Published Pieces

Below is a cross-section of travel and lifestyle stories I have published in magazines and newspapers since 2008. I am forever grateful to every editor I have worked with — for the unique experiences, learning and collaboration each piece provided. I still enjoy reading stories like this, and I often help others pitch them, but for now I’m focused on client-based or creative pursuits.

Glasses Collecting

I pitched this story when I noticed the prices of spectacles were plummeting and specialized glasses stores were popping up all over Toronto’s Queen Street West and other hip neighbourhoods. Glasses suddenly weren’t just designer, but fast fashion, as companies began to encourage consumers to own a pair for every day of the week. (I’ve never owned seven, but in writing this story I was gifted three and I still wear them all.)

A Portrait of Vichy, France

It was a privilege to visit Vichy in 2016 and be introduced to a historic beauty hotspot that felt like the embrace of a grand old dame, twirling parasol in lace-gloved hand.

Memphis Moment

When I visited Memphis, I was struck by the opulence and scale of everything — from Graceland itself to the huge hotel design project next door that Elvis’s ex-wife Priscilla collaborated on. Memphis was equal parts golden, brashy and raw, in a cloud of cigarette-smoke-filled history. The Lorraine Motel, Ernestine & Hazels and the Arcade Restaurant were not relevant to this story but the chills I felt experiencing them made an indelible impression on me.

Cape Breton Calling

I was lucky enough to visit a world-class golf resort in Inverness, Cape Breton, in 2017. My aim wasn’t as bad as I’d anticipated and the vistas were breathtaking, but it was the people that made the trip: Storytellers abound in Nova Scotia and everyone I met obliged, from the hookers at craft centers to the senior makers at the Village Market.

Tap That

Historic Williamsburg deserves its place on tourists’ itineraries, not just for its colonial reenactments but for the buzzing beer (and delectable food) scene that came about when legislation allowed breweries to sell samples on-site.

Foodie for Thought

When I worked at Chatelaine, I edited the “It’s In the Air” section where I got to write about interesting women doing interesting things. Some of them stayed with me more than others. Almost 10 years (and a lifetime later) I still follow Vancouver-based Erin Ireland on Instagram for easy, healthy meal hacks.

Festival Refresh

One of my favourite parts of my Chatelaine “It’s in the Air” section was compiling the musical-festival roundup page because it was a subject close to my heart and helped me to understand this new country I’d moved to. (The big bonus was it often required on-site research!)