather if you have a good outfit. Not a lot going on here these days with the panini running the show, but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat the sidewalk like your runway. For most of the pandemic, I got up, got dressed and did my hair. Getting ready always makes me feel like I have my sh*t together, even when I don’t. These days I’m a little more lax on my WFH outfits but I still make an effort.
Although we’re not doing much, I love putting on a cute outfit when I go for a ‘mental health’ walk. DAY OR NIGHT. Me and my outfits have deff brightened a few peoples days during this panorama, mostly senior citizens but I’ll take it. You have no idea the power of a great outfit until you put it on. Go for it.
I solemnly swear that if you feel like garbage, putting on a whole look and going for a strut will brighten your day.
Me and my outfits have deff brightened a few peoples days during this panorama, mostly senior citizens but I’ll take it. Advanced style! The bar for fashion is pretty low in a pandemic. Go for it, you literally have nothing to lose.
When I need the motivation to pull it together and leave the house, this song always comes to mind. Do you know it? A Fatboy Slim jam from my party girl days “when they know what is what, but they don’t know what is what, they just strut, what the f*ck“. Works every time to get my ass in gear.
Last weekend I walked down to meet a friend on Ossington and went to a winter garage sale. I didn’t buy anything but it was a breath of fresh air. Thought it was kinda cute that my reusable bag matched the print on my jacket and the shopping bag matched my hat. I’m here for simple pleasures these days!
Well, well, well, guess who’s back? I really jumped the gun when I stopped counting the days about a month ago because shortly after, Omicron took over our lives. December feels like a blur, I was mostly at home, Sean was up north. I hung out with friends, went to an event, things started to feel normal, right before they weren’t. Covid was everywhere.
Sean and I were both sick over the holidays and spent Christmas alone together in the woods. I really enjoyed a break from work, life, and the city, even though I was sick for 90% of the time. The past year has been exhausting for a suite of reasons and it was nice to check out for a bit.
I have opened this blog to write something more than a handful of times but I just couldn’t do it. I haven’t felt like myself and I haven’t felt like sharing. Up until this week, I still had a brain fog that left me feeling like a dull pencil needing to be sharpened. I took a break from running and didn’t start the New Year with goals and aspirations like usual.
This year I commit to ‘Be Consistent’, that’s my theme. I will keep running, eating well, drinking less, and working on myself. I am going to come out of this damn pandemic a better person. ARE YOU WITH ME?
Over the past week, I’ve been back to my morning runs, got my hair done, and have been cooking great meals in our new air fryer. I’ve not been doing much other than watching Amy on Jeopardy, finishing 3 seasons of Succession, taking care of my skin, and going to bed early. I also started a class on crypto with a friend. It’s boring-ish life but I like it.
We will get through this and hopefully, come out stronger. I’m determined to look back on this pandemic time and see how it changed me for the better.
Sending sunshine through the internet.☀️ Hang in there, 67 days till spring. ?
Earlier this year I was a model for HSG Fur’s Fall/Winter campaign. It was so much fun to get dressed up and wear all the fancy coats. This was still peak pandemic so it had been ages since I was in front of a camera or in a studio. These are few of my fav photos from the shoot!
Photography by Franklin Lau
Outerwear by HSG Fur
HMU by Robert Weir Beauty
Herman Sellers Gough Furs has been Toronto’s full-service furrier since 1880. The HSG Fur store in Yorkville is closing soon as their lease is expiring so they’re having a massive sale where their entire inventory is up to 75% off. This includes furs, accessories, gifts + a vintage selection. They’ll have a new store open next year.
HSG Furs @ 1255 Bay Street / 416-962-2597 / 11am – 6pm Monday to Saturday
One of my goals this past year was to do more modelling and this year I was in a few campaigns, not just as an ‘influencer’ but an actual model! I spent a couple of years modelling when I was a teenager and I love being in front of the camera. More of this in 2022!
It was so lovely out today! Had a very slow morning watching holidays movies in bed and playing Nintendo. After doing some stuff around the house I put on a cute outfit and biked over to the Holiday Hippie Market on Ossington.
This new location was so GOOD. Heaps of vendors and such a great vibe. It was pretty busy all day and there was a huge lineup when I left. Hopefully, that means they’ll be back to this same location again soon. Highly recommend checking it out, follow @hippiemarketlife on IG for updates. See posts from my past visits here.
Stayed in last night, ordered pasta, and finally watched the first two episodes of ‘And Just Like That‘ (the new Sex and The City). I’m honestly not sure how I feel about it but I will 100% be tuning in as new episodes come out.
I’ve been back on my morning routine this week and it feels so good. Running first thing in the morning is an incredible way to start the day! I set out my running gear before bed so I can roll out at 7 am jump into my clothes, grab my AirPods, and hit the road.
This week has been kinda cold but once you get moving it’s super refreshing. I love running to the south end of the West Toronto Rail Path and seeing the sun come up over Dundas West.
It blows my mind that I’ve been running consistently for over two years. I started on Daylight Savings in 2019 and I’m extremely thankful for starting this habit before the pandemic hit. I feel like it saved my sanity through those hard months. Let this be a reminder, it’s never too late to start a new habit. It’s also ok to skip a day, think long term, consistency is key!
In other news, I’ve been listening to Will Smith’s new book on Audible and it’s great, raw, real, honest. After seeing him on tv and in movies for so long, it’s nice to hear him tell stories about his own life. Highly recommend!
I enjoy listening to audiobooks on my runs because when I feel like taking a break or slowing down, the words keep me going. Some other celebrity memoirs I’ve enjoyed on Audible are by Mariah Carey, Matthew McConaughey, and Jessica Simpson.
Happy listening, reading, or running!
I’m done counting the days and as we say in film “that’s a wrap”! This panini may never be over but I want to focus on the future, the positive. There’s no way possible of knowing how long we’ll be wearing masks, need vaccine passports, and have the threat of Coronavirus. As the holidays approach, people are getting together, things are opening up, I’m calling quits on my daily pandemic diary. Back to regular blogging! It’s been 600+ days since I started counting and to be honest, pretty proud of myself for keeping it up this long.
Looking back through the posts from the last two years is pretty emotional, to be honest. Day 1: Social Distancing was on March 13th, the last day I went to the gym. I shared a lot of myself during this time, the good days, the bad days, the crafts, the fun, and the anxiety. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with all these posts but it’s a nice time capsule to keep memories of this moment in history. I’m basically a historian haha.
Today, I’m writing this from a restaurant, after work, while having a glass of wine. Mask off as per regulation, Vax Pass scanned. Our lives will never be the same but maybe they can be better? I’ve changed so much through this experience, today I feel stronger and hopeful for a bright future.
Behind the scenes of what you see here or on social, I’ve been working on some really cool stuff and I’m excited to share it with you.
With love,
