This week I went to the 2020 Ikea Catalogue media preview where they announced their partnership with Sonos. I love IKEA and smart home accessories so was keen to learn more. Through this partnership, IKEA is focussed on enhancing your home with sound and lighting. This post is not sponsored by Ikea but I would love if it was!
I was given the new SYMFONISK speaker and set it up as soon as I got home. Wanted to share my thoughts right away because I’m super impressed. It’s my first Sonos and by far the nicest speaker I’ve ever personally owned.
Symfonisk Setup
In a few minutes, I set it up on my home wifi, connected it to Apple Music, and my Amazon Echo to work with Alexa. The SYMFONISK I received is a bookshelf speaker which is quite the coincidence because I have been looking for the best bookshelf speakers recently so this was perfect timing! It can go vertical or horizontal and be mounted as a shelf that can hold up to 7lbs. Multiple speakers can be paired for surround sound, paired over wifi, or to your TV. You control the speaker with the Sonos app and can set up voice controls. Mine is connected to Alexa and works perfectly!
Symfonisk Design x Quality
Both speakers in the series come in black or white and are designed to blend in with your home decor. The bookshelf speaker is $149 and table lamp speaker is $249. Pretty good price for the sound quality and Sonos brand. For the one with the light, you can add in smart bulbs like Phillips Hue or Ikea’s own smart bulbs to make the light change colour.
My Symfonisk speaker in the IKEA KALLAX shelf
At the media preview, they had a bunch of the speakers paired together for ‘party mode’ which was pretty rad.
One of the really cool things, when you set up the speaker, is it takes you through pairing it to your specific room from the app. You slowly move your phone up and down around the room in a wave-like technique to pick up on the room shape and tone, this allows the speaker to perform the best sound for the space. Safe to say I am loving how loud it goes and clarity of sound.
The speakers are available online and instore August 7th. If you are buying online, make sure you sign up for Ebates first because they have 2.5% cashback at IKEA right now.
Last week I took a couple mystery disposable cameras to be developed and one was from Australia in 2004 while I was at university. It’s crazy to think how many apartments and places this camera has been. My life has changes to much but this year was such an important time of my life.
Let’s go back in time, this is pre-blog and social media, I was 21.
I decided to go to Australia because it was the furthest place away from Canada. I’d always felt a down under connection my family is from NZ and I am New Zealand citizen. My BFF Cheryl and I both had no idea wtf we wanted to do after college so this was a really great option. We could drag out school for another year, spent it in Australia (hello beaches & babes!), and turn our marketing diploma into a degree. Australia is just full of amazing beaches and the best way to experience them is to hire a campervan from somewhere like campervan hire Brisbane, so that you can park up metres away from the sand and sea. That way, you’ve always got everything you need and you save so much money on accommodation, as well as having some amazing views.
I think this exact day was the first time we went to Bondi Beach. These were taken at the top of the hill before you go around the bend and see the water. It’s so beautiful, if you haven’t been, I highly recommend it. One of the most beautiful and magical places. Cheryl and I ended up making friends with some people who lived in the white building overlooking Bondi Icebergs. There were so many internationals living there, it was like nothing I’d ever seen. So many people in their 20’s, different accents, young, hot, and having fun.
Cheryl and I eventually moved to Bondi from the suburb of Paramatta after finding a way to get out of our residence agreement. We went through two shitty apartments and worked part-time in different stores. My shop sold cute outfits on Hall Street and Cheryl worked at the shoe store down the road closer to the beach. I remember going into the kitchen in our second place and seeing the hugest cockroach in my life. Nobody ever cooked in there. Cheryl and I shared a bedroom with two beds, there were clothes everywhere. Through the magic of great scheduling we only had classes Monday-Wednesday, leaving us with plenty of time to spend all our money, make heaps of friends, and tan tits out on the topless beach. It really was A TIME.
When I think back to who I was then, I was so green, so new. I thought I had it together but when I got to Australia, realized I was really in for a real adventure. That year defined a lot of who I am today. It was the first time I was on my own, solely responsible (or irresponsible) for every decision I made. I made a lot of dumb choices, was bad with money, and drank too much but it was really fun. I learned so much about myself, what I wanted, who I was, where I wanted to go.
That’s the thing about growing up, nobody really knows what they’re doing at the time but if you know what you want, you can make a path in that direction.
It took me years to pay for university in Australia but even that taught me a few lessons. It was an investment well worth it. By studying in Australia, I learned so much outside the classroom about life, love, and taking chances.
I’m often not sure where my path is going on the day-to-day but I try to stay in line with my values. It was such a treat to find this camera and the photos brought back heaps of memories. Even before I had a blog I loved to document.
Here’s to digging up old memories and whatever the future may bring!
We had such a great time at the cottage this weekend. The weather called for rain and thunderstorms and it turned out to be perfect summer weather. Cory & Ish were up and we had great food, swam, floated, boated, and had heaps of laughs. I’d been a little nervous to get back up on the wakeboard after the whole broken collarbone of winter 2019 thing but I DID IT. I got up right away and did better than last summer! I’m so proud of myself bc I was scared for years to even try wakeboarding and I love it now.
Fun things to look forward to this week, Wednesday I’m speaking at a LinkedIn event about branding and Friday is the Canadian premiere of Astronaut Movie. Get tickets below if you wanna join!
I’ve been sitting on this info for a while and I am so happy to finally share! I’ve got a part in ASTRONAUT starring Oscar winner Richard Dreyfuss, directed by Shelagh McLeod.
The premiere is at Cineplex YD Square on July 26th and in select theatres across North America. If you’re in Van, NY, LA, Miami, Denver, Dallas, or Boston, check your local theatre. If you’re in Toronto see local times at Cineplex here.
Astronaut will also be on streaming services so if you’re not near a theatre or just like staying home, you’re good! I’m hoping to have a few behind the scenes videos of us talking with Colin Mochrie later this week.
Here are some photos from behind the scenes when we were shooting at the Canadian Warplane Museum and 299 Queen Street. It was pretty neat to be back at Much Studios 10 years after I worked there, to be A ON CAMERA IN A MOVIE.
Astronaut was shot at the end of 2018, right before I went to NZ for a month and after a directed a real estate commercial for Great Gulf. I remember I was flying high, thinking every single day, wow ‘THIS IS MY LIFE’.
Was pretty cool to see my updated IMDB to include actress. My role in the film is ‘Actress‘ and I play a celebrity contestant in the movie’s gameshow. I can’t wait to see it!
Thank you for reading and following me. I’m constantly amazed at the course my life is taking. It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you are open, kind, and believe in yourself. Next stop, the moon!
I recently did an interview w/ Chrissy, longtime friend, OG PR, and founder of Vocab Comm. I talk about the social media landscape, influencers, and my career. I included part of the interview below, read the whole thing here. Chrissy used to host MMVA and celebrity gifting lounges at the beginning of social media, we worked together on a few. This was a fun one.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in Cambridge, Ontario. My parents immigrated here from New Zealand and my dad had a custom Hot Rod shop growing up. I created my first business in grade 2 and at 14 I wrote a book and started a publishing company. I went to Conestoga College and last year was given an Alumni Award for my work from the President of the college. I went to university in Australia and have a B. Com in International Business. I have lived in Toronto since 2005 when I started my blog. Through my blog, I’ve built some amazing brand partnerships (Pepsi, Telus, Aeroplan, Sassoon) and traveled to incredible amazing places in the world (Thailand, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Disneyland).
I think the word ‘influencer’ has really taken on a whole new (kinda negative) meaning with the rise of Instagram influencers. To me, influence is a product of something someone does. It’s not something you get by having a lot of followers. My influence has grown from being a pioneer in a new industry and constantly innovating. I share my life with the world and love discovering new things, my influence comes from building trust with my audience.
What advice do you have for other people looking to become an online influencer?
Don’t do it. Find something you love and do that! Don’t set your goal at being an influencer. I swear it’s not all it’s cracked up to be!
Don’t strive to be an influencer, aim to do something that has influence on the world.
– Casie Stewart
The other week I was at the Cannes Film Festival and someone said “I’m jealous of your life”. Shortly after, I tweeted, “You wouldn’t be jealous if you knew how much work it took to get here”. For almost 10 years I blogged every single day. I very rarely take a day off and hardly any of my travels are vacation. I love what I do and have turned it into a career. It takes WORK and consistency.
You wouldn’t be jealous if you knew how much work it took to get here.
What’s your fav personal social media moment in your career so far?
I’ve some really cool moments in the last 10 years of my life. A lot of them tie back to my work in social media. Traveling around the world, working with Virgin America & Richard Branson, walking in Toronto Fashion Week, being in a film about TIFF, reporting on The Royals for eTalk, speaking at SXSW, doing a TEDx talk.
Celebrity Stylist Derek Warburton, Nicole Miller at NZFW, 2010
How do you inspire others through your work or personal life?
I try to keep it real. Being on the internet can be hard. I have a series of posts called ‘Sometimes I Don’t Feel Like It’ (See here: http://bit.ly/2KA5Bgd) where I write about how social media gives me anxiety or I don’t feel like being an ‘internet person’. I’ve had great feedback on those posts because they share the realness that you don’t see in curated Instagram feeds.
P.S. Did you get a ticket to my upcoming event? I'm speaking at LinkedIn Local this month about branding. More details here, use CASIESTEWART as code for discount tickets. Love ya!
I’ve been finding just about anything to distract me from doing the things I should be doing today.
Last week I went to Vancouver a day before my meetup so I could be ready and rested before spending the week with Telus creators from across Canada. I love what I do but it takes a lot out of you to be present online AND in real life while creating content in real-time. On influencer trips, there’s always a camera around, you’re posting to the internet with the proper hashtags, making sure your outfit is cute, and talking to people face-to-face. It can be pretty taxing!
One of my favourite moments last week was walking around downtown Vancouver w/ Cory Lee and stopping by Pink Alley. It was such a beautiful day to be outside surrounded by bright colours, making memories.
Would you believe I spent 15+ hours on Instagram last week? I’m due for a digital break but there’s always something exciting to do and I want to share it with you and the world. I know I should disconnect and take time away from screens but then again I have heaps of things to get done and they all involve being ON A SCREEN. Ahhhh!
Over the years I’ve learned it’s good to take breaks, to let your mind rest, thoughts wander. Years ago before Instagram, I had 40+ posts month over month. These days I find myself writing a ~10 blog posts a month when I’m in the mood or have a due date. I love documenting my life but don’t put the pressure on myself I used to.
Over the years, the mediums have changed and the content is in different places but I think the message is still the same: You’ll never be younger than you are today so make the most of each day.
Last night I walked all the way home from the office, spent some time reading on our patio, and got a good sleep.
Give yourself a break tonight, this weekend, whenever you need it, take some time for yourself. Love this little rest reminder I discovered via Meghan Yuri Young.
Yesterday I had my tarot cards read at an event hosted by my friend Nataleigh for the launch of the WOM_N Tarot Deck. It was such a great event! I didn’t think I would be able to get into psychic readings. But since experiencing it, it is a little easier now to see why people are interested in this. I’ve even begun doing research into sites like Psychic Sofa, in case I ever decide to get another tarot card reading or just want a bit of guidance in life. It’s pretty cool when you actually think about it! Of course if you can’t get to one of these places you can always try phone psychic readings to get a nudge in the right direction. Some people swear by it!
Michelle and I got matching tattoos, Sean got a tattoo, the drinks readings were amazing, and the room was filled with wonderful women and people supporting them.
Pray Tell Bar
My SUN Card
The TattBrat & Michelle
New tats!
I’m honored to be THE SUN card in this beautiful new deck. I had a reading using someone like this Psychic Reader at the start of the event and it confirmed some stuff for me. the last few months have been filled with lots of adventure and there are new things on the horizon. I’m doing things I’ve always wanted to do and excited for what’s in store. One of my projects this summer is to study the cards and learn about each one so I can do readings for my friends (and myself!). I may even get a psychic text reading to learn more about the different forms as I learn about tarot, too!
Me on WOMN_TO Shoot Day during the winter.
About the WOM_N Deck: This is a deck of celebration.
WOM_N: a celebratory and intuitive tarot deck, with a new-fashioned and transcendental take on tarot symbolism. A physical reminder of what work is being done, in our city, by who and a glimpse of what might be in store for you.
WOM_N is a collection of those who identify as female and are defining themselves. Defining their power, their skillset, their space. They are CEOs, futurists, healers, designers, mothers, public servants, community builders, creatives, sexologists, coaches, athletes and more.
Last week I spoke at the graduation for Conestoga College. There were 15 programs graduating and hundreds of students. I got to wear a gold cape as a ‘special guest’. I checked the colour of the cape before the event and came prepared with gold shoes. It was pretty cool!
The top photo above is me with Conestoga College president John Tibbits at the presentation of my Alumni Award last year. I was in shock when I found out I’d been nominated for the Premiere’s Award then Conestoga surprised me with an Alumni Award. [The highest award from a college delivered by the president!]
This isn’t the kind of award you can apply for, and I am so honored to be recognized. I took my mum, and her BFF (aka my second mum & Fairy Godmother!) to the ceremony. We had a great time!
Pat Hope, Me, Mum
Looking Back…
I’ve spent the last decade working in social media as the industry grew and developed. I’ve had my blog for 14 years. When I went to Conestoga College for Marketing, social media was not invented. Blogs were not invented, there was no Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. I was into marketing as soon as I knew what it was. I chose to study it in college because I had a *feeling* the internet would be something big. SMART THINKIN’ EH!
Honestly, in college, I used to skip class and I hardly ever bought textbooks. I didn’t have much money in college or university, but I always did the work. I worked well in groups when I was the leader, I liked writing, I was really into presentations. I didn’t really know what I wanted to be when I left Conestoga College, so I went to university, in Australia. I liked business but I had no clue about a job. I needed to escape and find myself.
When I finished school, I wanted to work in fashion, something I was passionate about. I did that for a few years and also worked in tech. I was a promo model and a tv/film background extra. I did a lot of jobs to get to where I am today and a big part of my journey comes from taking chances.
I followed my gut. Believed in myself. I took the road less traveled and it really made a huge difference. I’ve always done things my own way, a little different, and been kinda weird, but as I’ve gotten older THOSE ARE MY BIGGEST STRENGTHS.
My advice:
If you’re younger than me and graduating this year, or in a job that’s not your giving you life, don’t worry. You have the power to change your path. Your life is YOUR movie and you’re the director. Take charge of it. We live in a world where technology is driving innovation and new industries are emerging all the time.
You can’t control the cards you are dealt but you decide how to play them.
You ALWAYS have a choice in how to react and what you do with every situation. I wrote a post a while back around the thought that there’s nothing wrong with Monday, Monday doesn’t suck, you just hate your job. You have the power to change your situation. You got this. Change your attitude, change your life.
My Advice:
Find something you love and go confidently in that direction.
Do something each day that brings you closer to your dream.
Learn as much as you can about the thing you love, be the best at it.
If you’re looking for something else to scroll, read this post on my advice to the graduating class when I was inducted into my high school hall of fame.
May was a bit of a crazy month! I touched down in Spain, France, Germany, and Switzerland. Had an amazing press trip in Spain, went to Cannes Film Festival, Collision Conference, Lift&Co Expo, was in a fashion show, and gave the graduation address at Conestoga College. Today I’m writing this from the cottage in Muskoka and after a few days in the woods, I feel back to my old self again.
I am so incredibly thankful to work with a partner like Telus. During my whole trip, I never once missed an email, text, or phone call because I didn’t have data or a working phone. I also always carry a spare phone battery while I’m on the road (I like this Mophie one). I look forward to the moment my plane lands and I get that familiar text from Telus that saying “Welcome to [insert country]. You have Easy Roam.” After long flights and meals on the go, it’s comforting!
With Telus Easy Roam you can access your Canadian data plan from and you pay a daily fee to access the data in 190+ international destinations. Honestly, as an entrepreneur, the $12/day is so worth it to not be constntly hunting for wifi to share my adventure on social or reply to work email. Telus even has Cuba on their country roster which is so great, I can’t wait to plan a trip there over the winter. [You might remember when I went there last time and had NO SERVICE.]
I love being in transit.
Munich Airport
Somewhere over
Zurich & Swiss Airlines, great croissant!
Zurich Airport
Swiss Alps
I love airplanes.
Photos from Cannes Film Festival France
I really loved Spain and want to go back to explore more. Read my post on our Spain trip here.
Next week I’m heading to Vancouver for the Telus Creator Summit with the Canada-wide group of Telus Ambassadors. I can’t wait! I went last year and it was heaps of fun, plus we created some really cool content in their studio and volunteered to help out a local organization benefitting youth.
I’ll be sharing our whole adventure on IG and Twitter and doing a wrap-up post here after.
For more information on US & International roaming with Telus, visit the Telus website at telus.com.
In May I went on a press trip to Spain hosted by D.O. Rueda (Denomination of Origin Rueda) wine region and Glo Communications.
DO Rueda Wine Tour Crew
We drank heaps of wine, explored Spanish cuisine, ate lots of tapas, met great people and explored a few historic sites. It was my first time visiting Spain and I was lucky to travel with a great group including Jen Kirsch, Jess Glover, wine expert Konrad Ejbich, and wine podcaster Matthew Cauz.
I loved learning more about wine, touring vineyards, meeting winemakers, and learning how their wines are made. I’m not a wine expert but I definitely know more than when I left and sampled my fair share along the way!
We went to 13 wineries and countless restaurants over the course of the week and I’m sure I’ll be sharing stories about the trip for a lifetime. In this post, you’ll find some of my favorite moments including beautiful wineries and unforgettable experiences.
On the first night, we met for a great dinner at Lobo 8 in Madrid and tasted wines from the D.O. Rueda that paired with our meal. We stayed at Hotel Ibis Styles, a cute boutique hotel in the heart of Madrid that was walking distance from just about everything.
Rueda, located in Castile and Léon, is about 2hr northwest of Madrid and comprised of 72 municipalities in the provinces of Valladolid, Segovia and Avila. Rueda is the only region that specializes in white wine and is a leader in the commercialization of quality white wines.
Segovia
On our first full day, we ventured to Segovia, a historical town centered around a Roman aqueduct with 160 massive arches. I absolutely LOVED it there!
Right beside the base of the aqueduct is a famous restaurant Meson de Candido where we were served a traditional meal from the area of Segovia suckling pig. Next, we took a great walking tour to the aqueduct and visited at Alcázar de Segovia castle. This castle inspired Walt Disney to create Cinderella‘s castle at Disneyworld.
Hotel Real Segovia – Nice hotel in Segovia with great rooftop view & a fav with celebrities.
Valladolid
We left Segovia to spend the next three days in Vallodolid about an hour north. Before visiting our first vineyard, we had a wine tasting at the DO Rueda office to learn about the region and to get familiar with local wines.
The vineyards of Rueda specialize in the production and development of their 1000-year-old indigenous grape variety Verdejo (a top-selling white wine in Spain).
The wines’ from this region have a taste profile more complex than Pinot Grigio and a great substitute if you’re into Sauvignon Blanc. High elevations and gravelly stone soils here allow the Verdejo grapes to ripen by mid-September and develop deep aromas and flavors resulting in dry, fresh wines that are food-friendly and accessible. The vineyards are about 600-700 meters above sea level keeping temperatures cooler, even during hot summers, which maintains the acidity Rueda wines are known for.
Bodegas Palacio 1894– a major Spanish winery that is absolutely stunning! This was our last spot and I was so in love with this place.
Bodegas Emina – This winery had a pretty big selection and was very modern in design. They also make a nice rosé!
Bodega Javier Sanz – Five generations of winemakers who have continued the tradition for more than 150 years.
Jose Pariente – This winery is all female owned AND run by women. I feel like you could tell, it was so beautiful!
Bodega Museo Ontañón – we had a great time here tasting all their wines. They also make INCREDIBLE olive oil. It was my birthday when we were here and they surprised me with a cake! Amazing venue too.
D.O. Rueda Office
D.O. Rueda Office
El Hilo de Ariadna
Campo Eliseo
Campo Eliseo
Campo Eliseo
Campo Eliseo
Campo Eliseo
José Pariente
José Pariente
José Pariente
As you can see there was a lot to take in! I have another post next week outlining the wines from Rueda you can get in Canada through the LCBO and wine agents.
I highly recommend checking out the D.O. Rueda if you’re planning a trip to Spain. It’s a great place to visit with girlfriends, a significant other, or even to plan a wedding!
Vineyard in D.O. Rueda
Thank you to the whole team at D.O. Rueda and GLO Communications for organizing an amazing trip.
