Happy Canada Day!

Did you know…

• There’s more people in the state of California than all of Canada.
• After the 9/11 attacks, Canada launched “Operation Yellow Ribbon” which took in redirected flights of Americans trying to get home. Then for days afterwards, entire communities took in these 33,000 passengers, providing food and housing.
• The coldest day on record in North America took place in the Yukon: -81 degrees!

This video is perfect for all my curious American friends and even for Canadians who want to learn more about their country and the relationship between Canada and America. (BFFs!)

Tomorrow Never Knows

Listening to one of my favourite Beatles’ records, Revolver, this morning made me realize that whenever “Tomorrow Never Knows” comes on, I think of that great scene in last season’s Mad Men. It was used so perfectly, it was worth the $250,000 it cost to license it for the show. Then I found this fantastic round up of season five.

Warning: serious spoiler alert!

Mad Men season 5 is released on DVD two weeks from today. I can’t wait to rewatch it!

Reasons To Write Real Letters

A big reason to write and mail real letters is to keep in touch and share photos with your little niece and nephew in Canada. If you’re lucky like me, you’ll get a video back.

Where the Hell is Matt?

What’s better than traveling the world and documenting your trips with photos? Traveling the world and filming yourself dancing with the locals, of course! Seattle’s Matt Harding became an internet celebrity in 2005 when his first video went viral. Since then, he’s made three more videos while visiting more countries than the average person will ever see and dancing with thousands of strangers.

If this doesn’t give you wanderlust, nothing will!

Practicing Yoga in NYC

Those who know me well know I love yoga. I started about five years ago with free classes at my gym in Toronto and have progressively gotten more serious about my practice since then. Finding a yoga studio that’s right for you is on par with finding the right hairdresser – they’ve got to make you feel comfortable and give you what you want to make you come back. Luckily, I found Sangha Yoga Shala in Williamsburg after trying just two other studios in the city. The owner and one of the studio’s most prominent instructors, Alana Kessler, is just amazing. I’ve never been athletic in my life, but she makes me feel like I can do anything as long as I work at it. As a result, I can do things now that I actually laughed at in disbelief when she demonstrated them to me about 15 months ago.

Last weekend, I was happy to participate in the filming of the studio’s new testimonial video. Check out my moves and sweaty post-yoga face:

{Photo by Armando Zubieta}

Strangers

I am on a bit of a Wes Anderson kick (when am I not?) and finally gave The Darjeeling Limited a second chance this weekend. Of course, I loved the movie and especially its soundtrack. This Kinks song stood out to me in particular. A perfect tune to accompany Anderson’s directing opinion that everything is better in slow motion.

I feel like Kermit!

After only buying $100 department store mountain bikes all my life, I finally got one that I really love today! It makes me feel like this:

Here’s to a great summer without sore knees!

A Canadian elopement in Paris

As Nick and I get ready to head to London and Paris in just 13 days, I’m finalizing the last of our plans and actually making an itinerary for Paris (I’ll share it with you when it’s done!). I’m finding myself drawn to everything Paris, quite similarly to how I was initially obsessed with anything NYC. That’s why, as soon as I saw this sweet elopement video, I had to share it with you.

The couple in the video knew that a traditional wedding just wasn’t for them, and the bride was inspired by a tear-jerker San Francisco elopement video, so they decided to travel to Paris to tie the knot in what they called “a wedding for two”. Their quick matrimonial trip included visits to many of the romantic spots in Paris and bike rides through the streets. The husband later edited the video footage and presented it to his wife as a gift.

Don’t get me wrong – I love a big, fun wedding – but there’s something so sweet and endearing about a couple saying their vows alone, no distractions, looking so happy to just be with one another.

What do you think? Would you ever elope at city hall or do you want the traditional big wedding?

[via: Design*Sponge]

Dear 16 year-old me

Have you seen Canada’s The David Cornfield Melanoma Fund skin cancer campaign? It’s an impressively honest video featuring many very real people speaking about their experiences with melanoma. After watching this and getting emotional, I went out and bought Eucerin moisturizer with SPF 15 and face lotion with SPF 30. I highly recommend both for not only fighting skin cancer, but also for preventing the old-leathery-purse look those who love the sun, but hate sunblock often acquire. It just makes sense.