A Little Life Lately: October 2023

I can’t believe that it’s almost November. Where did September and October go? September was busy with film festivals and before I knew it, Libra Season was here. This past month our house had the plague Covid, it was the first time since it came on the scene that any of us caught it. I was sick and positive for a few days but Sean was not as lucky, he was sick for daaaaaaays and we all stayed home. I do have some good news to report, this week I booked a (tiny!) role on a TV show that I am shooting next week. Look out Hollywood LOL. It’s a small step in my new acting career and I am truly grateful for every opportunity. I love being on set and I can’t wait to share it with you when it comes out. Over the past two months, I have done a ton of auditions and I feel like I get better with each one. I am also heading to Miami in December! I can’t wait to share what I’ve been working on for the last couple of months. More on that later!

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Find Your Calm

There’s something so peaceful about being up north in the winter. You can stand on the lake and listen to the ice move. The cold air is so refreshing. Easy to find your calm. We drove up on Thursday and worked from the cottage Friday. It was the first day in a while that I didn’t close the rings on my Apple Watch but, f*ck it, I earned a break. On Saturday, I shovelled snow, played Nintendo, ate snacks, and finished watching Pieces of Her on Netflix. Good show, Toni Collette is one of my fav actors and does a great job playing this role. Sunday was pretty warm and the top layer of the lake started to melt. I don’t expect the ice will go out until sometime in April. Our lake group usually makes bets on when it will fully melt. I haven’t made a prediction yet! Things I love: long walks on frozen lakes, the smell of a cold winter day, carrying wood to make a fire, and being at the cottage with you. Been on a pretty good track record with the Calm app. I usually do a sleep meditation or Sleep Story at night and the 10 min Daily Calm before I get out of bed. I think it’s helping with sleep and focus. Working hard to keep that calm in my life. Something you might not know about me is that I always check the wind speed. Every day I ask Alexa about the weather and then I ask her about the wind. If it’s over 10 km/h that means no wide brim hats. If it’s 15 km/h + in the summer I’ll opt for shorts instead of a dress. I don’t like running when the wind is +25+ km/h but I love the…

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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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The Best Is Yet To Come

On Friday I worked from the Hvr office in Yorkville. We’re gearing up for some very exciting things including a new podcast! Nelson and I are co-hosting with a bunch of amazing creators, brands, and business people. We spent part of the afternoon organizing the main office room for our new podcast studio and Nelson ordered all the gear. Also took my new bag from Spruce Vintage out for a spin, fits my computer and work stuff perfectly! ? If you’re not on Hvr yet, what are you waiting for? Hvr turns every webpage into a social space where you can chat with friends without leaving the browser app. Visit this link to download on iOS or Android and skip the waitlist while we’re still invite-only. Here’s an example of one of my posts in Hvr, when you’re on the app, you can comment on any page or post to share with friends. Fun. ? The last few weeks I’ve mostly been at home or the gym. It’s so nice to get dressed up, leave the house and work in an office. Looking forward to spending more time here as we set up the podcast and kick off PR. Idk if I’ve ever been so excited in my whole life. The best is yet to come! Weee!

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Focus Your Power

The title of this post is a reminder for myself as much, if not more, than anyone else. Focus your power. Believe in yourself. You can do hard things. A couple of weeks ago when I heard gyms were opening up I was keen to get back into one. I got an email with a 4-week special at a spot REALLY close to home so I went for it. To be honest, I was a ball of nervous anxiety before my first class. I didn’t know what to expect, what to wear? If it would be too hard if I would enjoy it. In about 5 minutes of being there, my anxiety was gone. I knew it was a good idea and I made a friend. This is my third week going and I love it. I never really knew how to work out, to use the machines. When I used to go to LA Fitness before the pandemic I did free weights & Nike Training app workouts + running. But NOW I’ve learned to LOVE squats and lifting heavier weights, using ALL the machines. I’m proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something different. I can’t wait for my next workout. ☀️ FOCUS YOUR POWER ☀️ Workout set by my friend! Check out Sasha Exeter x Joe Fresh!

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Winter Wander with Ease

I had such a great day on Saturday. Such a treat when the weekend rolls around and I have little to no plans. Love a Saturday winter wander, stopping into shops, taking in the sunshine, and letting my mind free. Started the day at Othership, my first visit the new sauna + ice bath spot on Adelaide. It was amazing. I’ve already booked to go back again and will share more about the experience in another post. After Othership, a friend and I had brunch at Oretta. It’s the first time I’d been for brunch since at least December 2019. I’m not really a ‘brunch girl‘ but we went for the special and paired our meal with coffee and a mimosa. It was lovely! I spent the next two hours casually walking home through Queen West and Dundas West, before hitting Junction Triangle. It was cold but sunny and I was happy as can be. The past two years have been hard but I’ve really found joy in little things like a nice long walk by myself. As the world starts to open up again, I vow to not get caught up in the rat race like I was. I’m looking for a simple kinda life.

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Cold Therapy Does a Body Good

This weekend Sean and I were up at the cottage. It was the first time I’d been up north since our getaway over the holidays. On Sunday we went to visit a friend on Lake Joe just north of Port Carling. Pat & Miranda have become cottage partners in crime for ice cold dips in the frozen lake. Don’t mess with a girl and chainsaw! ? Ok, ok, to be honest, I only carried it down to the lake (like Baby in Dirty Dancing with the watermelon), Sean is the real chainsaw king. Pat had a hole in the ice already but in 24 hours 2 inches of ice had formed. The boys made a nice fire beside our pool so we could warm up after going in. I know it seems crazy but I absolutely love cold therapy. I was never someone who liked winter but since we’ve started doing cold dips in the ice, I’ve learned to love it. I’m listing a few benefits but please note this is not medical advice, do your research and check with your doctor before you do it. Some Benefits of Cold Therapy Decreased inflammation Improved metabolism and weight loss Mental clarity Improved sleep Boost your immune system My other advice is to always do your dips with a friend. No ice is safe ice and your personal safety is the most important. For anyone following my adventures, I haven’t been able to use our stock tank in the city because the patio door has been frozen. Excited to get back out there soon tho!

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The Magic of Winter

I wasn’t sure if I was going up to the cottage this weekend because rumours of a snowstorm were floating around. Once Friday rolled around, the weather was clear so we headed north after work. Being in the city, I kinda forget how beautiful it is up north this time of year. The cold temps, snow, and ice embody such magic of winter. I love it. A decade ago I used to complain about the cold and count the days till spring, but now I look for joy no matter what the temperature. We went for a nice long walk on the frozen lake and had some fun with a purple smoke grenade. The cold air is so refreshing and the views were breathtaking. WITH LOVE FROM THE WOODS XO

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Bars Are Open Again: Hemingways!

Went for dinner with Erin & Natalie at Hemingway’s. Was nice to be out! I had fish & chips and it was kinda greasy (obvs) but I wanted something that reminded me of New Zealand. Wore a cute outfit and wasn’t out late. Sean picked me up at 8:30 and I got takeaway tacos. My last visit there was summer 2021 when bars opened after lockdown, Natalie and I had a ball of a time lol. If you’ve been reading my blog a long while you’ll know I used to work at Hemingway’s 10+ years ago. I love that place and all the New Zealand nostalgia. Always a good time!

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Plant Stores & Vintage Shopping

Cory and I made a date to go for a nice Saturday walk in the sun. It’s hard to stay positive with the compound stress of seasonal affective disorder, Covid, and general life anxiety, but seeing a friend and getting outside always makes me feel better. One great way to beat winter SAD is to plan a day with plant stores & vintage shopping. The Urban Gardener is my fav local plant shop, I swear just walking in there will boost your mood. It’s warm, green, and filled with beautiful growing plants. I picked up a new lil’ guy to bring home with a nice new planter pot for him to live in. Our next stop was Pictus Goods on Dupont which is filled with heaps of lovely goods for your home, candles, jewellery, and fresh flowers. Super cute shop! Highly recommend checking it out. They also have a GREAT selection of nice cards. Our third stop was a private shopping appointment at Nouveau Riche Vintage which DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Tbh, IDK if I have EVER seen such an incredible collection. They have heaps of items for sale including designer, denim, coats, and accessories. The best part for me was the exclusive rental section we got to check out that’s filled with the best outfits you can dream of. SO GOOD. I didn’t get anything but Cory scored a few goodies. I will deff be back there again!

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Keep Going

This week has been pretty good. I’ve been out running every day except Monday when we had a massive snowstorm. I find it really helps my mental health. I remind myself daily to KEEP GOING no matter how cold it is or if I’m tired. I miss going out and seeing people but I’ve also made new routines that include making nice dinners, taking better care of my skin, and going to bed early. On Sunday I met up with some friends for a hike around High Park, it was cold but refreshing. Didn’t realize there was a skating rink there! My skates are at the cottage and since I broke my collarbone a few years ago, my skating skills are not what they used to be. I’m scared of falling! Trying to not let the winter SAD get me down and am working at finding joy in little things. If you’re looking for some ideas to boost your mood, I wrote a few posts about beating winter SAD. Happy Friday & have a great weekend!

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There’s No Bad Weather

I’m a firm believer that there’s no bad weather if you have a good outfit. Not a lot going on here these days with the panini running the show, but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat the sidewalk like your runway. For most of the pandemic, I got up, got dressed and did my hair. Getting ready always makes me feel like I have my sh*t together, even when I don’t. These days I’m a little more lax on my WFH outfits but I still make an effort. Although we’re not doing much, I love putting on a cute outfit when I go for a ‘mental health’ walk. DAY OR NIGHT. Me and my outfits have deff brightened a few peoples days during this panorama, mostly senior citizens but I’ll take it. You have no idea the power of a great outfit until you put it on. Go for it. I solemnly swear that if you feel like garbage, putting on a whole look and going for a strut will brighten your day. Me and my outfits have deff brightened a few peoples days during this panorama, mostly senior citizens but I’ll take it. Advanced style! The bar for fashion is pretty low in a pandemic. Go for it, you literally have nothing to lose. When I need the motivation to pull it together and leave the house, this song always comes to mind. Do you know it? A Fatboy Slim jam from my party girl days “when they know what is what, but they don’t know what is what, they just strut, what the f*ck“. Works every time to get my ass in gear. Last weekend I walked down to meet a friend on Ossington and went to a winter garage sale. I didn’t buy anything but it was…

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2022: Be Consistent

Well, well, well, guess who’s back? I really jumped the gun when I stopped counting the days about a month ago because shortly after, Omicron took over our lives. December feels like a blur, I was mostly at home, Sean was up north. I hung out with friends, went to an event, things started to feel normal, right before they weren’t. Covid was everywhere. Sean and I were both sick over the holidays and spent Christmas alone together in the woods. I really enjoyed a break from work, life, and the city, even though I was sick for 90% of the time. The past year has been exhausting for a suite of reasons and it was nice to check out for a bit. I have opened this blog to write something more than a handful of times but I just couldn’t do it. I haven’t felt like myself and I haven’t felt like sharing. Up until this week, I still had a brain fog that left me feeling like a dull pencil needing to be sharpened. I took a break from running and didn’t start the New Year with goals and aspirations like usual. BE CONSISTENT This year I commit to ‘Be Consistent’, that’s my theme. I will keep running, eating well, drinking less, and working on myself. I am going to come out of this damn pandemic a better person. ARE YOU WITH ME? Over the past week, I’ve been back to my morning runs, got my hair done, and have been cooking great meals in our new air fryer. I’ve not been doing much other than watching Amy on Jeopardy, finishing 3 seasons of Succession, taking care of my skin, and going to bed early. I also started a class on crypto with a friend. It’s boring-ish life…

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That’s a Wrap!

I’m done counting the days and as we say in film “that’s a wrap”! This panini may never be over but I want to focus on the future, the positive. There’s no way possible of knowing how long we’ll be wearing masks, need vaccine passports, and have the threat of Coronavirus. As the holidays approach, people are getting together, things are opening up, I’m calling quits on my daily pandemic diary. Back to regular blogging! It’s been 600+ days since I started counting and to be honest, pretty proud of myself for keeping it up this long. Looking back through the posts from the last two years is pretty emotional, to be honest. Day 1: Social Distancing was on March 13th, the last day I went to the gym. I shared a lot of myself during this time, the good days, the bad days, the crafts, the fun, and the anxiety. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with all these posts but it’s a nice time capsule to keep memories of this moment in history. I’m basically a historian haha. Today, I’m writing this from a restaurant, after work, while having a glass of wine. Mask off as per regulation, Vax Pass scanned. Our lives will never be the same but maybe they can be better? I’ve changed so much through this experience, today I feel stronger and hopeful for a bright future. Behind the scenes of what you see here or on social, I’ve been working on some really cool stuff and I’m excited to share it with you. With love,

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