Hi Mum, I just called to say thanks.

Today I rung mum at work and I think she must have been busy because she seemed a little surprised when I said ‘hi mum’. I told her I was calling to say thank you for having me and being so supportive. She didn’t have a lot of time to talk but I wanted to thank her for everything. To tell her I love calling her all the time when something exciting happens and I can’t tell anyone else or they just wouldn’t feel as excited as her. For all the times she stayed up late sewing ballet skirts to sell at the studio so she could afford our dance classes. For driving to all those dance competitions, skiing, skating, birthday parties, recitals, modelling, tae kwon do, and to all my friends houses for sleepovers. For showing me how to bake and encouraging me to make things in the kitchen, thank you. For embracing my weirdness and letting me wear what I want as a child no matter how bizarre the neighbours thought she was for doing to it. For putting us in summer reading club at the library. For all the work that went in to creating JEANS Publishing company and helping me write that book as a young teenager because I know it was shit ton of work and late nights (for her). For teaching me to work hard and not listen to anyone who says ‘you can’t do that’. Your strong attitude is with me everyday and I carry it close to my heart and I hear your voice in my head. For teaching me to be tough and know how to throw a damn good punch (whoops!) and studying Tae Kwon Do together. For getting me braces because you knew that my smile would bring joy to other people and I…

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Waiting for it, that green light.

I wasn’t really feeling like myself today. I don’t really know what it was but there’s a good chance it had something to do with the drinks Sarah and I had AFTER seeing Book of Mormon last night. It was totally hilarious, highly recommend. So funny. I slept in and dragged myself most the day except for the amazing creative idea Shawn Hawaii  (A+ real estate agent!) and I had in the middle of the day for a 12th anniversary blog party next month. After doing some planning I started having anxiety about the whole thing and thought maybe it’s silly to plan a huge party for myself? For the blog? (This idea is really good tho and it would be SO FUN.) It’s a lot of work and might be expensive, but it’ll also be a huge thank you to everyone who’s been part of the blog all these years. You reading right now and every other set of beautiful eyes that’s ever graced these pages (web pages ?). All the agency people I’ve made friends with and so many great clients. All my friends from the internet (which is actually real life because they are the same thing but you know what I mean). It would be so wonderful to see everyone and their smiling faces in a room. I might even cry if that happens. Happy tears! ? Being on the internet is hard sometimes and other times it’s awesome. Theres days when I daydream what it is like to be a person who doesn’t Facebook or check notifications. Someone who can go for a walk without checking their phone or taking a photos. I mean I can do that, I just don’t. In other news, there’s new LORDE. New Zealand represent. Love her. 

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Bueno Has an Awesome Trip Giveaway ✈️

I spent a while going through all my travel posts to write this one. I love adventure and travel, going places and discovering new things. It makes me feel alive. I’m in a constant state of ‘where and I going next?!’. Heard about the Bueno Getaway contest and had to tell you about it. Aside from winning an amazing trip, you will probably get some chocolate! I’ve loved Bueno since I was a kid, the soft, creamy, hazelnut goodness just melts in your mouth. You should enter, the prize is a trip to one of 15 incredible places in the world valued at $8,500. I’d so love to visit all the great places on the Bueno Getaway:   Paris, Cape Town, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Nairobi, Goa, Xi’an (Terracotta Army), Lisbon, Moscow,  Lima, Santiago. I’ve been to the North American destinations Austin, TX, NYC, and Tulum. There’s 3 easy steps to enter the contest:   Pick your continent Choose your destination Enter your PIN  Take the Bueno Quiz to Find Out Your Dream Destination It’s my dream to one day visit Marrakesh, Morocco. The winning trip there is described so beautifully, totally sounds like my kind of adventure. Marrakesh, Morocco:Living on the edge, everything for the moment, a walking “yolo”: these are just a few ways to describe your philosophy on life. (Right?!!!) Funny enough, they are also a few ways to describe the culture of Marrakesh. Your adventure could start in the ancient Medina Market, overwhelmed by craftsmen and artists. It could continue in Ville Nouvelle, where you’d explore dinner featuring flavours you never dreamed existed. There is only one constant in Marrakesh: beautiful unpredictability. A Few of My Fav Trips Travelling gives you a feeling you can’t get anywhere else, it takes you places physically but also mentally, it opens your mind to new experiences, people, and food. These are…

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My Fav Tech Gifts from the 2016 Telus Holiday Guide

Christmas is just over a week away and there’s a good chance you still have few people on your nice list (including yourself!). ?? Telus has a ton of amazing gifts you can buy online or from one of their interactive stores across Canada. You’ve gotta check out the Eaton Centre store in Toronto if you haven’t yet, theres heaps of things for your home, travel, audio, AND toys, aside from phone stuff. Last year I got a Nest thermostat, amazing JBL speaker, great USB cables, and a MIP robot for the child. Here’s a few of MY FAVS from the 2016 Telus Gift Guide. These are all things I’ve gifted or been given in the last year – Fitbit, Instax camera, BB8, and the PureGear Metallic Cable. BB8 Sphero Robot – $189.99 Last weekend I surprised Embot with a tiny little BB8 Droit. She loves Star Wars and robots. BB8 comes with a stand for charging and connects to Force Band through the app on your phone via Bluetooth. Once connected, you use THE FORCE to push, pull, and control BB-8 like Em is doing here. She’s been having so much fun using to guide him around the house. He can easily go over carpet, rug, tile and wood floors too. Instax Mini 8 Camera – $99 This camera is great. A total hit at holiday parties and with the parents. I took photos of everyone at mums one Christmas and this year I’ve packaged up some stuff to send back to New Zealand filled with Instax prints from the last few months. You can order one of these online or pick up at a Telus store. They’ve got the Instax Mini 8 cam available in Rose Gold, Blue, Black, and white. See this post for an #InstaxHolidays giveaway + Twitter party details for tonight!  Fitbit 2 Charge  –…

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Visiting the Google Shop within a Shop + $250 Best Buy Giveaway

About a week ago I was out the door bright and early one morning for the media preview grand opening of the first Google shop in North America at Best Buy in Mississauga. I love going to this type of event! Ever since I was a little kid, my dad used to take us to stroll around Future Shop, look at all the gadgets, test stereos and TVs. I think I have him to thank for my lifelong love of tech. Google Shop is a ‘shop within a shop’ that’s got all kinds of Google goodies and product demos. I visited one of my favourite beaches in new Zealand via the Portal, tried Fantastic Beasts in w/ Google Daydream VR, and was sent home with Google Chrome. ?? I thought this was a neat thing to do over the holidays! Hangout with Santa in the Google shop. Select your city at g.co/instore to find your closest location. Before touring the store I chatted Best Buy’s Angela Scardillo, VP Marketing & Communications. The main thing I learned from her was how they’re really trying to make tech approachable. Their new round of ‘experience stores’ have a more immersive experience where you can touch, feel, test things. The new store design has raised access flooring that expands and contracts expand so they can actually move the store around and change the shopping experience. The new flagship Google shops are now open at Best Buy locations in Mississauga, Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver. Angela also showed off her Google Pixel phone and I really want to try one. It takes great photos and organizes them in your phone like Google Images. I’m still thinking about it days later… To celebrate the new Googley space at Best Buy, we’ve giving away a $250 gift certificate.  To enter leave a comment, visit FB, follow us on Twitter, or send a…

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