vic.

One of the things I've really been enjoying about being back in B.C. is the accesibility to travel and explore new cities in the province. 

Last week, I came back from Prince Rupert on Monday, slept in Vancouver for three nights, and then was off to Victoria with one of my best friends to visit a university gal pal. 

Between catch ups, celebrating a new home and a bit of wine, my friend Katie pulled out a hardcover photo album. We proceeded to walk through our university experience in 100 or so photos she had collected from Facebook, disposable cameras and personal files. It was such a simple, but monumental moment in our friendship. 

Seeing our faces on the pages showed how much we had been through, and the physicality of photos really brings back memories. 

New goal: continue to print photos. It's a simple, but lost practice now in the digital era. I'm bringing a touch of it back, starting with a few snaps from our trip: 

B.C. Parliment buidlings 

Victoria Harbour 

I'm still dreaming of this brunch from Lady Marmalade

Three B.C. musketeers  

The ever-stunning Empress Hotel

2012.

At this time last year, I was terrified of 2012.

I knew there were some big changes in my future, and I would be faced with that terrifying moment of "what I am going to do with my life?"

For whatever reason, I decided that if an opportunity came up, I was going to take it. Big, little, out of town, whatever. I was going to do it. I figured I would at least get a good story about it.

That escalated into some really unique experiences - some that went amazingly well, and other times, not at all.

However, at the end of this year, I have realized how much I have learned.

I learned how to lead a team in a professional enviornment. I found that with complete artistic power comes great responsibility. It's still true - patience really is one of the most powerful skills. And along the way, I met a plethora of interesting people who challenged everything I thought I knew, and pushed me to be the best version of myself.

2012 was definitely one of the best years of my life (so far).

Here are a few of the highlights:

Hanging out in the Montreal train station. 

One of my first segments airing nationally on Canada AM

Keanu and Brittney performing my piece, "Gotham"  

glory.

It's been a glorious, long hot summer here in Toronto.

It's been different - not going home to my summer job, friends, family and life in British Columbia was something very new for me (as well as the humidity of Ontario).

However in ways, this was my favourite and best summer yet both personally and professionally.

Big and small, here are a few of my favourite moments:

The last photo shoot with my favourite photographer Katie before she moved back to B.C. (and is getting married next summer!)

Taking in the "50 Years of the Rolling Stones" photo exhibit opening night at the Analogue Gallery with fellow J-Skooler (and my lovely friend) Cashlyn.

I got to celebrate my two passions with my friends and family on the same day.

I graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor of Journalism in the afternoon, and performed in a big dance show that evening.

grad2012.

Two weeks ago, I graduated from Ryerson University's Bachelor of Journalism program.

There are so many opinions and judgements about graduation days, but I have to say that the entire process and aura of mine was magical.

The ceremony was personal, short and sweet and my hair looked awesome when I walked across the stage (clad in sparkly gold shoes of course!)

A few of my close friends who are now living far away came back for the ceremony, and there are definitely few things more special than a real reunion. I've been lucky to make some very dear friends while living in Toronto that I know I will have for the rest of my life.

Thank you to so many who have been my village supporting and helping me get through this phase.

I have some incredible opportunities coming up, and I wouldn't have made it this far without you.

Below are a few shots from the day by myself and some friends. Enjoy!

ryehigh.

Wowza this has been an absolutely insane week where I got to celebrate a couple of major milestones in my life.

I am so happy and pleased to have graduated from Ryerson University with a Bachelor of Journalism and will be working for the CTV Olympic bureau during the 2012 London Olympic Games.

What made it even sweeter? Finding out the day before graduation and getting celebrate all of our successes, hard work and the past four years in a jam-packed weekend. I would not have traded it for the world.

Pictures and more coming soon. I just got back into Toronto, wished my parents well at the train station and am back to the grind. But first, time for a good sleep tonight!

Thank you to so many for your well wishes, I appreciate them all!

solus.

It's hard to believe a month has flown by living at my new apartment. I'm absolutely loving living a bit farther west in downtown Toronto, and slowly but surely am learning and living in the dynamic of my new neighbourhood.

One thing I've been embracing for the past month was something that used to really scare me...eating alone.

Of course, it's perfectly fine to grab a coffee at a cafe and catch up on email solo, but I still feel like it isn't always okay for someone to go into a restaurant alone.

Even tonight as I made my way into a new sushi place I have been interested in trying, the sound of "Oh, just one?" was almost enough to send me out the way I came in.

However, novel in hand, I had access to the choice table in the restaurant (near a big window overlooking the street), was given samples of various pieces of sushi and finally got a good chunk of my book read that I have been meaning to do.

I took as long as I felt, paused, sipped and people-watched. In a city and lifestyle where one is constantly hyper-connected and surrounded by people all the time, taking an hour of solitude in a public place was fantastic.

Next on the list? I'm thinking Indian food (still looking to find a good place in Toronto - let me know if you have a recommendation).

This is also leading up to a very exciting week for me and my university peers. On Friday we will be donning caps and gowns and graduating from Ryerson University's Bachelor of Journalism program. My parents will arrive this week, and there will be many celebrations and cheers to be had!

Needless to say, I've just gotten really excited.

All the best into the upcoming week!

mentality.

To be honest, I really, really dislike when people update their Facebook and Twitter statuses constantly.

Even in a choice career that favours the constant updating of social media (which I have no problem doing under a company account, that's the job) I have found it hard to share my work with others over the medium.

Every once in awhile, I would throw up a blog post or reporter piece for some people to actually see, instead of me constantly telling, what I was doing.

Things have changed. I'm addicted - especially when I'm generating fresh content every day.

Sorry in advance.

That's why I have created my profession Facebook page to share my latest work, thoughts, videos, et cetera on.

I find myself updating constantly, hope that's okay!

And I now take it all back. I'm now a part of the constant-update club. Le sigh.

Check out my latest piece below, it will be printed in tomorrow's copy of The Ryersonian.

Inside the Black Swan Mentality

All I can remember are the lights. White, bright, hot lights beat down from above and cause sweat droplets to form and drip down my spine. There was complete silence in the theatre; the audience held their breath, waiting for my next move.

“Okay Portia, get up, continue with your solo,” my brain said. Using all the energy I could muster, I tried to move my legs, but they were defiant and remained crumpled beneath me. Moments before, I had leaped into a grande jeté (a split leap) — a routine move I had been practising my entire dance career.

The next thing I knew, a pair of hands picked me up and carried my limp body off the stage. The show couldn’t go on.

rye.

This week has been a busy, but good one to say the least. I have been working with some fantastic people in the masthead for The Ryersonian, and I am so impressed by the talent and work I have seen my peers do.

My first piece for the paper was about my trip to Montreal with a couple of friends last weekend on a budget.

You can check it out online here with a photo gallery and all the bells and whistles.

If you missed it, we have two daily broadcasts on Wednesdays in the Rogers Communication Centre, and produce a newspaper that comes out the same morning.

Today, one my colleagues and I produced and broadcast a quick hit of local arts news (i.e. for film award season and some entertainment...)

Check out the segment here.

I applaud my peers and all their hard work this week - looks like it's going to be a lot of work (but also fun) for the next few weeks until we head off into our internships around the world.

Thanks for all the support and help to so many for helping make on these stories happen!

I'm exhausted and definitely ready for the weekend, but this new year, new hair, new job equals a large welcome to the rest of my life. I kinda like it all.

picnic.

I'm in love with that early September heat that holds onto the summer, but cools off in the evening to promise fall.

With the first week of school coming to a close, it's interesting to be walking around those same hallways again after being gone for so long. There's still the stigma that we're not "ruling" the school yet - that's always been the job of the grad class before us. I catch myself calling myself a third-year student, and referring to my peers in their pervious years.

Is this not wanting to grow up, or growing up faster than I realized.

Today at the annual Parade and Picnic, I realized that the people now running the event were almost all fourth-year students who ran around and celebrated the same introduction to Ryerson only a few years ago.

My, how time flies.

Like the (now) warmer air, we're holding onto a little bit of the past summer and our lives as well. However, things inevitably change - fall is such a beautiful time of the year, and I think this will emerge into an equally good time of our lives.

I'm off to celebrate the end of the first week of school and flit around TO this weekend!

Happy Friday!

alison.

Check out an interview I did for my fashion journalism class!

Art, design and skiing - a chat with Alison Hull.

I first met Alison Hull, neither of us was doing anything fashion related – rather, we were at the pool.

Hull, a Ryerson fashion design student, had an awesome bathing suit on that day. It was red with a watermark detail on the side, and she donned a shiny black bathing cap. From that moment, she showed me that whether you’re working out or walking the runway, you can always look stylish, but with products that worked.

I sat down with Hull, who was clad in Converse sneakers, feather earrings and a striped shirt, and we talked about skiing, waterproof trench coats and her next move.

prowl.

Check out my article for my fashion journalism class!

STYLE STAR: TORONTO STREETS

Someone wise once said,“Everyday is a fashion show and the world is your runway,” which is appropriate with our culture’s obsession with street style.

Therefore, on a chilly weekend, I decided to go hunting for some stylist people. Armed with my camera and an extra-hot coffee, I thought I would find my prey all over Toronto.
En route to Liberty Village, I found my first catch: blonde woman in her early 30’s trotting a fringe satchel and oversized glasses about to cross John Street. As I ran over to take her photo, she flipped open her phone to accept a call. Disheartened, I grabbed a quick “creeper” shot of her – but with a turn of her heel, I saw the flash of a red sole of her leopard-print boots.

Inspiration, thanks for calling.

Any fashion girl knows a Christian Louboutin when she sees one, and I’m certain this woman was wearing the five-inch, “Big Lips Booty” designer shoe. While hipsters tramped along in combat boots, this woman looked effortless in her heels.

My coffee cold, and my camera (sadly) dying, I headed south toward Richmond Street and Spadina Avenue.

On cue, a woman in her early 50’walked by me wearing a leopard-print coat.

She got away from me too fast to catch her, but I was lucky, having my camera phone out and catching a quick shot. Her coat was a light, champagne-coloured leopard with a smaller print. Between her and Louboutin woman, neither of their leopard prints screamed “look at me”, but were a casual wink at a neutral pattern.

A day later, I cornered Emma Liut, third-year marketing student at Ryerson University in Toronto, at the Ted Rogers School of Management.

Clad in the Canadian tuxedo (light denim button-up and jeans with riding boots) a touch of leopard in a bag added a subtle pop to her outfit. Even better? Each piece she was wearing was under $100.

Surveying my captures, the link of leopard between each of these ladies made me purr. Perhaps next time, steer away from the black and try out the print – it is subtle, fun and good for the fashion hunters.