Personal: 5 Things on My Mind

January 17, 2018 | 1 Commentary

These are five things that have been on my mind lately.

1. Outlander. I’ve continued to watch Outlander, and I recently finished season 2. Oh my goodness – I loved the episodes set in France so much! But I also continued to enjoy all the scenes set in the Scottish highlands. And now I am adding Scotland to my travel goals because it looks just so beautiful (and, yes, I know that some scenes weren’t shot in Scotland). I came across real-life photos of the two main characters – Jamie Fraser played by Sam Heughan and Claire Fraser played by Catriona Balfe – and I was surprised. I just imagined that they would look exactly the way they do in Outlander. But they don’t. And seeing them in modern clothes was kind of surprising. p.s. I can’t be the only one who has a crush on Jamie Fraser, right?

2. Barre. I’m continuing with barre classes this month. I have loved every class that I have attended. I think it’s mostly because the music playlists are fantastic! I just feel like singing and dancing the whole time (instead of doing planks for way too long). Have you tried a barre class? What do you think?

3. Grocery delivery. Have you ever had your groceries delivered right to your door? I haven’t, but just today two friends (at separate times in the day) talked to me about it and I received news about Instacart, which is a same-day grocery delivery service brought to us by the Real Canadian Superstore and Zehrs (via Loblaw Companies Ltd.). How’s that for timing? Grocery delivery was today’s hot topic! Apparently Instacart has already been offered in Toronto, but it has launched in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, and Guelph regions today.

And here’s a bonus for you – first time users can enter the code HIKITCHENER (3/31/18 expiration) at checkout to get $20 off an order of $35 or more, plus a free first time delivery.

4. Tumeric. What does everyone know about tumeric? I don’t know anything about it, but it has come up multiple times in my life in the last month, and I feel like I need to do some research about the benefits of this spice. One of the cafés in town (DVLB) has this tumeric warming tea that I really enjoy. And this weekend in Grey County, I learned about elixirs with tumeric in them that help with fighting winter illness. Then I did a quick Google search and found this list of benefits of tumeric tea. Thoughts?

5. Travel + People. Travel is often on my mind. This past weekend, I had the chance to work with Grey County to explore new-to-me parts of Ontario (you may have followed along on Instagram with #WhiteCabanaGoesToGreyCounty). My posts are definitely still in draft form, but you’ll see them on the blog over the next couple of weeks. For now though, I have been thinking about all the people I met on my 3-day journey. I feel lucky to have come across such happy, welcoming, and interesting people because these people made my trip that much more rich, informative, and fun. Some people. You know? You just can’t help but be thankful your paths have crossed! Who’s with me?

Two for Tuesday: Lace-Up Details

January 16, 2018 | Leave a Reply

Lace-up detailing is nothing new in the fashion world. Whether you’re packing up for a warm vacation or cozying up for some quality hygge time, consider a little bit of a lace-up detail.

lace-up swimsuit

lace-up sweater

Event: Interior Design Show, Toronto

January 15, 2018 | Leave a Reply

If you’re in love with the world of interior design, then the Interior Design Show (IDS) is the place for you! IDS is coming to Toronto this weekend, and there is a long list of impressive speakers and exhibitors that will be in attendance.

IDS speakers include Shauna Levy (President of Canada’s Design Exchange), Brian Gluckstein (interior designer), Lynda Reeves (of House & Home magazine), Tommy Smythe (designer and tv personality), Karim Rashid (designer), and Arren Williams (creative director, designer, writer).

IDS exhibitors will include many of my favourite brands, and I’m keen on seeing what’s new and upcoming in the world of design. This will be an especially fun visit for me as I have my own renos to plan, and I’m looking for what I can include in my designs. Here are just some of the exhibitors you’ll get to meet at IDS this year.

If the weather cooperates, I’ll be in attendance, so stay tuned for future posts right here on White Cabana as well as on my Instagram and Twitter accounts.

If you’re interested to learn more, check out IDS. The show runs from January 18-21 at Toronto’s Metro Convention Centre.

The Friday Five: What’s Your Motto?

January 12, 2018 | Leave a Reply

When I was with my nephews and niece in December, the topic of personal mottos came up. As it does, right? Well, the kids’ mottos were things like…play all day…live for mac ‘n cheese…they have to start somewhere, right? I find that when the new year comes around, people often talk about their mantra, motto, or words that are going to guide them for the year. My personal mantra seems to change every couple of months depending on what’s going on in my life – “treat yo’self,” “you only live once,” and “work hard and be nice to people” have certainly been in my motto mix. I also often wear two MantraBand bracelets that have great reminders on them – “nevertheless, she persisted,” and “she believed she could, so she did.” Even though it might sound silly, looking at these bracelets – and reminding myself of my motto(s) – have helped me get through some tougher days and reminded me to stay focused on what I value and how I spend my time.

If you need a little direction for 2018, here are five items with some helpful reminders to work hard, be strong, and make the most out of life!

MantraBand, Tattly Conquer temporary tattoo, mug, poster, Make it Happen pencil pouch

Trivia Thursday: English Roll Arm Sofa

January 11, 2018 | 3 Commentaries

As many of you may already know, I love my sofa. It was my first real furniture investment post-PhD life, and almost five years later, I still absolutely love it.

my living room as photographed by Donna Griffith, via Style at Home

This sofa is an English roll arm style, which is characterized by a tight back and rolled arms. This tailored style has low arms and, generally, a deep seat, which makes it a very comfortable piece. The English roll arm sofa looks perfectly at home in casual spaces as well as more formal spaces.