The Artist Project Toronto: Feel It For Yourself

Went to opening night of The Artist Project Toronto last night, one of my fav events of the year. I can’t believe how many friends, artists, and people I knew, it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces. Wore a cute outfit, a see through dress with daisies, and my fav hat from Lack of Colour Australia. I’ve been living in my new platform Vans lately. Have always been a Converse girl but, these little shoes go with everything and they’re so cute. The Artist Project is on all weekend and 100% worth checking out. It’s happening at Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place from April 14-16, and there here are 250+ independent artists. So many nice things to look at. Grab your friends, go on a date, take the whole fam, it’s great. “Explore thousands of artworks, large scale installations, enjoy curator led art tours and take home that special work that truly resonates with you.” The Artist Project Here are a few of my faves from opening night. There was so much to see, this is just a small sliver of all the things to look at. Get a ticket and go. This post isn’t sponsored, I just truly love supporting independent artists and fun events! I came home and blogged it right away so you could know about it! Feel it for yourself. Discover original works of art. A couple of nice pix of us by Ryan Emberley.

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Self-Care: Cold Plunge, Meditation, Sunshine, Mani

This is me right before spending a good 2.5 minutes in Lake Ontario in the middle of winter, on a windy -11 day. Sean and I joined Meghan Yuri Young & Chloe Wild for a cold plunge hosted by Soho House Toronto. It was, as you would expect, cold, but fun. I had a full day of self-care and it was lovely. Sean dropped me off at the 1 Hotel (the old Thompson!) as I was attending a workshop hosted by NüLove featuring my friend, Coach Carey. The best thing happened, walked into the lobby and looked over to see Lisa Sonshine, who was also attending! Both Lisa & Coach Carey have been guests on our Cast of Creators podcast watch or listen to all our eps here. The workshop was so good, we meditated, had a healthy lunch, got inspired, and wrote letters to our future selves. 1 Hotel is going to mail the letters to us in a couple of weeks. I really love this idea and might send my future self a few letters this year. My wonderful day of self-care continued with a walk down Queen Street in the sunshine, popping into shops. My friend Angela has just re-opened her new shop in her old shop’s old location. Check out aka The Store on IG or in person at 662 Queen. There are so many cute things, clothes, shoes, jewelry, glitz, and glam! My final stop (before spending a quiet night at home) was a bright mani with my girl Amanda. Her manicures last WEEKS and I love how she’s helped my nails grow longer & stronger than ever. If you’re looking for a great gel mani, book an appt here. (I realized after that these colors are a little Mcdonald’s but IDGAF, I like it.)…

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Beach Date

I took myself on a beach date yesterday and it was lovely! It’s been years since I went to the beaches, and I don’t know why I haven’t done this sooner! Found a nice little spot on the beach and started a great new book by one of my fav authors, Lisa Jewel. Felt like I needed a little escape, found out yesterday that my grandma in New Zealand passed away. She was my last living grandparent. It’s always hard when someone passes but this hits right in the heart and really makes me miss my family in New Zealand. I walked around the neighbourhood and was reminded how cute The Beaches are. I used to live in the East End years ago. Stopped into the store my sister works at, Charming Parrot. They have so many nice things in there! Resort wear, cute tops, beautiful silk dresses, and accessories. Say hi if you see her! I’m planning to get back to the beach more this summer. I want to visit the island too!

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Four Weeks of Working 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!

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25 Days Till Spring

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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Day 623: What if it turns out better?

How many times have you been in a situation, or given an opportunity but worried the outcome might be bad? Never? Well, that must be nice! LOL. I’ve found that through the pandemic my anxiety has gotten worse and it’s not that I think things will go bad, it’s just that I feel anxious something might go wrong. The thing is, what if it turns out better than you expected? Better than you could have ever imagined? What if all your hard work, late nights, long days, sweat, tears, finally pay off like you always dreamed? It’s possible. One of my fav books from when I was little is from the ValueTales series, “The Value of Believing In Yourself“, the story of Louis Pasteur (published 1977). Pasteur is known for his discoveries of the principles of vaccination, microbial fermentation, and pasteurization. The story is about him finding a cure for rabies because he believed in himself. Funny side note about this book, I got a new copy for Emily when she was a kid and didn’t remember the part of the story where the dog passed away. Sean was like, “um the dog DIES?! What kind of story is this?!” HAHAHAHA. Safe to say, neither of them feels the same passion for the book as me. Whoops! (I’m sure mum will find this hilarious.) Believe in yourself, anything is possible!

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Day 567: Hello From the Other Side

I know it’s been a little while and if anyone reads this in the order years later, they’ll never really understand. Living through a pandemic is weird, some days it’s like everything is normal and others, it’s like you don’t really what’s going on in the world. I’ve mostly been updating in batches since August when I had a crazy week that threw me off my game. I’ve started using WordPress mobile again and forgot how convenient it is. I’ve been tracking the days since the pandemic started and even though I don’t always publish on a schedule, I keep notes and photos to remember the days. I don’t like getting too behind, documenting this experience is important to me. I started blogging in 2005 as a way to keep more memories and I know that looking back on pandemic life is something I’ll want to do. There are so many things that happen in a day it’s hard to remember details, even a picture and a couple of words helps to bring back the memories of the moment. A picture truly is worth a thousand words!

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What to do in Niagara Falls?

What to do at Niagara Falls? When we think of Niagara Falls, our minds instantly wander to the group of three waterfalls that span the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. The image we have in our heads has been printed on millions upon millions of postcards and sent around the world by the estimated 13 million visitors that go each year. Niagara Falls is a unique location and has a lot more to offer than just the waterfalls. The great thing about a trip to Niagara Falls is that you can do so heaps of activities in a short period of time. If you’re looking to get the most out of your weekend away, here’s a list of five of the best things to do. Horseshoe Falls Horseshoe Falls is the largest of the three main waterfalls in Niagara and even though it is an obvious pick, your trip would not be complete without a visit. Additionally, if you want to experience the falls firsthand, you can take a boat trip and get upfront and centre. Be ready to get a little wet! Gambling When it comes to nightlife, gambling is something that is at the heart of Niagara Falls, on both sides of the river! There’s a great selection of casinos so you won’t find it difficult to find one you like. If you’re in the mood for gambling, try your hand at online sports betting. You can take in the excitement of a game and the activities of Niagara Falls at the same time. A win-win to me! Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens & Butterfly Conservatory Horseshoe Falls is spectacular, but if you are looking for the perfect peaceful follow-up, then head on over to Niagara…

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Day 487: Summer Rain

We decided to spend an extra day at the cottage to avoid long weekend traffic. Took sean out on the wakeboard at lunch and soaked up some sunshine. I find it a bit hard to work from the cottage so Sean let me usehis office setup and it made everything better. We know it was going to rain so took the boat out of the water in the evening and as we were getting back to the cottage it started POURING. We both got soaked but I didn’t mind, something magical about a warm summer downpour. Always loved this song, it this came out in 2000 when I graduted high school & started college, Summer Rain by Carl Thomas. Not sure when I’ll be back up north this month. Looking forward to being at the house, catching up on blog posts I’ve missed the last little while, and focusing on work. Will be nice to see friends and ride my bike around too. Sending sunshine your way. hope things are looking up!

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Day 484: Treat Yourself – Bespoke Facial at Youth MediSpa

With restrictions opening up we’re finally allowed to access more personal care services. I was so excited to go back to Youth MediSpa for their bespoke facial treatment. My last visit there was in July 2020 (Day 122) for a little Botox touchup. After months of being at home, I’ve really started taking good care of my skin but some things can’t be fixed with a good cream or face mask. This year I turned 39 and some skin concerns I have are signs of aging, sun damage, redness, and hydration. I was keen to get the bespoke facial from Youth MediSpa because it’s catered for each person and their skin needs.

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