If you live in Ontario and are 18 + I hope you plan on voting today!  Go to Elections Ontario to find locations and any other info.  You can even vote if you don’t have a voters registration card by bringing these acceptable forms of ID and voting locations are open 9am-9pm, so there’s really no excuse.

After voting I’m gonna head down to Workpace One to check out Social Media Marketing 101.  Casie & Sheldon are speaking and I’m interested to learn about Daryl D’Souza’s business.  Workplace One is a shared office space for entrepreneurs, small businesses and professionals.  I think it’s a great idea and I’m looking forward to seeing what their space looks like.

Because I’m all about change and growth right now as soon as I saw this personality quiz from the NYT on Casie‘s blog via Lauren  I had to see what it said about me and share it with you:

You are culturally adventurous in all walks of life and love to explore different avenues of tastes and trends. Because your body is also important to you, you look for flavors that are unusual but still healthy and delicious, and you are constantly on the lookout for the next food trend. You are an emotional spirit and you make really strong connections. Good friends and lots of laughs are the recipe for really happy days. And nights!

Today’s Show & Tell is inspired by a post I read this morning on Raymi’s blog.  I have been fortunate enough to jump into the world of blogging & social media and made some really great connections and friends.  Today I want to highlight the blogs of the amazing women I have met IRL and those that inspire me on a daily basis.

• First off, if you haven’t read any Raymi you really need to start.  Hers is the first blog I ever read and she inspired me from the beginning to start my own.  I went from fangirl to friend after I semi-stalked her at a “How To Be Famous On The Internet” speaking engagment.  Girl you are a pioneer and I think you are an amazing woman.  Thanks for being there to talk to me when my shit hit the fan last Oct.
• You’ve all seen this little blondie mentioned in my posts and out at events.  Casie Stewart writes a daily lifestyle blog and it is a very sunny and positive site.  We met when I invited her to be media for IndieWeek 2009 and have been BFF ever since.  I <3 you tons and thanks for putting some sunshine into my day
• Oh Miss Currybomb – what can I say about her?  We have been friends since we were quite young and reconnected in the city a few years ago.  Your blog is always interesting and I love how you write.  Thank you for listening to my crazyness and for bbm’ing me to check out the latest “WTF is she doing now”
• KeriBlog aka The Canadian Explorer aka #Olympics correspondent for 2010 – a girl who loves Canada, tech & security.  Your videos entertain me and make me smile, the safety and security tips you’ve posted are always added to my “To Try” and I think you are an amazing woman.  Thanks for being you
• Lauren O’Nizzle – friendly, blonde internet kid.  I freakin’ love reading your blog and you make me lulz on the daily.  Your internet slang is ridiculous and your photoshopped pics and gifs make me want to learn how to do it.  You also have the best About Me page I think I’ve ever read

Ok – maybe I should have called this the blonde girl brigade post instead…

• My pink hair inspiration came from Gala Darling – I had always wanted pink hair but never enough guts to do it.  And then I came across her blog and her self-love attitude was beyond inspiring.  I totally purchased her e-book/podcast series “Love and Sequins” and I thoroughly enjoyed her ideas and advice.  Read her blog for a dose of self-love, awesome fashion sense and thoughtful articles.
• Zoetic Ebb is my latest girl crush.  Not only is she ethereally gorgeous, she is an amazing artist and photographer.  I love her style and design asthetic and her most recent project D4RT – a mobile art class that aims to bring workshops and public art projects to impoverished communities all over the world, with its first installment to take place in September of 2011 in Yantaló, Peru - is currently in need of funding and you should donate if you can.
• love Maegan is a California girl who is gorgeous and crafty.  She makes the most amazing DIY crafts, outfits and accessories called Maeg-It yourself and I love her daily outfit posts.  Maegan has great style in both her clothing and home and I love seeing her inspirations and finished projects.  She is inspiring me to be more crafty and to try and make things myself.
• And last, but certainly not least, is Ree from The Pioneer Woman – this might not be the kind of thing you’d expect me to read looking at the other bloggers her, but this is one of my all time favourite blogs I’ve come across.  Ree is a city girl turned ranch mom & wife and I kind of want her life.  I love reading about her family and life on a ranch in the midwest.  I hope one day to make it out there to see for myself.  I love reading about her brother Mike and the impact he has on the community around him.  It is the blog I go to when I’m in need of some relaxtion or peace and I just LOVE IT

 

I read many more blogs and my Google Reader list has about 60 on it but these are my daily must-reads.  I love that some of you have become friends IRL and everyone inspires me and makes me want to continue to create and write my own site.

Thank you ladies for being my inspiration

Carly

 

Going to A Panel Discussion on Panel Discussions tonight with Kathryn and maybe Jason if I can drag him downtown.  Looking forward to hearing Casie, Erin Bury & Late July speak.  The boys on the panel should be interesting as well, but I’m showing love to the ladies today.   It’s FREE and for more info and tickets go HERE

Had an amazing weekend of doing, well not really too much.  Saturday was a pretty lazy day of cleaning, unpacking and eating.  Then some beer drinking and Jason and I wandered down to check out the Woodbine Park Jazz Fest.  Then we strolled down to Lick’s so I could introduce Jason to my favourite burger place.  I LOVE their Nature Burgers soo much.  After an evening of walking we went home to finish watching Trailer Park Boys.  Jason has been “studying Canadian culture” as he puts it and has watched all seasons of TPB.

#SundayFunday was spent at Mom & Dad’s house by the pool.  Such a beautiful day and I love how nice it is at their house.  I’ve been thinking of asking if I can have a pool party up there.  I think it’d be a blast to get everyone out of the city for a day and Mom & Dad would love it.  I’m definitely gonna ask. After spending the day poolside we came home to a clean house and I got to work on a kind of assignment for something new that I’m working towards.  Jason made us a late night dinner of Grilled Cheese with Pickles (SO GOOD), mixed greens salad and tomato soup.

The perfect end to a nice weekend.  What did you do?

On Monday night I went to the preview of the new Beer Store in Liberty Village, the Beer Boutique.  I think it’s a great idea for a beer store to be set up like this.  I love to walk around a self-serve store to check out what’s new and different.  I always feel rushed when I go to The Beer Store and have to choose what I want from a list on the wall.

I loved the layout of the store, open concept with exposed brick walls, heavy wooden tables, old beer barrels and a modern, rustic feel.  Casie commented on how straight and lined up everything was (photo by her)

 

I went with Casie, Sabrina and Alex and ended up seeing a whole bunch of awesome people that I hadn’t seen in a while.   We had a pretty fun time and got there early, before all the politicians (seriously!) and crowd arrived.
So good to see all you guys April, Raymi, Brock, Keri, Christine & Julie and Erin and we ate, drank and danced till 9pm.  I love short events like this 6-9, in and out.

I also got to try Stella Artois Legere for the first time and I think it’s going to be my new summer beer.

Speaking of Stella Artois Légère, have you voted for your neighbourhood’s chance to host the Ultimate Block Party?  go to facebook.com/STELLAARTOISCANADA, scroll down til you see VOTE and then vote for your neighbourhood (East End!!)

Thanks to the team at The Beer Store for the invite and I hope you bring a Beer Boutique to the Beach!

And thanks to CASIE for the photos.  I forgot my camera so I stole them off her site

On Tuesday Kristin and I went to the Pepsi Throwback party at Revival hosted by Keisha Chante and Casie Stewart.  My first Tweet-Up since TIFF last year.  We stayed long enough to have a couple Pepsi Throwback’s, watch 80′s band The Spoons and say Hi to some friends that I hadn’t seen in ages.  Then it was back to moving in to the new place.  I can’t wait til it’s all done and I’m settled in.

 

 

Here’s a video of the party made by Rannia aka @photojunkie.  Thanks to Casie for the invite.

Back in August Casie and I went to Bud Camp, courtesy of Andrew Gayle & Mosaic.  I posted the video but not any of the photos.  You can see all the photos HERE…

We took the bus up with the Bud Girls and the whole group of them were really nice and fun.  It was a long ride and our cell phones stopped working about halfway there.  No service near Napanee and it was a race to see which cell company would work when we got to camp.  My Bell phone worked most of the way and I was able to get reception at some places in the camp.

First night was a party, they had a cover band from Quebec that were pretty awesome and we stayed got shuttled back to our bed & breakfast around 2am.  Didn’t get woken up on Saturday until 11am and we missed out on White Water Rafting (but we didn’t care).

We had the choice of staying in one of these cabins – no heat, hydro, bathrooms or at a bed & breakfast offsite.  We chose the bed & breakfast offsite & shared it with Brock & T-Rex (the 1 Love TO guys) and their friend Avery.

I’m clashing all over the place.  Red & pink all weekend.

Me with some babes

It was POURING rain and freezing cold, so we ate breakfast and sat in front of the fire.  Ended up meeting Colin & Troy, who also didn’t make it to rafting.  Colin runs Boonstock, which Hail The Villain played at on their summer tour and Troy is a crazy snowmobiler on Team Thunderstruck.  Ended up spending the day with them and a couple other people who didn’t make it to the activities, keeping dry & warm, drinking and walking around when there was a break in the rain.

This is me & Casie not 4 wheeling in the rain.

We seemed to be a bit of a novelty at the camp.  Non-Bud girls and Non-Winners.  Everyone wanted to take pictures with us.  These guys may or may not have just told us they found a bar close by.

This was our little chipmunk friend outside one of the cabins we hung out in.  He was super friendly and came right up and took nuts out of Troy’s hand.  Casie didn’t really like the chipmunk

This is Casie & I not doing Paintball – although we didn’t do the activities we had a blast.  I love doing Bud Camp our way.

And then the Vitamin water silly starts.

Guess who’s feet were cold and wet?

The food at Bud Camp was amazing.  They actually had vegetarian options and I was in heaven.  This was a veggie chili in a bread bowl and it saved my life after a day of drinking.  Eating this is what led to me not having to leave the party early

On Saturday night The Arkells played and it was my first time hearing them live.  I got to be up on someone’s shoulders for most of the show until security made us get down.  After the show was a huge fireworks display and then they lit a car on fire.  Crazy.  Everyone was cool at Bud Camp.  There weren’t any fights that I saw/heard of, people were just laughing, dancing and partying.

After the Bud Girls went back to their hotel it turned into an all guys dance party.  It was so hilarious to watch all the jocks try and show each other up.  Guys were doing flips, kartwheels, handstands and ripping off their shirts.  I’ve never seen anything like it and we couldn’t stop watching.  So crazy.

Thanks to Andrew Gayle and everyone at Mosaic & Bud Camp for taking us up there and showing us a great time.  I hope we get to go again next year and I hope we get to go on the Bud Light Cruise!

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