Dear Diary

Of all the phrases that can be used to describe me as a human being, none is more true than “No Chill”. I am the opposite of chill in every capacity, from emotional stability to the way I workout, and above all things I have the hardest time slowing down and learning to just be still.

I am not zen, I am not relaxed and sometimes I worry I’m going to grind my teeth down to tiny stubs in my sleep.

I mentioned my attempts to take on a more “chill” demeanour in my previous post about LA (the land of the chill), but I wanted to do an update and share what’s been working best for me now that I’ve been home for a bit and the seasons are finally starting to shift. It’s the perfect time to make changes, to adapt healthy habits and switch from comfort food to clean food. Here’s what’s working for me:

Scroll down for the list!

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Stay Hydrated // I know everyone says this for pretty much everything, but I can’t stress staying hydrated enough. The infused water trend is a Pinterest favourite right now, but if you don’t have time to infuse with 100 kinds of fancy fruit or you’re on the go, Oasis Infusion does the job! Infused with fruits, herbs and flowers, and then topped off with a hint of fresh juice, these beauties have no sugar added and can be found at grocery stores everywhere you turn. My favourite flavour is obviously Strawberry Hibiscus Basil, but all 3 are seriously refreshing.

Grow a Green Thumb // I’ve been loading up my new apartment with plants and I’m hoping at some point it starts to look more like a scene from Jumanji than a Toronto condo. My good friend Tellie from Hunt and Gather helped me out with picking out some “hard to kill” houseplants, and I’ll be sharing my green thumb wisdom here soon!

Back to the Books // Getting lost in the mind of someone else is the easiest way to take a step back from your own busy life. I’m currently reading “One Day We’ll All be Dead and None of This Will Matter” by Scaachi Koul, and it’s the perfect book for taking in snippets of wisdom and laughter when you don’t have too much time on your hands.

On a Roll // Exercise always automatically takes my stress-level from 1000 to 0, and this Spring I’m investing my time mainly into Climbing and Cycling. With brand new gear from my pals at MEC, I’ve been heading up to Basecamp Climbing to test my strength on the walls, and now that the weather is warming up I can start to bike to and from the gym too! Seeya stress!

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This post was sponsored, but all opinions are my own. To inquire about sponsored posts, please email jess@shineinfluencers.com

Dear DiaryDress Up

One of the best things about summer here in Toronto is the cycling culture. Though we’re not the best for bike lanes and we have a horrible reputation for bike theft, the love for cycling is alive and well in our city, and both Jo and I love getting around on two wheels.

A particularly rough winter left Jo’s bike from last summer unusable, and my frame was stripped down late one night to a point where it wasn’t worth it to rebuild, so when this summer rolled around we had, well, no way to roll around.

After a bit of window shopping we decided to put our cycling needs into the trustworthy, grease-covered hands at Curbside Cycle. Known by many as “the friendliest bike shop in Toronto”, this large shop in the Annex is filled with pastel accessory goodness and dreamy bikes galore. With the help of Curbside’s lovely staff we both walked in on two legs and rolled out on two wheels.

After much deliberation we picked twinning team bikes in shades of mint, though Johanna stuck to a more classic style (The Crosby) and I insisted on a speedy fixie (The Victor). Of course hints of pink and gold were non-debatable, so we spiced up our rides with shiny bells, a perfect pastel pink basket, and the cutest pink lights ever. I even sprung for a rose gold cup holder for my handlebars, because well, there is no such thing as too much rose gold!

What do all of those ingredients make when paired with #TeamRAOP and some really cute sneakers? A pastel girl gang on two wheels, ready to roll through the city and fill it with summer fun! Make sure you ding your bell if you see us coast by?

Scroll to the bottom for an RAOP exclusive discount code at Curbside!

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Ready to upgrade your bike gang’s game? Get 15% off on all Pure City and Pure Fix bikes, all Basil products including baskets, bells & bags, all Abus locks and all Bookman on the Curbside site with code “RAOP15”


All clothing via Ban.do, shoes via VANS, all bike accessories via Curbside Cycles