CASIE STEWART
THIS IS MY LIFE • BLOG EST. 2005
Tech HOT TECH TIPS FOR YOU

Best Buy Life and Tech Show 2017

Best Buy Life and Tech Show 2017

Earlier this month I attended the Best Buy #LifeandTech event at YD Square. This is my second year attending and honestly, it feels like Christmas for tech lovers! I got to test out and bring home some of the coolest tech around. You can find everything mentioned in this post at BestBuy.ca. I’ve been working with Best Buy Canada for the last couple years and it makes ME SO HAPPY. I love being invited to test out the latest wearable tech, smart home gadgets, and overall life-enhancing products. Here’s a few of my favourite things from the Best Buy Life and Tech show! SMART HOME SECURITY: One of my ultimate favs is this Ring Wi-Fi Video Doorbell Pro. I haven’t set it up yet but I can’t wait to creep anyone who comes to my door or walks past. Since moving into a house with a front door (from a high-rise condo) I get so freaked out when I’m home alone and someone knocks on the door. Who does that! Unexpected! Gah! I get all packages delivered to the office so it’s extra weird if someone sends something to the house. I feel that this new burglar alarm will give me peace of mind and make me feel much safer. I like that I can see everything in real-time too, so if there was a burglar, I would be able to have an instant description of them! With the new Ring, you are able to monitor hour home with audio and video from anywhere. The rep I chatted with was from Minnesota and he showed me his backyard while we were chatting in YD Square. He’s able to record video, sound an alarm, or say something to an intruder if he see’s someone suspicious around. So cool! Imagine yelling ‘HEY…

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BOOKS AUDIBLE TRAIN TO MONTREAL

Audible.ca launches w/ Margaret Atwood + Elisabeth Moss Reading Handmaid’s Tale

Audible.ca launches w/ Margaret Atwood + Elisabeth Moss Reading Handmaid’s Tale

Last week was full of adventure! On Wednesday morning I was at Union Station for the launch announcement of audible.ca where Margaret Atwood spoke and Elisabeth Moss read from Handmaid’s Tale. My fav moment was when Atwood was talking about Handmaid’s Tale and said ‘there’ll be no makeup in the dystopian future, WORST!‘. I didn’t expect that from her, she’s the best! I showed up just before it started and jumped into one of the last media seats. I love the opportunity to do this stuff! I took the UP Train from Bloor (near my house) and was there in about 10min. Audible is an Amazon company (love Amazon!) and their Canadian programming includes 100 new titles from Canadian authors in (Eng & Fr), original programs, lectures, and comedy. There’s a whole bunch of books on Audible read by celebrities including Samuel L. Jackson reading Adam Mansbach’s “Go the F— to Sleep”, Anne Hathaway reading L. Frank Baum’s ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’, Naomi Watts  reading ‘Summer‘ by Edith Wharton, Kim Basinger reading ‘The Awakening’ by Kate Chopin, and Dustin Hoffman reading ‘Being There‘ by Jerzy Kosinski. I love that you can listen to familiar voices. Don Katz, CEO of Audible, said they hope to be the largest employer of actors in Hollywood.  That’s a lofty goal but possible I reckon. Maybe I’ll read one someday! Later in the day a bunch of media peeps boarded a branded Audible train to Montreal. They hooked us up with Audible swag and iPod Touches charged, and loaded with books. After about an hour on the train, I went into the last car, behind us to find a full-on charcuterie spread w/ full bar, candy, popcorn, coffee, shrimp, and more. It was fantastic! The fanciest train ride of my life! I grabbed my computer and sat back there for…

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LIFE PATIO FUN TIME

Long Live Summer Chill Vibes

Long Live Summer Chill Vibes

Sat out on my patio w/ some wine thinking about the last few months. It’s been nice to spend the last two weekends in the city but most my summer weekends were at the cottage. I’ve mentioned a whole bunch this year how I’ve been working hard to maintain balance. With social media and the life I’ve created surrounding it, it’s hard to keep balance. I’ve actually had to learn and discover what balance means for me. Part of that has been yoga, reading more books, and getting to bed earlier. At the start of August Sean, and I spent a glorious 11 days at the cottage. We had a few nice days and it rained for 5 days in a row. It didn’t even bother me because I watched 2 entire seasons (Ozark + OITNB5) and read three whole books (How to Murder Your Life, The Killing Circle,  The Currency of Love). Each was a different story that took me to another place or made me think about my own life in a new way. I’m looking forward to September, the change of seasons always brings a new energy, change of pace. Autumn is great for layering outfits. I ordered a few great items online that should *hopefully* all arrive in time for TIFF. Next week is going to be really busy with the film festival and Toronto Fashion Week. I’ve got tickets to a couple films and fashion shows along with a few gifting lounges. I will be documenting EVERYTHING. I live for/love this time of year. It’s a chance to see heaps of colleagues, friends, and media related people I don’t see in my day-to-day stuff the rest of the year. SUMMER FOREVER / LONG LIVE SUMMER Shoutout to Jacob’s Creek winery from Australia. They sent over a few of…

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LIFE

Summer Nights, Shining Lights, Pure Delight

Summer Nights, Shining Lights, Pure Delight

New robe. Obsessed. I feel so fancy sauntering around the cottage in it. Find it here.  I was sent an item as a gift from SheIn a couple week ago and have since ordered so many things. I spend most days up here in a bathing suit or yoga pants. A robe is about as fancy as my cottage wear gets haha.  Will be spending a few hours this afternoon reading on the dock in the sunshine. I’m starting ‘The Currency of Love’ a memoir by Jill Dodd, founder and original designer of ROXY. I was intrigued after reading this in the press release: While working as a struggling model, she fell in love with Adnan Khashoggi, a Saudi businessman and one of the wealthiest people in the world. Caught up in a world of private jets, diamonds, and cocaine, she became one of Khashoggi’s “pleasure wives,” only to later learn that she’d been part of a carefully plotted scheme for a negotiated price. In other news, we just got a new hot tub up here and will be taking the first dip tonight! I love summer and vacation so much. I feel like we really needed this getaway. Hope you are having a great weekend. Take some time for yourself. Remember to put your phone down be in the moment. I’m taking my own advice, signing off, and grabbing my Kindle to sit outside!

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Travel

Showin’ Her the Ropes! Girls Trip to Vancouver, British Columbia ✈️

Showin’ Her the Ropes! Girls Trip to Vancouver, British Columbia ✈️

It’s just after 10om in Vancouver and I’ve been up since 5:30am EST. Emily and I have been travelling all day. It’s been pretty great! This is her first trip alone with me and it’s her first media trip ever. Tomorrow we’re on location with Subway Canada visiting Windset Farms for a planting & picking day while we enjoy beautiful British Columbia. We landed here about 11:30 PST and she was swimming in the hotel pool by 12:30. Since it’s our first trip together, I wanted to make it special. Instead of doing touristy things, I shared a few of my favourite activities to do on a media trip the day before our scheduled activities.  Travel can be exhausting and there’s nothing I really love more than sitting in a hotel room, having room service, and working away on my computer recharging my batteries. Here’s what we got up to today! Safe to say she said things like “we have the best lives” and “we’re queens“. Looking forward to tomorrow! We’ll be at the farm at 9am for a day of fun and to see where Subway harvests vegetables for locations across the country. I made a storyboard on the plane ride here to direct the video we’re creating. It’s gonna be great! Follow along on Instagram Stories or Twitter. In the afternoon we’ll be back at the hotel for some pool, and Friday night room service + movies in bed before heading home Saturday. My hope for this trip is to leave her with some great memories and good travel habits. Ok, I might be setting her up for ‘fancy’ travel habits but there’s nothing wrong with starting that young! OK, Boss Baby is almost over, time for bed!  

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Tech MICROSOFTSTORE.CA

Testing the Surface Pro 4 from MicrosoftStore.ca

Testing the Surface Pro 4 from MicrosoftStore.ca

I don’t get jealous often, but it’s time to come clean! ?? For the last year or so, I’ve watched two of my colleagues at 1188 Films use and rave about, their Surface Pro devices. They use it as a tablet on set, a computer in the office, and a notepad in meetings. While here I am lugging around multiples devices… It does seem that the interactive screen is becoming increasingly utilized and well-regarded in a business context thanks to it being compact, mobile, easy to use, fast, and highly accessible. I wanted to take one for a test drive, so when I got an email from the Microsoftstore.ca team to do just that, I was totally game! As you know, I spend a lot of time on my computer.  I shift from being a blogger to working as a director with 1188 Films Inc. and doing a variety of other client-related tasks throughout the day (aka. emails galore). I’ve only had the device for a couple of days, but it’s seriously impacted my productivity. The  Surface Pro 4 is both computer and tablet, so it saves me lugging around 2 devices. It’s also small and light, so it’s easy to carry in a purse or backpack. Lately, I‘ve been lugging around both my iPad Pro and MacBook Pro which makes my purse kinda (super) heavy. As a girl on-the-go, I found the Surface Pro to be super portable, and versatile. It’s like powerful little studio all in one device. The fact that the device converts from computer to tablet is a solid feature for creatives like myself.  I’m able to work on a document in computer mode, present something in a meeting in studio mode, and give directions on set in tablet mode. All in one device. You can also work on a bunch of things at…

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VIDEO 1188 FILMS

Watch Jillea’s #MissAmericaRemix Video (Directed by Me!)

Watch Jillea’s #MissAmericaRemix Video (Directed by Me!)

OK SO…Seeing ‘Directed by Casie Stewart & Don Allan” on this video is pretty cool! Thanks to Sean & Don (Revolver Films) for the opportunity. Was a cool experience to work my way through doing something new! All the hand lettering in the video was done by Jeff Woo. WATCH THE VIDEO BEHIND THE SCENES Sean tasked me with the job of directing this and at first, I was like SURE! Then a bit of panic set in that I didn’t ‘really’ know what I was doing. Finally, his advice was just to sit down and do the work. None of us ‘really’ know what we’re doing half the time! I’ve spent enough time on set, at video shoots, and behind the scenes, plus, all the creativity I need is right in my head. I spent a few hours one Friday night working away on iPad Pro, airdropping things to my MacBook and adding them to Premiere. This step is ‘writing the directors treatment‘. Next, we met with Slate Music (label) and Jillea (artist) at Revolver Films to share the idea. They loved it! I Was really keen to use millennial pink and am so happy with how it turned out so good. What do you think? I look forward to more work like this, I love expanding my skills and learning as I go. I’m still working away at my iPad Letting course and am excited to put that new knowledge to work. 

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LIFE

Life, Lashes, and Rainy Days…

Life, Lashes, and Rainy Days…

Smiling here but have been feeling so meh the last little while. I go through stages like this, now and again where I wonder about the Internet and if I’m burnt out? That might be the case or maybe it’s the weather… Ok so, about the lashes… Today I’m wearing false lashes bc last week in Jamaica I had a SUPER BAD reaction to the glue from eyelash extensions. At times I couldn’t see very well and it made me sad and homesick. Honestly, it was the worst. In another country, it was raining like crazy, I had puffy eyes, all sore and bloodshot. I’m used to having pretty great lashes (yeah I know why did I get them? urgh) and now mine are not so beautiful. Some are missing and I still feel like my eyes are dry. I probably should’ve listened to my friend when she told me to have a look at this information from reneerouleau.com just in case I needed any advice on what to do if you get puffy eyes. I really wish I had taken the time to look at this before I left for Jamaica. I think it’s fair to say that I won’t be making the same mistake again. But it definitely doesn’t feel good knowing that I have puffy eyes and no eyelashes, especially as I won’t have any for a while. It’ll be weeks for them to grow back and am crossing my fingers and everything I have, hoping they come back strong. What should I do? If you have tips please tell me! Planning to go home and spend a rainy night on the couch wearing jogging pants and writing. One great thing about this weather is taking the time to recharge your batteries or get ahead. That way…

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LIFE Rexall Brunswick House

A Look Inside The New Rexall at Brunswick House

A Look Inside The New Rexall at Brunswick House

If you’ve lived in Toronto for a while or went to uni here, you definitely have memories of the Brunswick House. That place was legendary. I lived in the Annex when I first moved to Toronto in 2005 and had a lot of crazy nights there filled with beer, dancing, and old friends. As our city continues to grow and change, a lot of old building are being torn down to make way for condos, lucky for this historic place, Rexall’s done a good job of preserving its charm and musical memories. Stayin’ true to the building’s history, Rexall worked with the City of Toronto’s Heritage Preservation Service and fully restored the building’s outdoor façade and a bunch of the interior. You’ll recognize the old keg barrel bar as the new cash counter. The chandeliers, mirrors, and signage are all original and you’ll find restored tin tiles on the ceiling. To celebrate the opening they hosted media & bloggers for the unveiling of the ‘Rexall Brunswick House Music Artifacts Exhibition’ curated by Alan Cross.  The Brunny was a music venue for over 100 years and they’ve got memorabilia on display from artists who played there including from Jeff Healey, K.D. Lang, Oscar Peterson, Downchild Blues Band, and Peter App. In other news, picked up some of these B12 strips I absolutely love. Been taking them for 2+ years now. There’s 2 in each package and they’re minty vitamins on ‘Listerine style‘ strips. Great for travel! Next time you need to run to Rexall, pop by the new Brunswick House flagship!      

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Tech

Cottage Life & Having a Strong (Mobile) Network – Telus Love!

Cottage Life & Having a Strong (Mobile) Network – Telus Love!

As you are welllll aware I spend heaps of time at the cottage over the summer. One thing our whole cottage crew knows is that I have the best internet. I’ve been with Telus for a looooong time and their mobile network is seriously amazing. When we’re driving along Southwood Road there’s a few spots where service drops, but not for me. We always use my phone to stream music from because my network literally, never misses a beat. ?? When we’re on the dock, it’s common for people on ‘other’ carriers to lose signal or miss calls. Not me! ?? I’m always popping on my WIFI hotspot to offer our guests uninterrupted scrolling. We’ve even given my number as a phone contact since I’m on Canada/Ontario’s largest 4G LTE network. Wondering about coverage in your area? Check out the Telus interactive coverage map HERE. Below is a screenshot of Muskoka, all purple means 4G LTE across the whole area. I’ve got the bandwidth to download or stream Netflix using my mobile connection. In Ontario, TELUS ranks highest, with its customers experiencing the lowest incidence of calling problems in the region. Humble Brag ?⤵️ According to the J.D. Power 2016 Canadian Wireless Network Quality Study, TELUS ranks among the highest in overall wireless network quality across Canada.  Aside from a strong mobile network they have an incredible human network of people on Team Telus and do lots of great stuff across Canada. I’ve had the opportunity to be part of some awesome charity and giving back initiatives through my work with them. They’re also the #1 national communications provider for customer service. Proud to be part of Team Telus and happy to share what makes them a great company to work with. Check out the website at telus.com and see the whole group of #TeamTelus advocates here. On that note, despite having an amazing network,…

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