Oh man, did you get a shock when you woke up this morning? I opened my curtains to see that the patio door had a layer of icy frost! Damn. It’s cold out there. Broke out the winter boots and warm jacket. Here we go guys, it’s winter.
I’ve been a little off my game this week. Maybe I’m coming down with something? Slept in more than usual today and went to bed at 10 last night which is pretty early for me. I didn’t even make yoga once this week. I also ate so much crap I probably gained 5 damn pounds! We’re closing the cottage this weekend and I’m not looking forward to it. I wish we could keep it open all winter! I know I said I like the closing duties but once winter hits, it’s all bittersweet.
There’s no bad winter, just bad outfits. Keeping warm in Sean’s Burberry scarf and these are my fav glasses. DYK you can get Celine on Amazon?!
I’m heading to have lunch with April and I always feel energized when we hang out. Stay warm out there my friends! Keeping this quote in my thoughts today and sending sunshine in your general direction through the internet.
In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.
– Albert Camus
Some people like aisle seats but I always pick window if I can. I like something to lean on and I love staring out the window. Takeoff is one of my favourite parts. I love being on planes, it means you’re going somewhere!
I’m deep in planning my winter vacations and couldn’t be happier, it’ all starting to come together! I leave for New Orleans in 2 weeks, then for a big 21-day adventure in December. I can’t wait. Nothing like knowing you’ve got sunshine in your future!
View from our room in Montego Bay, Jamaica
If you’re looking to get away soon, I’m sharing this link for you to get some $$ back on your accommodation. UseBooking.com and they’ll reward us both with a $40 CAD gift if you use this link. Once you check out of your hotel, the reward from booking.com will show up as a refund on your credit card. If you have questions about how it exactly works, read the FAQ here. The Nice thing about booking.com is they have no booking fees, free cancellation (most rooms), and price matching.
Also, if you haven’t signed up for Ebates make sure you do that before going to booking.com, you’ll get 2% back on your purchase! Their average cashback per order is $6!
P.S. If you're looking to save money and get smart using Amazing, check out this post on thebabbleout.com.
This weekend was fun. I went out for one last kayak before we put all the stuff away. It was surprisingly warm, but damp, great weather for getting things done. Although it’s a lot of work, and I can feel it in my arms today, closing the cottage is something I kinda look forward to. Sean and I do together as a team; heaps of lifting, holding the ladder, carrying the canoe, putting away the outside stuff, and family trips to the dump. We had Embot with us and her fav part was deff packing the trailer then chucking everything into the huge garbage at the dump.
For years I’ve been wanting to make cutting boards from some of the beautiful wood laying around and we finally did it! I marked and measured, Sean put them through the planer, then cut them into pieces. I spent ages with the sander making them nice and soft. Before I started my project, I did a look of research and read quite a lot of information on orbital vs sheet sander. After careful consideration, I realized which one I should be using for a nice finish so it was a good job I looked into it! The next step is sealing, drying, and wrapping for the holidays. I need to visit Lee Valley this week. I spent lots of time in the garage with my dad as a kid so doing that as a family this weekend was nice.
Since I got a Kindle last year I’ve read SO MANY BOOKS. It’s the most convenient way to read and I’ve started putting my phone down before bed and reading a book instead.
If you’re looking to cosy up with a good book, here are some favs I’ve read over the last year. I’m really into suspense, mystery, thriller, or murder. If you have any recommendations, I’d love to hear them. I can always add to my reading list!
We’re back in the city now and tonight I’m going to the War Child #WhatIfWomen gala I told you about last week. I’m really excited to start getting ready and put on my dress. I picked it up from Studio Fitzroy this afternoon and IT IS AMAZING! I’ll be sharing posts from the night on Twitter and Instagram Stories!
Hope you’re having a good day. This time of year can be kind of dreary, so try to find inspiration in people and places around you. Smile at strangers and treat yourself or someone around you to a small surprise. Spreading a little bit of kindness will do wonders for your own mood!
Last week my sister and I went on an adventure to Prince Edward County. PEC is southern Ontario with a coastline on Lake Ontario’s northeastern shore. It’s been about 20 years since either of us were in The County. I have fond memories of Jenie and I camping at Sandbanks Park with our parents, playing on massive sand hills, making things with clay.
Our trip was courtesy of The Drake Hotel and their PEC property, The Drake Devonshire. We were there to experience Countylicious, similar to Winterlicious/Summerlicious where restaurants feature 3-course prix fixe menus for $40/pp (+ tax & tip). In 24 hours we did so much more than just eat great food. The County has so much to offer so here are a few thing I recommend for your PEC road trip.
5 Things to Do in Prince Edward County
Visit Wineries
There’s 40+ wineries in PEC and a whole bunch of breweries. If you love great wine, you deff want to visit the princeedwardcountywine.ca and make a plan of places to visit. On our tour we stopped into Wapoos Winery, the very first one in the region. It’s absolutely beautiful and right on the water. Check out the Wapoos menu for Countylicious here. If you happen to drive a Tesla, they have a charging station.
Eat Great Food
There is no shortage of great places to eat in Prince Edward County. Starting today, Countylicious kicks off with a celebration of fine dining featuring prix fixe menus from local restaurants. Chefs have created unique, County-inspired menus with an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
Have you ever smelled fresh carrots from a farm? Had arugula straight from the earth? I can tell you that the produce from Blue Wheelbarrow Farm is incredible. We met the young/cool farm owner at The Public House and were all so impressed with him we took a little tiki tour to his farm. They supply fruit & vegetables to heaps of restaurants in the area. He showed us around the grounds, introduced his cute dog, and picked fresh farm foods for us to try.
Go to a PEC farm if you can, it will make you want to move out of the city!
Blue Wheelbarrow farm Owner
Jenie and the cutest farm pup!
These were amazing.
The whole gang!
Public House is very cute!
The County Wine Tours
If you’re a wine-loving foodie, check out The County Wine Tours, a company co-founded by friend Erin Bury. They have local guides that’ll take you on a wine or brewery tour by bike. Much better than trying to get around by car. They also do custom tours and company retreats. Bosses take note!
Keepin it cute in The County with my sister and Diala! Follow her on IG at @dialaskitchen, I’m in AWE of her recipes and photography.
The Great Outdoors
If you feel at home in nature like me, you’ll absolutely love it here. I spend a lot of time in Muskoka but Prince Edward County has its own beauty. It reminds me of travelling back in time a little, it doesn’t have the busy you’ll find in Muskoka. Well, not yet!
There’s nothing like a getaway to the country, or county, to hit the refresh button on your life and recharge your batteries.
Ok so, for years Sean and other friends have said I’d be great on a kids show. I’ve never disagreed and this weekend, although it was only a one episode interview, I was on a kids show! I love doing tv. It’s so fun and being on camera is something I’ve always been into.
You might not know I was first on stage at 5 years old and pretty heavy into dance competitions growing up. I performed heaps as a kid then spent a few years as a teen model before shooting my first commercial in high school.
Watch the Video: My Job Rocks – S2 E8
The show is called My Job Rocks and it’s on Rogers and Bell Fibe. My episode will be out in March and I’ll keep you posted when I have a date. Until then, here’s a little look behind the scenes!
Throwing it out there, I’d love to do more tv and am totally available!
#WhatIfWomen is a fundraising event for War Child, an organization that helps children in war-affected communities get back their childhood by giving them access to education and opportunity.
On Monday I’m excited to celebrate The Power and Promise of Women with War Child Canada. You can get a ticket here.
Growing up, my mum really instilled in me that I could do anything and be anyone I wanted when I got older. It wasn’t easy and there were struggles but nothing like growing up in a war-torn country like Sudan or Iraq.
For the past couple weeks, I’ve been working with the War Child team to join a group of incredibly inspiring women in this campaign. When they approached me about volunteering it was around the day when all the ‘Me too’ posts hit the internet and I nearly broke down talking about how important it is for women to support other women and girls.
THOUGHTS ON MY MIND…
What if women were given the same work opportunities as men? What if women had the courage to speak up without consequence? What if women had equal pay? What if women had equal access to education? What if women were given the chance to lead? What if women didn’t have to be scared of walking alone at night?
What if women grew up knowing they can achieve anything they want?
You can still get a ticket to Monday’s event at Eglinton Grand featuring performances by Sarah McLachlan, Chantal Kreviazuk, and Ruth B. It’ll be a room full of strong voices coming together to show the world that compassion has no borders.
The other day I scrolled an article on Vogue w/ Wes Anderson’s best interiors and discovered Hotel Chevalier. I’mobsessed now, watched it 5+ times. It’s a 13min American-French short with Natalie Portman and Jason Schwartzman, set in Paris at Hotel Raphael. I have not been to Paris yet but I will go to this place one day.
The more I learned about the film the more I wanted to know. Wes Anderson is so creative with the minute details of everything and I love it so much. Have you seen Grand Budapest Hotel? In Hotel Chevalier, Natalie Portman was cast after W. Anderson get her email from Scott Rudin, the producer of Closer. [Another movie I totally love and it super weird.] This movie is only 13 minutes but is so beautifully written and styled, it inspires me. I love it. I love the colours, directing, script. It’s great.
This month I’m heading on a week-long vacation (sponsored by ME!) back to New Orleans and staying at a beautiful villa w/ a few friends in the French Quarter. I was there for my first time in September for a speaking gig. Booked this trip months ago and would love Sean to come with me but I also love travelling alone. I love being in airports and on planes or writing in my hotel room. I’m really looking forward to warm weather and wandering the streets. There is also a Christmas store I only had a couple minutes in last time that I plan to spend a good chunk of time in.
Today is the start of National Novel Writing Month and I’m really giving it a go this year. Have been writing a lot more lately. Planning for to write 500+ words a day for the month between novel/blog. I didn’t know about National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) until this week when I read Casey Palmer’s blog (aka Casey #2) but I am going to try that too. I’ve waited/worked my whole life (ok well the last 10 years of adult life) to have my job as my blog and I’m taking full advantage of every single day. In August I worked really hard to be mentally and physically fit, then September was super busy, and October flew by and I felt like I hardly did anything. November for me is No-spend-November, No-drink-November, Say No-November, I need to stay home. November is my writing month.
Sometimes I think ‘THIS IS MY LIFE‘ and I feel so glad I called my blog that 12 years ago. I never imagined this would actually be my life. Well, I dreamed about it being something like this but didn’t know it would actually happen. Thank you for following and reading and being part of it.
Natalie Portman: Are you running away from me? Jason Schwartzman: I thought I already did.
I wasn’t really feeling in the ‘spirits this morning but Sean asked what I was dressing up as so I started into a ‘little’ Halloween lewk. Well, about 45 minutes and huge coffee later, VOILA! This haunting creeper was born out of a desire to make a cute skellie with pink and sparkles. I love looking like this so much. I also really adore this wig (from Amazon) and will likley wear it more just for fun.
BTW, superzoom in Instagram is so much fun. See video below. I tried it out finally. I’ve been a but quiet the last couple days dealing with some family things but I’m a-ok. I’m working on a HUGE adventure for December and I want to tell you about it so bad but it must wait.
On a rainy day last week I was almost late to pick Embot up from daycare so we decided to go for burgers and test out Prodigy Game. Em spent hours playing over the next few days. In that time she created an avatar for herself, explored Prodigy Game’s world, enhanced her math skills and even described it as ‘really fun.’
Prodigy is a free math game with over 20 million students, teachers, and parents using it worldwide. It combines gaming and education for students in grades 1-8, alleviates math anxiety and teaches valuable math skills aligned with the student’s curriculum at school.
I wasn’t very good at math in high school and did summer school or night school every year until I graduated. Safe to say I’ve always been on the highly creative side. It’s important to work on these skills as a kid so you’re equipped with the tools you need to excel in the future. Last year, our provincial government implemented a $60-million math strategy, but math scores in Ontario are still low with half of Grade 6 students not meeting the provincial standard. Prodigy Game addresses that major issue in our education system and helps students tackle – and beat – their math anxieties.
Emily doesn’t mind math but she reallllllly loves her iPad. Legit this kid could watch videos all day of people making slime or doing funny challenges on YouTube. I was so glad to see her using it to play an educational game, by choice. Parenting WIN.
Prodigy Game
Em was on Level 3 when 2 kids about her age passed by and saw her playing. The younger one said “She’s playing Prodigy” and her older brother said “I’m on level 77.” Ok, this is good. He mentioned that his teacher uses Prodigy Game in their class. I wish there was tech like this when I was a kid!
A cool feature of the game is the ability to create a parent account. You can check in on how your child is doing, where they excel and where they are having challenges.
Screenshot of Emily’s Progress
When I asked Em for feedback about what could make the game better she said “more math”. To learn more about Prodigy Game visit the website and download it from the App Store here.
If you’re looking to work for a cool Canadian tech company, see open positions here. They have a lot of cool perks you’d expect to find at a tech company!
This post is sponsored by Prodigy Game and I told Emily I would buy her a Lego or new toy in exchange for her honest review. ?
On a sunny Sunday afternoon, I took a drive to Morningside Park in Scarborough. This year as part of Canada 150, TD is revitalizing over 150 community green spaces across Canada. It’s so nice to adventure and stroll through a new park discovering things along the way.
I took some time to sit in the sun, watch the water, and admire the light shining through the trees in the middle of the forest. ????
When I was a kid in Cambridge, Ontario I spent heaps of time at Riverside Park near our house. Playing there as a kid, volunteering for summer camp in high school, riding bikes, and watching friends play baseball when I was a bit older. To this day I always take a drive through the park when I go home to see how it changes and go for a walk if I have some. Sometimes I just sit in the car and listen to music with a friend like the good old days. So many memories.
A park is such a big part of a neighbourhood and city. TD’s Common Ground project encourages Canadians to come together in green spaces across the country. The scale of projects varies and there are 7 flagship projects, the outdoor gathering space at Morningside Park is one of them.
There are 82 projects in Ontario, with 7 in Toronto, find them all here. Next time I’m in KW I’ll be checking out Waterloo Park to see the new bridge connecting the two universities, provided through the TD Common Ground Project.
Step Into the Forest – 360 Photo of Morningside Park, Scarborough
I hope you’ll look up your local TD Common Ground revitalization project (here) and see what spaces are changing near you. For more information about the project find my first post about it earlier this year here.
