Day 203: I Want to Go To Paris Too

Today when I was running I paused my Nike Running app and it didn’t record my whole run. I hate it when this happens! I am really interested in getting an Apple watch so I don’t need to take my phone on runs. I did 5km thinking I had a challenge for the day but lucky for me, it’s actually tomorrow. Made a delicious soup today with curry, carrot, and sweet potato. Once it starts getting a bit cooler I love using our Instant Pot to make soup. I rarely follow a recipe and usually use what we have around in the kitchen. This one turned out SO GOOD. I added jalapeno & goat cheese to serve. Sean and I started watching an Italian horror movie on Netflix in the afternoon. He fell asleep and I switched to Emily in Paris. Safe to say, he was a little confused when he woke up haha. We managed to get through 9/10 episodes. It’s pretty cheese but tbh, it was just what I was looking for.

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Day 202: City to Country

Had a great meeting in the morning and then picked up some groceries from Pusateri’s for the weekend. I am so in love with this jumpsuit from Zara Kids. I saw it on a friend’s daughter for the first day of school then ordered it for myself! haha Sean and I left for the cottage around 2 and got there just after 4pm. We were gonna go to the 400 Market but it’s not open on Friday anymore. Another time! I was so happy to be back in the woods for a relaxing weekend. Hoping to run 10km this weekend. I really like running in Muskoka more than in the city, less people!

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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 200: Pandemic 2020

Wow, 200 days, here we are. What a time to be alive. I met up with Blair for coffee and we both wore our jumpsuits from Zara Kids. We sat outside, distanced on Jimmy’s patio and it was cute to see how people smiled at our outfits. Gotta appreciate the small joys these days! I came back home after our date to make a 1pm meeting. I don’t know exactly if it was the news, the weather, or just life, but I felt totally tired in the afternoon. Sean and I finished Ratched on Netflix and then I remembered tomorrow is Halloween. I was ready for bed at 6pm, then had a burst of energy around 9pm when I put on some spooky tunes and danced around the kitchen. I’m excited about Halloween this year, I love dressing up. Halloween is a spirit, a feeling, and if you’ve got it, go ahead and let it out. I’ve been wearing ‘costumes‘ for the last few weeks and things are about to get a little more creative. I’m tempted to go out dressed as a witch for a bunch of days in October. Zombie? Why the hell not!?

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Day 199: Remember Precedented Times?

What would you do differently if you could go back the way things were before? How can you make those changes in your life now? This is the world we are living in and only you can make the life you’ve always wanted. It’s up to you to find joy each day, to do something kind, to see the good in people. Tomorrow is day 200, I am so glad I’ve been keeping this diary so I can go back one day and read about how I survived the 2020 Pandemic. Writing that is so out of this world. Remember Day 1, Social Distancing? Some days it’s like we’re living in a movie, a really long one and everyone is playing a role in how it ends. Cases are going up and things are not looking good. I thought we might go back to Stage 2 when the Premiere gave his address today. In other news, today I had Zoom with Facebook Canada to learn about some new features coming to the platform for Creators.

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Day 198: Love Yourself First

Spent the morning with calls and meetings then went to the 1188 office to work for a bit. I cleaned out my desk there a few weeks ago to de-personalize it, the desks work more like co-working now. People aren’t really coming into the office much these days but if someone needs to for production or a meeting, there’s space. It was so nice and warm out once 3pm hit I had to get outside. I think it’s the last summer0like day we’re gonna have…for a while. Stopped into Visit Zane for a little hangout, Zane is one of my oldest friends in the city. We’re both from Cambridge and used to hang out in high school! Next, I had a margarita in the sun on the Squirly”s patio, read my book a bit, and caught up with an old friend in New Zealand over DM. Forgot I had this great shirt from LX Factory in Lisbon, it says “The love of my life is myself.” You gotta LOVE YOURSELF before you can truly love anyone else. Y’know?! The weather was perfect so I decided to walk back to the house in the Junction Triangle. It was lovely but my feet were not a fan, walking 7km in platform Converse is not recommended. Spotted some Briony street art along the way!

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Day 196: Soak Up That Sunshine

We had such a relaxing day today! I spend about 3hr sitting outside with dad reading my book. The weather was perfect. Hard to believe it’s the end of September! Took Sean out for a couple rips on the wakeboard. We’re planning to take the boat and dock out tomorrow. Made a nice bbq for dinner and called it a night after Sean did an epic fireworks show. In the morning dad and I went for a huge 7.5km walk in the woods and it was so great.

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Day 195: Find Me In The Woods

Drove up to the cottage last night and got in just before the sun went down. Woke up and went for a nice run in the woods today. The trees have all started changing and it was so beautiful. It feels good to be back running again! Dad & his wife arrived just after lunch. I made black bean brownies and sweet potato soup before they got in. We went into town for a little tour and to pick up some supplies. I’m so glad to have them here! Looking forward to a relaxing weekend.

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Day 194: The World is Changing and So Are We

Another day, another costume! Today I wore one of my fav recent purchases (from an Instagram ad!), love this dress. The scrunchie in my hand is one I made. This weekend at the cottage I’m planning to whip up a few more for friends made from recycled materials. Really looking forward to our weekend in the woods and spending some quality time with my dad. Mask is from my friend Considerate Goods, use code CASIE15% for a discount!

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Day 193: A Mask & Glasses Makes It a Costume

Have been calling my outfits costumes lately and made an IG highlight with my favs. [See here!] If I’m wearing a mask and glasses, it just feels more like a costume than an outfit. I’ve been considering getting spookier and more into costume dressing for the month of October. Why not right? Halloween and everything look different so we gotta have fun where we can. This weakened we’re heading up to the cottage and my dad is coming to visit with his wife. I’m so excited to see him! It’s been over 6 months, since my road trip to South Western Ontario in February. Can’t wait!

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Day 192: Follow the Sunshine

Did a 30 min guided run today with the Nike Running Club app. Pretty sure my legs will be sore! I love this app so much, the guided runs connect with Apple Music and the playlist today was so good. I’m not going to make my 70Km Monthly challenge but I’m happy to be back into my groove of at least doing 1km/day. There’s always next month! Spent most of the day working at home on a couple different projects. It feels SO GOOD to be back working. I loved the creative-COVID break but I also really enjoy being part of a team and contributing to something bigger than me. Went for a bike ride to meet Michelle after work and it was so nice out. Stopped at a bar on Dundas west and grabbed one of these cutie-cute little strawberry vodka sodas from Ace Hill. Love supporting local!

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Day 190: Hiding Out At Home

I can’t remember the last time we were home for the weekend as a family. I got groceries in the morning and did some food prep in the afternoon. It kinda felt like things were normal. Emily is back at school and making her own lunches this year. ? Last night we had one of Sean’s oldest friends and his GF over for dinner with her daughter. Em is old enough to take on babysitting duties and we had so many laughs while the kids played upstairs. Today we’ve been watching Ratched on Netflix and it’s so good. I love the styling, Sharon Stone’s looks are so good. I don’t have much planned this week aside from work but I hope it’s nice out. Please stay safe and WEAR YOUR MASK.

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Day 189: Lady Gang Park Picnic

Met up with some of my fav media ladies in the west end for a little park hang. It was so nice out! Natalie arranged to have catering from Marben, we had a couple of their new boxes filled with all kinds of picnic snacks. It was so great to see everyone (distanced, obvs) and chat over wine in the sun. I’m not ready for summer to be over. Luckily, it looks like next week will have some hot days!

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Day 186: Mellow Yellow

Today was a good day! I Spent the afternoon in the office then came home and spent the night hanging out at home. It was beautiful out today. Love these fall temps where you can layer but don’t need a warm jacket. I ordered a couple of jumpsuits from Zara Kids and I’m so happy they both fit perfectly. Loves it!

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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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Day 184: TIFF Portrait Studio

For the past 10 years of my life, early September has always been about TIFF. From working at Much/MTV, to the early blogger hay days (ayooooo!), media events, screenings, so much fun. I was also in a documentary about the festival that’s now on Amazon in the US/UK. TIFF has been a huge part of my life and something I always look forward to. Yes, this year is different but watching from home is pretty great too. No shoes, comfy clothes, and you can eat/drink/do whatever you want! We watched Concrete Cowboy starring Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin from Stranger Things. It was good, the story, the music, real people. I loved the cinematography and Shazammed a few songs. Found out today that TIFF is offering a free digital screening of this film to 500 essential workers in TO. ?? Thank you Nespresso for the digital tickets, goodies, and snacks. Nespresso is a long-standing supporter of film/arts and Official Coffee Sponsor of the Toronto International Film Festival®. If you’re in Ontario, they have a contest rn where 30 people will win a machine, pods, AND A FREE PASS to Bell Digital Cinema. I wish I had a pass! If you win, please enjoy. Pre-COVID, I’d typically ask you to invite me over when you win! ? This VIP PORTRAIT STUDIO was so exclusive, I was the only one invited! ???? P.S. How great is this dress? It was in my donate pile but I decided to bleach it at the start of Covid and now I love it so much!

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Day 183: You Don’t have to Monetize Every Hobby

I’ve loved sewing my whole life. I also have a new sewing machine that I’ve hardly used for about 8 years. I want to sew, but never had the time or made the time to do it. As a kid, I spent heaps of time sewing with mum. I even started my first business in grade 3 sewing gym bags for classmates. Early into quarantine, I took the time to make things for the pure enjoyment of making them. I did heaps of tie-dye, turmeric dye, made friendship bracelets, and practised line drawing on iPad. The art of creating gives me so much joy. It inspires creativity in other areas of my life. I loved sharing the things I made on social media and mailing some to friends. I was reminded you don’t have to monetize every hobby, it’s incredibly freeing to create for the sake of creating. This weekend, I started sewing again. I took a few items of clothing that were ripped or on their way to donations and made a few scrunchies. The big pink ones are a soft rayon fabric and flop when you doa top know. they used to be part of Joe Fresh shirt from years ago that had a mark on it. It was so fun to make them and patch together my old clothes to make new patterns. I spent most the day sewing, listening to music, watching Netflix, and letting my creative juices flow. After posting my creations, I had a few people saying they want to buy or ask where to order. I’m not there yet, I might never be! For now, the Quarantine 2.0 version of me is Casie Sew-Art. I’m back at my machine baby, who knows what I’ll create next!

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Day 182: When in Doubt, Go Out

Go outside, beneath the trees, listen for wind dancing in the leaves. Look at the sky, breathe in the air. Throw your hands up, like you just don’t care. ✌️ Hoodie: Superette Shop – Sherbet Glasses RayBan Studio: Mother Nature

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Day 181: Recharge Your Batteries in The Sun

I worked most the morning then met up with Michelle near the office. We had lunch on the Queen Mother back alley patio then took a look around Black Market vintage. It was so sunny, we were both wearing layers and cute outfits. It felt so good to hang out together, laugh down the street, stopping to take photos, and making memories. It’s amazing how a carefree afternoon with your bff can lift your spirits! Love you Miche! Gonna miss these summer temps when they go but we still have time to make the most of each day before that happens. If there’s no sunshine one day, you have to be the sunshine!

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Day 179: Dress Shoes, I Missed You

Different taking the subway these days but I like being back in the city. There are fewer people and the seats are marked for distancing. Felt so good to put on regular clothes and spend a few hours working outside the house. I miss being in that type of environment. Sean picked me up on the way home from 1188 and I made fresh pasta from Pusateri’s. In other news, I started watching Away on Netflix starring Hilary Swank, good show. Hooked!

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Day 178: Remember The Leaves

Took the boat out of the water this morning after taking Sean for his last rip on the lake. I don’t think we’ll be putting it back in this year. We’re on our way back to the GTA after sending the long weekend up north with Emily. Sean has buyer for his classic 1982 Stingray Corvette so we’ve got it on a trailer and and we’re dropping it off in Oakville.  Our next stop is Emily’s mum’s place to drop her off, she starts a new school next week. The kids have to wear masks all day and they’ve got a bunch of social distancing procedures in place. We know it’s good for her to be back in school but it’s also stressful knowing we are potentially putting her and ourselves at risk.  I’ve had a lot of anxiety over the past few days. It’s hard not to have anxiety with everything going on. Watching the news is intense and just sitting alone with your own thoughts can be overwhelming. I’m behind on my blog diary (again) but I also haven’t had my computer since September 3rd. I finally dropped my MacBook Pro off at the shop after months of using it with a broken keyboard. Found out today it’s going to cost $$$ and I think it’s time to get a new laptop. I’ve been using my old MacBook Air and it’s so s-l-o-w. Tbh I’m glad it’s a short week and it will be the weekend again before we know it.   Sean and I are planning to come back to the cottage together on Friday. I love summer but fall weekends in Muskoka are so charming. Relaxing and romantic. The leaves have only just started to change and over the next six-8 weeks they will transform to…

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Day 177: The Reality

On days I don’t document in real-time, I often go back and try to remember what happened that day. If there are no new photos, I hardly remember what happened, I have to really think about it. If you are reading this diary in daily order, I am writing this to you from the future on Day 183, September 13th, 2020. It’s Sunday, we’re getting ready to go back to the city from the cottage. I recommend watching The Social Dilemma on Netflix, it’s good, you’ll find it interesting.

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Day 172: Welcome to The Matrix

The year is 2020. We wear masks inside public spaces and outside in crowds. This is my first time visiting a client office after six months of lockdown. Haven’t worn a hat in a while either! Mask fashion is on the rise and today I’m wearing Toronto based designer Considerate Goods with a mask chain from an old purse. Met up w/ Talia & had a snack on Yorkville patio. Hardly anyone eats inside these days. I still eat Avocado toast & drink kombucha. Sean and Emily picked me up and we went straight to the cottage for Labour Day Long Weekend. Here’s hoping we have good weather this weekend!

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Day 170: It’s September

Spent most of the day at my computer. It was really hot today. Whenever I opened the patio door, I was instantly hit with a wave of heat. I’m not ready for summer to be over. I love fall fashion but cooler temps gets my mind thinking about winter. It’s already such a hard time with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) that a pandemic sends my mind swirling with ways to try and cope. If a second wave comes, (and it looks like it might), should we go back to the cottage, or can I run away to Costa Rica? Hard to believe this is Day 170 of my daily pandemic blog diary, where did the time go? I’ve always loved September, the last decade has meant returning to events post-summer relaxation, TIFF, Fashion Week, seeing all my friends at once. I feel sad for the times we won’t have but grateful for the memories, all mostly documented here or on Instagram. I’ve got tickets to one TIFF screening so far and we’ll see how many more tickets I can snag for my at-home TIFF experience. Over the past month, I’ve been a bit slack with working out and keeping track of the days. This month I’m sticking to my goals. A fresh stary of sorts and there’s a full moon tonight. I didn’t run today but I did 100 situps and 10 pushups before bed. A small feat but one I’m trying to make a routine. I put some water and my crystals out last night, made 6 wishes at the moon and stared at it or a bit. Does the moon see me? I’ll do whatever I can do bring good vibes right now!

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Day 169: Cute New Masks from Considerate Goods!

This past weekend I met up with Anela who reached out to me over IG. We met pre-pandemic at a bar in my neighbourhood, late one night. She said she’d remembered my outfit and had been following m on IG since! ? Over the past few months, she started sewing masks and has a background in fashion & design. Her new company Considerate Goods is based right here in the Junction and she makes super stylish masks. We sat down (outside & distanced) for a coffee chat and she gave me a few of her new designs. These masks are so CUTE, breathable, and fit well. In an effort to be more sustainable and have less waste, she’s been making scrunchies to use up as many scraps as possible. I love this idea! My new scrunchie matches 3 of my masks, perfect for upping my mask game. The Considerate Good website just launched and you can check out all the designs at considerategoods.com. If you’re making a purchase, use code CASIE15% for a discount! I absolutely love supporting local & new friends. Thank you Anela and congrats on your new venture!

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Day 168: Rules for Photo Taking

There’s only one rule, TAKE A LOT. Lol. Went for a nice bike ride yesterday and saw Andrew in the park then ran into a couple of other friends. I biked over to visit April and went for a little walk. She wanted a photo here so we both took a bunch. There are about 45 in my camera roll haha. So fun! See them in a video here. Holding on to the last beautiful days of summer! I’m still in the city this week before heading up to the cottage for the long weekend. April ILYSM. Thanks for a fun hang!

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Day 163: Visit Spain w/ Do Rueda’s Online Wine Event – Sept. 22nd!

Last summer I went on a press trip to Spain where we did something like 13 wineries in 4 days. It was awesome! Our adventure took us all over the Do Rueda region where they specialize in white wine and 1,000-year-old indigenous grapes (Verdejo). A wine tour here is a good idea if you plan on visiting Spain! Since you’re most likely not heading to there anytime soon, take a virtual trip to Spain’s Do Rueda with an online wine class and wine & snacks inspired by the region. I received a box to try, everything paired perfectly with the wine. See my video here! Learn about wine this week in Do Rueda‘s online wine class with Master Sommelier, Bruce Wallner (Sept. 22), and mark October 5th in your iCal for Wine Night Instagram Live with wine expert, Angela Aiello (@superwinegirl).

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