410: Bad Girl’s Club

Another transitional jacket! This is one of my absolute favorites, it says ‘Bad Girl’s Club’ on the back and my name on the front. It’s from the Varsity Collection by Canadian designer Hilary MacMillan. It’s from a couple of years ago but a piece I’ll have forever. Last September, I visited Hilary’s Studio in Cabbagetown and wrote about it here. Posted a short Reel in the jacket on IG, click the video below to watch on Instagram with music. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CASIE STEWART (@casiestewart) If you’re ever looking for a great place to take colourful photos in the city, this wall is on Orfus Road near Yorkdale Mall.

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Day 402: My Blog is 16 Today

A 16th birthday is a coming of age year, you’re a bit more mature and figuring out who you are. You’re in high school, you can get your license. I can hardly wrap my brain around the fact that I’ve been writing this for so long. And for 400+ consecutive days of a global pandemic. I would love to have had a post written with all kinds of favorite moments in blog history: travel adventures, red carpets, film festivals, tweetups, and events, but that life seems so incredibly far away right now. I didn’t have the energy but now thinking about it, going back in time seems kinda fun. Looking back, the thing I’m most grateful for is all the people I’ve met through this blog. Nearly everyone I know today is somehow connected to my blog, by way of social media, work, or events. It’s changed my whole life. I changed my whole life. The thing is, if you want to achieve something, or be something, you have to work at it. You need to do something each day that brings you closer to that goal. You get up early and work on it before your job, you think about it on your run, you stay up late, you work on it. You skip going out with your friends to learn HTML and use what little extra money you have to make stickers and cards with your name on them. You do something each day to bring you closer to your goal. You take a step forward each day. A couple of things I’m pretty proud of are being recognized by the Canadian Academy of Film & Television as an innovator & pioneer, receiving an Alumni of Distinction award from Conestoga College, and being recognized by Ontario as a…

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Day 373: Social and Culture

Today I started my new FT role at Funday Agency as Social & Culture Manager. My job is focused mostly on internal communications & operations relating to building company culture. Last year I came to the realization I didn’t want to work specifically in social media anymore. I was looking to expand and do more things related to general marketing. That beung said, it’s been 5+ years since I’ve worked FT and I expect there will be a *bit* of an adjustment. Today’s lunch was provided by Do Rueda in Spain who sent over a delicious selection of Spanish tapas and wine to taste. I saved the wine for after work but tuned in for a lunchtime seminar with several sommeliers from the region. Back in 2019, I went on a press trip to Spain where we spent a week visiting 13 wineries in Do Rueda, Spain’s top region for verdejo & white wine. See those posts here! Another great surprise today was the delivery of new blue light glasses from gry mattr, a new company from Joe Mimran (the founder of Joe Fresh). I picked this design on a whim without realizing they would look almost identical to my old fav glasses I wore when I first started Twitter (see small image here). I had this same black & white photo as my Twitter image from 2009-2012. Back then, I used to wear glasses ALL the time and I absolutely love these new ones from gry mattr. Thanks Joe!

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Day 350: Sunday, Pure Sun

On Sunday I like to keep the day free for myself to charge my batteries for the week ahead. Sean and I spent the morning in the kitchen, he is an expert level sous chef so he prepped all the food ingredients. We made roast vegetables, crunchy roast chickpeas, rice, a lentil curry w/ sweet potato, falafels, and my fav spicy Mediterranean-inspired rainbow salad. ? I love a weekend delivery and I was happy to get this beautiful art-inspired package from Pure Sunfarms in BC. They sent a few items from their new collection of apparel, accessories, objects & art inspired by their love of plants & modern life. I love the package design and art by Brooklyn-based artist Laura Garcia Serventi. I’m gonna frame the print! “I draw inspiration from the natural world, both flora and fauna, as well as vintage botanical illustration and vintage books of science. I also look back at art history a lot. But botanical gardens are my favourite.” LAURA SEVENTI I’d love one of their ‘SUNSHINE’ shirts (obvs) and also their decorative ashtrays that look like a sun, see below! My gift included natural Palo Santo from Woodlot and their yellow Grower’s hand soap that smells AMAZING, it has lemongrass, turmeric, Balsam Fir, and bergamot. Sean is a big fan of Pure Sunfarms cannabis products and everything in their Marketplace is so artfully designed. I stan a weed brand that makes great, artful products. ? “Nature has always been our greatest source of inspiration when it comes to both ingredients and scent. Our priority is to make products that are clean burning and made with simple, organic ingredients, but we’re also a scent company at heart, and we want our scent catalog to serve as a connection to the earth.” SONIA CHHINJI, WOODLOT I…

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Day 324: A New Look for Twitter

Something a little different today, not a story about me but about my fav social media platform. I’ve been on Twitter since 2008 and it has brought so much joy to my life, jobs, friendships, opportunity, laughs, and knowledge. It’s helped me through so many important moments in my life and career over the last decade. ILY TWITTER! This morning I received a DM from a friend at The Nest (aka Twitter HQ) about a new look for Twitter, how they’re taking an ‘art-first’ approach to the new design, and how they got there. Part of this includes a brand new font called Chirp! I was curious what this new, more raw, and artistic approach means for Canadians and got a quote from Laura Pierce, head of marketing for Twitter Canada. “Our new look emphasizes the bold range of content and conversation you find on Twitter, paired with the real and unfiltered nature of our service,” “For Canada, this is going to be reflected by not only the type of content you’re seeing from our Twitter Canada account but also, the ways we’re communicating with our partners, press and the millions of Canadians who use Twitter every day. We recognize that Twitter as a brand is complex and imperfect but also expressive, agile and ever-changing. This shows in the new look and feel.” Laura Pearce, head of marketing, Twitter Canada. If you’re interested to see what else is new on the platform, check out the Twitter Blog here. This would also be a great time to remind you to follow me on Twitter! Follow @TwitterDev

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Day 299: Bathroom Renovation Update

At the start of 2020, I signed a partnership with American Standard to assist in our upcoming bathroom renovation. We’d been talking about doing this for ages so when this opportunity came up, I was so excited to get started. We ordered two new sinks, two toilets, and assorted matte black fixtures for both bathrooms. The first shipment arrived in February 2020. I was planning to document the process and share updates as we did most of the work ourselves. Well, well well, along came the pandemic, which threw us and everyone for a loop. Everything shut down, a lot of my work was canceled, and we made a decision to ‘wait it out’ at the cottage. The American Standard boxes sat unopened in our living room for months. In August, we came home for a couple of weeks and hired our friend Lindsay to help get things moving on the downstairs bathroom. Lindsay normally works in set design for film and is an incredibly skilled carpenter, builder, and all-around handy-woman. Since film production was at a standstill, she was looking to work, and we were happy to have a woman doing the job. ?? We tore out the old sink, toilet, and fixtures, then painted the bathroom in Benjamin Moore OC-65, Chantilly Lace (the perfect white!). Lindsay built a new cabinet out of wood and installed it. I am so happy with how it’s coming along! The matte black faucet from American Standard looks SO GOOD with the new Boxe Semi-Countertop Sink. It’s not finished but I’ve been meaning to share the recent update! Our fancy new toilet cleans 2x better than conventional toilets and the flushes are quiet. I’ve dreamed about this! Next, we’re finishing up the tile, accessories, and adding shelving made with reclaimed wood from the…

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Day 298: Stewart Sisters!

Had a nice walk with my sister today after work. Always great to see her and laugh together. It’s such a hoot when we hang out, we’ve got the same mannerisms, talk alike, are about the same size, and for the first time in 20 years, we both have long hair. I love her so much! Gave Jenie one of the new masks I was given by my friend Anela, designer of Considerate Goods. Her masks are my absolute favourite! See more in this post from Day 169, August 2020, or on her website.

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Day 276: Country Livin’

It was so nice and sunny today. Sean was outside with his chainsaw so I decided to pop out for a bit to get some vitamin D. It was FREEZING! I love being up in the woods but I wasn’t ready for the wind to hit my face, making my eyes water. Winter is here, baby! Made a little video on Instagram. Today was a good day at work and once the sun went down, I closed my computer and we watched Designated Survivor. We’ve been watching it on Netflix the fast few days, it’s filmed in Toronto, and there are three seasons so it will keep us busy for a while haha. Remember back in October when I watched 6 seasons of Gossip Girl in just over a month? Perks of having nowhere to go! ? My guess is we’ll finish Designated Survivor in mid-January unless we kill the final 2 seasons over the holidays. The tree is looking extra cute, especially at night. We’re planning to do a Christmas-style dinner and gifts here with Emily on Tuesday before going back to the city on Wednesday. With love from the woods!

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Day 268: A Monday MOOD.

Feeling good today! I love Monday, it’s a day full of opportunity, a fresh start to the week. Yesterday’s outing left me feeling all kinds of happiness. When I posted this today on IG, a few people were surprised at how long my hair is now. It’s growing like crazy! Longest I’ve had it in over a decade. One friend even said they weren’t sure if it was my sister until the mask came off! Did you like the IG post yet?! This mask is a new design by my friend Anela, the designer behind Considerate Goods (posted about her here). I picked up a few new masks from last time I was in the city and they are SO STYLISH. I even got a special one for holiday and I look forward to sharing it with you! I also got the houndstooth which is super nice. I know things are hard right now and we wish it could be different but it’s important to see the joy in little things, to get outside each day, and find things to be happy about. Last winter I wrote a series about dealing with winter SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), you can find those suggestions here. As it gets colder and we have nowhere to go, it’s gonna be hard but WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS. HANG IN THERE MY FRIENDS! This post was featured on Links à la Mode fashion roundup by Independent Fashion Bloggers. More fashion articles: Day 268: A Monday MOOD by Casie Stewart: This Is My Life Made-to-Measure and Custom by Oliver Wicks Belgrade diaries: Life is a collection of moments by Ivana’s World 10 Most Relaxing Nintendo Switch Games For Mindfulness by Emily Underworld

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Day 264: Instagram Ads Got Me

I might have a problem, it’s Instagram ads, they get me all the time! I saw these tracksuits on Instagram and they looked SO CUTE. It took a couple of weeks for them to arrive and, low and behold, they were not as cute as the photos. The top one is hilarious, Sean said it reminded him of a clown suit. I love the colours but the fabric is not great. The suit below was so big. I might be able to make the pants or top work individually but as a set, I’m swimming. I washed them right away hoping they might shrink but no dice. It’s totally crazy how well Instagram can sense what things we might like. Over the years, I’ve made some questionable purchases. ? I’m currently waiting on two more jumpsuits I saw from an Instagram ad. After seeing IG ads for local jewelry designer Jenny Bird, I ordered myself sold beautiful gold pieces as an early Christmas present. I also took advantage of L’Intervalle’s 50% off sale and ordered some gorgeous leather boots. They’re on their way from Montreal and should be here Monday! The 50% off sale is still on FYI!

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Day 258: LIGHT IT UP! Luminaire Authentik

Today I had virtual lighting consultation with Luminaire Authentik. The meeting was set up by my friend & PR maven Kate Mackinson, to create a custom light for my space. Started in 2015 by Maude Rondeau, Luminaire Authentik has become known for its Scandinavian aesthetic, made-in-Canada craftsmanship, and limitless customization options. I fell in love with their designs and started to visualize new lighting in our home using their 3D Creation Tool.

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Day 219: Inspire Your Drive

These days it can be hard to find inspiration. I’ve always had a knack for finding it in the little things by showing gratitude for them, a sunny day, beautiful leaves, a fav song on the radio, or a nice long solo drive. I’ve never owned a car so when I get to borrow one from a major manufacturer it’s an exciting time. This past week I picked up car from MINI Canada (Countryman SE ALL4) with all-wheel drive in one of their new colours. I’ve loved MINI my whole life, a few years ago I took a solo trip to LA and cruised around in a convertible MINI Cooper for the week. It was heaven, I didn’t even mind the traffic! Since we’re in the middle of a bathroom renovation, it was really helpful to have my own car to pop out and get supplies from the paint store or Home Depot. I also took this as an opportunity to support local and actually pick up orders from local restaurants, instead of getting delivery. The entire time I had this car I took every opportunity to drive it. Friend needs a ride? I’ll drive you! We need something from the store? I’ll go get it! MINI Countryman: Favourite Features Besides being fun to drive in the city or on the highway, the MINI Countryman has an ALL 4 All-Wheel Drive System and was great on gas. lots of room inside the vehicle or in the trunk. Great little family car! Easy Opener for the back means you can swipe your foot under the bumper, and voila, the door opens! The rear camera makes parking or backing up a sinch. Apple CarPlay, is great for Audible, music, directions, or using Siri while driving. Safety first! I love the newly designed…

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Day 201: Dinner Date – Kibo Secret Garden

I had an incredible dinner at Kibo’s Sushi’s newest location, Kibo Secret Garden, an intimate, high-end omakase and sushi house in Yorkville. They have 23 locations in the GTA! Kibo Market in the Junction Triangle (near our place) is definitely a local favourite. I was excited to hang out with Natalie and attend my first dinner event in a LONG TIME. We wore masks and were socially distanced from other diners & staff. We sat at the omakase bar and had a great view of the dinner served by Chef Jin, with barriers between us and other guests. Omakase is a Japanese phrase meaning ‘I leave it up to you’ that describes the traditional Japanese dining style where the culinary experience is left in the hands of the chef. We also enjoyed their selection of Japanese sake and beer. ? Dinner Details The menu highlights the highest-quality fish, seafood, and premium-grade meats. Bo Seo, CEO & Founder, takes pride in only serving fish within 24 hours of its catch. We had the 20-course dinner omakase, starting with Kobacka Soup (sweet pumpkin & rice), Hirame nigiri (Japan), Kurodai (black seabream, Turkey), Kanpachi Nigiri (Japan), Madai Nigiri (red snapper, Japan). Next, we had a round of sashimi with king salmon, fluke, bluefin tuna, yellowtail, mackerel, and amberjack. Honestly, it was so good. Other items on our menu included bluefin tuna belly, ika (squid), oyster, Wagyu Beef, lobster, prawn, black cod, and sea eel from Japan. I haven’t had much sushi the past few months and everything was an absolute treat. The presentation was also incredible. I reckon it was the fanciest sushi dinner I’ve ever had. “Everything from the location to the design, to the menu has been thoughtfully chosen to create a luxury sushi dining experience. I can’t wait to welcome people in!”  Simeon…

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Day 185: Mum’s Birthday!

Today was a great day! Had so much fun at home for mum’s birthday. Jenie and I drove to the house in the afternoon and hung out with her and Steve, ate snacks, got takeout, and had cake. My sister’s childhood bff also came over and it was like we never missed a beat. Laughed so hard, it was brilliant! I love mum so much! She’s smart, funny, stylish, and the biggest inspiration in my life. She’s always there with wise words when I need them and I am so grateful for her love. HI MUM LOVE YOU, THANK YOU. ? One of our fav things to do is go to Winners and look for treasures. I found this amazing merino wool sweater from Zara and my sister got one to match. It was a steal! Jenie found the yellow sweater she was wearing and got it for mum. Now we all match! I dressed up for the day in my fav bodysuit, Pretty Denim (designed by my friend Tahnee), and loafers from Everlane. My mask was handmade in Toronto by my other friend Considerate Goods. I almost forgot how much I love wearing a full outfit, really sets the tone for your day!

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