Hi! I was up early and out the door about 5:30am, arriving in Vancouver just after 9:30am PST. Driving to the hotel it was clear today was going to be beautiful! It’s MUCH different from my last visit in March when it was cold & snowy! When I’m travelling for work I try to get there with a few hours to spare so I can relax, nap, eat, get some computing done, or check out the area.
Fellow #TeamTelus friend, Christine (lifeonmanitoulin.com) was on my flight. so her and I decided to check out the area. We walked along the sea wall past parks and people until we got to Cactus Club Cafe. We’d been in Van for less than an hour before we found a great patio and refreshing cocktail. I have a real knack for this haha.
Heyyyyy West Coast!
First Stop
So Vancouver!
PALM TREES FOR LIFE
Oh hello beauty!
Jalapeno Margarita? Yes pls!
Ceviche and sunshine
Food was amazing
Our waitress said we had to check out the award-winning Bella Gelateria for gelato and MY GOD IT WAS FREAKING AMAZING. I almost always get chocolate and this was truly one of the BEST I’ve had in my life. There were chunks of brownies. I can taste this photo.
The view from the Westin Bayshore is beautiful. My room overlooks the pool with mountains in the background. I popped down to the pool to sit in the shade, catch up on emails, and read my book in the pool.
Tomorrow is a full day of activities with Telus and I’m excited to see what we get up to. I’m heading out tonight to meet the team for dinner. It’s so nice out, planning to leave early and walk.
I was so looking forward to being in the city this weekend. We’ve been away for almost every weekend since March! I got a few things done around the house and took some good time to fully relax. It feels great! We all need days like this.
After watching The Wedding on Saturday at Windsor Arms, I came home, changed into sweatpants, sat on my bed, opened my computer, and set up my iPad. It was the perfect day to chill. Tbh, I love sitting at home, quietly, on the couch or in my bed.
I’ve got a great little setup using a small table I made last year. I originally found it on Etsy but was crazy expensive on Etsy so I made it myself! It’s great it for sitting or working in bed, and as a footrest at the desk. For my mouse, I use a book or a marble board I got at The Drake General Store.
The rest of the weekend I watched The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Video (good show!) and caught up on the Y&R. Drove to the beach with Sean. Hung out with some friends in Trinity Bellwoods. Did some fireworks, played with sparklers. It was the perfect city weekend!
This week I’m in Vancouver with #TeamTelus. I can’t wait! We’ve got 2 days of activities with the Canada-wide Telus influencer gang. Most of us are staying at the beautiful Westin Bayshore, the view looks amazing.
My flight is super early so I arrive with plenty of time to explore before we all meet up for dinner. As usual, I’m leaving packing to the last minute!
Here’s to a great week.
☀️ Sending you sunshine! ☀️
Yesterday I went to Sassoon Toronto for a much overdue hair appt!That was all me, I’d been delaying getting a cut to let it grow a bit longer and give me more roots. I am growing it out from shaving my head last summer.
Before!
Team blonde FTW!
I met with Kim & Tricia, who I like to call the blonde dream team! I interviewed Kim a couple month ago about taking care of your hair, see that post here. She is a blonde WIZARD.
This visit, I asked her what’s trending for hair right now and she said that looks for cut and colour are going back to basics, classic looks, freehand painting. They’re doing more highlighted looks but instead of the traditional highlights (we all had as teenagers), the sections are more interesting, geometrical.
As a blonde, highlights take a little longer to do but the colour process is quicker than full bleach, also not as hard on your hair. Kim did mine in a sideswipe diagonal at the front and it was cool to watch.
Kim told me balayage is still popular, given it is super low maintenance. Something to remember is it takes precision to have your hair done well, highlights should line up and balayage takes specific painting skills.
I love the Sassoon SS18 Collection images. Check them out here for inspiration. I especially love the image below with the pink background, swoon.
[symple_testimonial by=”” fade_in=”false”]“Sassoon plays with natural hair by enhancing the beauty of original texture, functionality and colour in the hair. This season, Sassoon is manipulating the form of hair by utilizing classic techniques from the inside out, literally, changing the look of hair by looking from within.”
Lorraine McAndrew, Toronto Senior Creative Director[/symple_testimonial]
Tricia finished with my haircut, leaving the little bits on the side and not taking too much off the top. She does a bit when it’s wet then does a dry cut, scissor over comb. Love it!
UPDATE: 2 Days Later
Why does your hair always feel so great a few days after it’s cut?! Below is after 1 wash and 2 days, sleeping on it, then wearing a hat to the watch the Royal Wedding for a couple hours. I love it.
I’ve been using Davines MORE INSIDE Sea Salt Spray (at Sassoon’s reco!) which is a step fancier than what I had before, and I see why. It’s awesome. Trying to wash not my hair every single day (but still shower lol) and this makes it look messy but tamed.
If you’re looking for a great salon, skilled artists, or a new look, go to Sassoon Toronto! They’re so nice and I’ve never been happier with my hair. Tell them I sent you!
HAPPY LONG WEEEEEEEEKEND!
I've been working with Sassoon Toronto for almost 2 years now! They take care of my hair in exchange for me sharing about it, which, tbh I'd do anyway.
There’s no shortage of things to do in San Francisco, you have the water, the Wharf, the city, parks the hills, and over 3,500 restaurants. The key is finding a few ways to see the city with enough time to explore. If I’m on a short trip to a new city, I like to pick 3-5 things I really want to see and give myself lots of time to do it. That way I can leave early in the day and take the scenic route, enjoy meals, take streets without a map, and follow the sunshine.
Walking in the Mission
Rainy Day at the Market
City Bus Tour
In this list, you’ll find five great things to do in San Francisco if you’re on a short trip but want to see a lot. I’ve also included my runner-up for street art and FOOD.
Fisherman’s Wharf & The Grotto
There is no shortage of great food in SF but if you’re looking for fresh (and sustainably served) seafood, you’ll want to book a table here. The Grotto was first opened in 1935 and the first sit down restaurant at Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s recently been renovated, restoring many of the original features, giving a modern touch to the 1930’s decor. Here you’ll find great views of the bay, the bridge, and boats while taking in the incredible menu by Executive Chef Paul Bruno. Make sure you check out the new beehive on the roof as you walk in the dining area, it’s not be missed!
Golden Gate Bridge & Alcatraz Tour
I was keen on getting to Alcatraz and biking across the bridge but found myself a bit short on time. I found the perfect way to get some sun and see the sighs from the water with Blue & Gold Boat Tour. Over the course of an hour, you’ll get a great view of the city from the bay, get up close to the bridge (by going right under it), loop around for a look at Alcatraz, and catch the sunbathing sea lions at Pier 39. Make sure you have your camera and a jacket, it’s a little windy out there!
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
Each week up to 40,000 people visit the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market where you’ll find live cooking demos, great food, and beautiful views of the city. Operated by CUESA, the nonprofit Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture, the market features local and sustainable farmers, food artisans, prepared food, and plenty of flowers. Local chefs stop here to pick up produce and meat for their restaurants. The year-round market operates rain or shine and is open Saturday and Tuesday to Thursday.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Walking around the city there’s no shortage of art. The streets are lined with murals, bright coloured buildings, and beautiful architecture. Located in the heart of downtown, SF MOMA holds an international collection of world-renowned artwork. Around the building are beautiful spaces where you can step outside and admire the architecture, it’s also home to the largest living wall in America. Selected works include Frieda and Diego Rivera by Frida Kahlo, A Set of Six Self-Portraits by Andy Warhol, and Collection (formerly Untitled) by Robert Rauschenberg. I love spending time looking at art. One of my friends is an aspiring artist and has recently started making digital copies of her paintings so that she can share them on social media. If you are looking for a way to make copies of your artwork, check out these artwork scanners over on hereon.biz.
SF Segway Tours
You might not look the coolest doing it but a Segway tour in San Francisco is really fun. Don’t be afraid of the hills or railway tracks, San Francisco Guided Segway Tours will put you through enough training to make sure you’re ready to hit the road before they take you on a guided tour of local attractions. We stopped by the Aquarium, Comic Museum, and took in a great view of the city. Highly recommend this one with a group of friends!
OK, one more bonus thing to do if you have a couple hours!Avital Tours is a company that offer local food tours in cities around the USA. We did the Mission District Culinary Experience with Kevin Longa (also a filmmaker!). He gave us the lowdown on street art, history, the best food, and what’s cool/changed in the Mission District. I have so many photos from this that I need to do a post of jus street art! Highly recommend the walking tour!
We went to a CHEESE BAR!
Bi-Rite ice cream, AMAZING!
Lots of cool buildings, glitter door!
Famous Bi-Rite Market
Tacos, yes please!
Amazing Vegan food!
A version of this post was originally published on Canadian Geographic, who sent me to cover San Francisco travel on their behalf.
Sean and I had a really romantic weekend, we cleaned house and went to the dump about 4 times. To be honest, chucking furniture into a huge bin is exhilarating. We managed to move a massive fridge then, on the way it fell off the trailer, it was so mashed up! Also kinda satisfying seeing it so mangled! haha ? We got it back on the truck with no fuss and Sean moved another fridge later in the day.
This spring we’ve been up here quite a bit. It’s been nice. Though, unless you have a cottage or something like it, you won’t know how much work it is. We’ve been husting every weekend since we opened this place in March. This weekend I managed to carve out time to finish a book I picked up Friday. [Sister of Mine, it was good! Toronto based author, Ryerson Professor]
Check this out, the author and I chatted on Twitter. Love reaching out after a read a good book to thank the author, even cooler when they reply!
Over the last little while, I’ve been working on a thing that’s really exciting and I can’t wait to share with the world. I think it’s important to have something not everybody knows, a secret project, a magic motivation to focus on. If you tell everyone everything, you have no surprises!
This week I’m also working on blogging more. I often chat with people who have blogs and they set really high goals and rules for themselves, then, beat themselves up when they don’t blog every day or publish as much as they imagined. Don’t do that! Write when you feel like writing, if it’s your own blog and you’re your own boss, be a good boss to yourself! A blog is your creative expression, it’s always there for you when you need it.
Over the last 13 years, some months I blogged 50+ times and others only a handful. That is a-ok. The main thing is you don’t give up.
Sending sunshine from Muskoka. I got my first damn mozzie bite today. FML. LOL!
I am so happy it’s finally NICE OUT. I know I’ve been a bit quiet and not posting as much the last couple weeks but I needed a break. Sometimes I go through stages where I don’t feel like sharing my life online.
It can honestly be kind of overwhelming. Last week we spent 6 days at the cottage and it was just the reset I needed. This weekend we’re heading back up for 3 days and I’m going to do some gardening with Sean’s mum.
Sean calls this look ‘weekend Casie”
YEAH BABY FINALLY
I think it’s important to recognize when you need a break. I’m feeling a bit more inspired to wrote and share. I’ve been working on a few things behind the scenes with 1188 and other clients. On a side note, the tray and plates in the first post were on sale at Loblaws, I love them!
This weekend I’ll spend some time catching up on posts and fill you in on what I’ve been up to.
I was sitting here feeling a bit of Monday blerghs and then I looked at my computer and around me and said: “WTF, stop it!”. Actually out loud to myself. I’m working from home and I’m drinking a coffee I made downstairs with the patio door open and my plants are in the sun while I look at my little space and suddenly think I will eventually need a sliding door repair for my patio as the latch is becoming stuck more often than not, but that’s a different days job. I spent most of yesterday updating my speaker’s agency profile information sitting in my room watching Netflix. THIS IS ONCE WHAT I DREAMED OF.
Ok, it’s not all roses and rainbows but I wanted to be here. I worked hard for this. I put in hours and days and years of work to get here and I have nothing to be so damn salty about.
Sometimes all you need to do is remind yourself this is right where you wanted to be and fully be IN that moment.The sun is out and I am feeling good.
It’s easy to get down or distracted and feel like your neverending list of tasks is piling up but there is a lot you can be grateful for. I talked to a friend this morning and a reminded her to make a list of things she’d already done, then she wouldn’t feel bad about the other list she had been meaning to do. There is enough time in the day or week to do the things you need to do. Some of the things I want to get done are not necessarily what I need to get done. Ex. my hair is a shag and the house is a little messy but that’s totally ok. Prioritize and manage your time, it takes work but you can do it.
In other news, this weekend our furnace broke and today we have a guy here fixing it. Not ideal, but I CAN DEAL. GIRL, YOU GOT THIS.
Feel the sunshine on your face, soak it up.
We’ve waited for this moment.
P.S. People have been posting their old headshots so here are some of mine, haha. I was a teen model. WTF is up w/ the tree!? ??
Helloooooo and happy Monday! We’re up at the cottage after a few relaxing days of sun and snow. Yep, the lake is STILL frozen. Mostly frozen. Sean tested it out and there’s a pretty thick layer under the top bit of crunchy snow. It’s usually all melted by now which is kinda crazy.
It felt like a beach outside the sun was so warm and reflecting from the lake. I got a slight tan like from my top and Sean was doing lumberjack things with no shirt on. ?
I posted a bunch on Stories over the weekend, you can check out the Cottage Story here. We invented a new game, ‘throw the brick and try to break the ice’. It’s more fun than it sounds, trust me. Last night he did a bunch of fireworks on the lake and it is the coolest thing. The colours reflect on the white snow ice and light up the sky.
Ice, nature’s filter.
Oh, Life!
This morning I posted an article from Gary Vee about not comparing yourself to people on Instagram. This has been a topic around friends and events lately. It’s important to remember people only post their best photos and part of their life they want to share. I am not showing you a photo of me right now as I’ve been wearing the same clothes all weekend and they’re a mess from cooking, cleaning the cottage, and doing yard work. Without this hat, my hair stands right up like a troll doll and my face feels fresh with no makeup. It’s great, I feel awesome. I don’t feel like sharing a photo of myself right now though, might scare ya, haha.
Yaaaaay! GUYS, spring. It’s like almost hereeeeeee! If you go outside today there are so many smiling people. ??????????????????
I mean it’s mostly the sun but it could also be 420. We are having pizza at the office. Tonight I’ve got a double date with one of my bffs to the Tokyo Smoke event at The Design Exchange. We’re planning a cottage visit this weekend and I wonder if the lake has thawed? It’s about time to start looking at water pipes for sale for my bff maybe to make use of it at the cottage!
Today I posted on Instagram for the first time in over a week. I haven’t felt like posting on my own account. Behind the scenes, I’ve been manning client IG accounts but with the long, grey, freezing days, I’ve been so BLARGHHH. I stook outside on the roof patio with my arms up facing the sun, trying to charge my batteries. It’s amazing how much of a difference sunshine makes.
I wish I was wearing this outfit right now and every day after. I love it so much. It’s a rental from the girls at Studio Fitzroy.
Sequins, so hot right now and forever. I’m pretty sure my 10 years in dance as a kid are to thank for my love of sequins. I could wear them any time of day, any day of the week.
I didn’t realize how many days it has been since I blogged. There’s a handful of photos ready to publish in posts with no words. I haven’t had them to write. I mean they’re always floating around my head and in notes on my phone. Sometimes I don’t feel like sharing. It all sounds so dramatic when I write it down, I’ve just been working on other stuff. A whole life happens behind scenes of a blog, with clients, speaking, freelance writing, new work, family time. This weather is 100% not helping my desire to stay cooped up in the house though. Binge-watching show after show, I’ve only gone to the store 1 block away since Sunday. Yesterday I watched a season and a half of Doctor Foster on Netflix. Today I’m going to make date scones and spaghetti bolognese.
It’s ok to stay inside. It’s ok to not want to share on social media. It’s cool to spend heaps of time hibernating and feeding your soul. Soon enough spring will come and we’ll all be outside spinning in the sunshine. I think of those days and feel warm inside. Until then, I’m ok staying cooped up in the house and keep a little quiet, low key.
Feel the sunshine on your face, soak it up.
