The Tonic Lifestyle

Missed me? I've been so terrible at updating this blog. Life's been busy hectic - no surprise there.

Plenty of changes these past few months. To endings and new beginnings. A chance to start anew and to take this much needed opportunity to focus inward and on my personal development.  Where do I want to go? What do I want to do? What's next? Questions like these to be answered and reflected on in greater depth and with a more thoughtful approach in the coming weeks.  I have already taken a leap of faith, abandoning the comforts of "the known" and am willingly opening myself to the universe; learning what it takes to define what it means to know me, my strengths and what I can contribute to this life, inside and out.

In the meantime, here are a few shots from the Tonic Lifestyle Apparel's Fall/Holiday Collection I modelled for earlier this year. A brand whose testament to enabling your love for active lifestyles aligns true with my passion for physical activity and its impact on my health, happiness and vitality.

Photos from Frisco

Finally decided to share some snapshots from my trip to San Francisco a few weeks back (hey, better late than never)...  

Shooting The Breeze

 SHIRT: Wilfred, SKIRT: UNIF, BELT: Moschino, WATCH: Movado, NECKLACE: Vintage, SHOES: Aldo

This amazing weather sure makes for effortless functioning. My brain is in total summer-mode and it's been such a welcomed change to approach work projects without feeling insanely pressured.

On another note, I'll soon be jet setting off to San Francisco and can barely contain my excitement! Having family scattered all over the world definitely has its privileges, and I can't wait for a little change of scenery...even if it is just for a few days.

The Taste of Freedom

TOP: Wilfred, SHORTS: Zara, SHOES: Loeffler Randall, WATCH: Michael Kors, NECKLACE: Club Monaco

The long weekend is finally here and for the first time in what seems like months, I feel free.  No longer beguiled by some haze preventing better judgment, nor pressured by some lingering burden awaiting resolution. I've learned to say "no", set my boundaries and it's come at an amazing price: prioritizing me and having more time to focus on the things that really matter.  

See, it's hard for me to back away from things without wanting my hand in all of it. Blame it on my OCD, it's just not in my nature to strictly perform to standards - anything less than exceptional just doesn't cut it. Undoubtedly, this stems from fear of losing control and not wanting to let people down, but as of late, I've been finding that this behaviour is a one way ticket to burn-out and self-resentment.  Danielle LaPorte describes this notion to a T (click here).

Recently, an opportunity slipped through my fingers and I was beating myself up over why I couldn't overcome this wall that was set before me.  Something was blocking my ability to complete the task at hand, and while I justified the delay, I knew excuses weren't going to get me anywhere. So you were busy, you couldn't find the time, etc. - the work isn't going to get done while you sit on your ass and watch the world go by.  

What's done is done, and all I can do now is learn from this experience and hope it doesn't happen again.  Can this be guaranteed? Probably not. But I sure as hell won't go down without a fight, knowing that I did everything in my power to not let another good opportunity pass me by.

BDFL

BLOUSE: H&M, SHORTS: Aritzia, SHOES: Aldo, WATCH: Movado, NECKLACE: Forever21

A few weeks back, a friend asked if I would be interested in participating in Coquitlam Centre's "Best Dressed For Less" event. Bloggers and local influencers would be tasked with finding an outfit for under $150 - a challenge involving one of my favourite activities? How could I say no to that! For the weeks leading up to the event, I also contributed weekly posts on various trends and inspirational themes which can be found here, here and here.

Despite my best intentions to prepare with a little pre-shopping online, it's never the same story once you're actually in the heat of it.  From varied product selection to budgetary and time restraints, this was definitely putting a spin on your average shopping experience! Luckily, I managed to put together this top and bottom combo for just under $100 and was happily surprised with the matching lace sections, pastel colour combo, and ethereal details in the peplum and subtle trim on both blouse and shorts. Both items are perfect as a pair and stand well alone as essential pieces that mix nicely with my current wardrobe.

It was great to see what the other participants came up with and I'll be sure to post photos from the event in the days to come.

Gambier Island Photo Diary Pt II

It's been such a surreal transition back to daily life.  Now that summer has set in, it's like the whole city is on vacation - almost as if a collective burden of pressure has been lifted now that the sun is out to play.  Am definitely missing my uninterrupted time on Gambier. The luxury of feeling isolated in a serene, independent kind of way dissolved any fear of failure, anxiety, pressure and the like. 

Gambier Island Photo Diary Pt I

Summer has finally arrived. Regardless of how long you've dwelled in this city for, the sudden heat wave catches you completely off guard in an omg-this-is-amazing-but-I'm-totally-dying, kind of way.  Luckily, I had the pleasure of spending the past few days on Gambier Island - a hidden gem best known for its national park and Camp Fircom, a children's summer camp and retreat. On this particular weekend all the staff were given time off so we had the island all to ourselves.  

Comeback Kid

KIMONO: H&M, PANTS: Wilfred, BELT: Club Monaco, CALF SKIN SHOES: Yosi Samra, NECKLACE: Forever 21, WATCH: Movado

It's been a rough past few months. Expectations and opportunities gone in the blink of an eye. You find yourself dwelling on what went wrong and all the reasons why things didn't work out as expected.  You're in a funk and can't seem to shake it. While part of you knows that this shall pass, you desperately seek the answers or some opportunity to escape the haze surrounding you. We've all been there: the semi-conscious state of mind that allows you to function day to day, but dulls your senses and fizzles your inner fire.  

Now that I'm on vacation, my mind has essentially reset itself. I've been able to better prioritize, spend time with friends, eat clean, exercise and clear my head.  I've also been diving into The Fire Starter Series by Danielle La Porte, which has contributed greatly to my new outlook on life.  Finally, I'm beginning to feel my head emerging above the clouds and inspiration is spreading from head to toe. Admittedly, I still have a ways to go in my pursuit of defining life on my own terms, but my instinct is telling me that things are about to get real good, real soon.

Working For The Weekend

I had the pleasure of spending the past few days modelling for Tonic Lifestyle Apparel's Fall 2013 Catalogue. Complete with blue steel looks - to mask our discomfort from the cold  - and plenty of goofing around, it was a real treat working with the Tonic creative team, and I can't wait to see how it all comes together!

Getting Cozy

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for surprises. But what I love just as much is planning and scheming ways to surprise others (read: did I mention that I love all things surprises?). While Valentine's Day isn't an especially celebrated halmark in our books, the boyfriend and I do make the effort of planning (at minimum) a romantic evening for two.  Although gifts aren't a customary component to this annual affair, I do believe that my latest endeavour will rock his world. One, because he won't see it coming (I hope) and two, because it's the kind of gift that keeps on giving...

Resolutions Pt 2

Jan·u·ar·y (jan-yoo-er-ee) n - 1. the first month of the year, having 31 days. 2. a time for renewal by setting intentions and conceptualizing goals to be accomplished within a predetermined time frame. 3. occasionally characterized by frantic work overload in response to foregone productivity during the holidays.

Feb·ru·ar·y (feb-roo-er-ee) n - 1. the second month of the year, ordinarily containing 28 days, but containing 29 days in leap years. 2. a lull period where activity and enthusiasm declines due to abandoned new year's resolutions, or 3. the month when one takes action to achieve the resolutions made in the prior month.

Resolutions Pt 1

If there's one thing I've learned with the start of 2013, passing the time by consuming oneself with work and unessential activities, is a double edged sword. While it acts as a welcome distraction from unfavourable situations, I've also found that in doing so can cause you to neglect and disarrange your priorities.  Don't get me wrong, sometimes the only remedy for your troubles is to curl up on the couch, and watch marathons of Downton Abbey and Suits, complete with a pint of Haagen Dazs and a glass of white wine.

Channelling Gatsby

It's been a crazy couple of weeks; prepping for the holidays and spending countless hours rehearsing for The December Project, only to realize it's over like a dream you tried to avoid waking-up from. I'm so grateful for having the chance to get back on the stage and be able to perform in that kind of capacity - especially having not seriously danced for years.  Many thanks to my friend Michael for the opportunity to collaborate with such amazing dancers and local talent, not to mention allowing me to revisit a lifelong passion once again...  

Lost In The Light

TOP: Club Monaco, VEST: Once, JACKET + PANTS: H&M, BOOTS: D.Co, NECKLACE: Front & Co, WATCH: Movado

The subject matter of this post originally began as an indignant rant about my unnecessary attachment to solving problems that are not my responsibility to solve. Needless to say the details don't need repeating, but I have come to acknowledge that certain things can be easily misinterpreted when taken out of context and delivered over a written medium...

On a more positive note, I'm thrilled to be getting back into the studio for a Contemporary Dance collaboration with a very talented friend, Michael Kong, and other local Vancouver artists.  More details on that later.

Caught Me Thinking

SHIRT: H&M, JEANS: Acne, WATCH: Movado, SHOES: Sam Edelman, BEETLE RING + BUCKET BAG: Front & Co 

When you live in a city known for its rain and grey, you learn to appreciate any glimmer of sunlight you can get.  Fortunately, yesterday turned out to be just that - gorgeous, 20°C weather and it looks like (fingers crossed) the rest of the week will be just the same.

Been apartment hunting for the past month and can't say I'm thoroughly impressed with the selection and pricing in the current marketplace...some folks really need to smarten up and NOT agree to pay $2500+ for a ugly furnished, 1 bedroom apartment - it seriously hurts the rest of us potential renters you know.  With some luck the boyfriend and I can hopefully finalize something by mid month!