033 Alison Westlake is the Visionary Woman who Founded Coriander Girl (A Flower Shop, Instagram Account & Lifestyle Brand)

Today on the show, I am chatting with Alison Westlake… the glowing woman behind Coriander girl.

Coriander girl is floral service business that has been championing the bespoke, garden-style movement and helping narrow the gap between farmer and florist. Their company Mission is to Spread love through the magnificence of flowers.

Alison is the founder and an absolute joy to be around. She is bubbly, fun, smart, and has been running her business for over 10 years. With shops in both Toronto and Prince Edward County she is a true testament to creating and living a life and business you love.

More on Coriander Girl:

Our full service floral boutique in the heart of Toronto’s west end offers everything from same day flower pick up and delivery, as well as complete wedding and event floral design. Our arrangements are inspired by the natural growth of an English-style garden—always unique, with inspired colour palettes and uncontrived shapes.

Our latest endeavour is our 15-acre farm in Prince Edward County, now home for us at the Coriander Country House. A bit of Town and a bit of Country, we are forever roused by the wild and ever-changing beauty that surrounds us.

Coriander Girl Website:

https://coriandergirl.com

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This episode was sponsored by Prince Edward County!

Prince Edward County has a way of capturing hearts and imaginations with its combination of rural calmness and authentic sophistication. The County has always been a hub for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, in this extraordinary backdrop offering an unmatched quality of life. Entrepreneurship is a mindset, an attitude and a life adopted by people not satisfied with the status quo. The County provides unique opportunities to fulfill your passion and establish your own lifestyle. Prince Edward County, a friendly and real place to visit, live, work and do business.

Looking for a little inspiration? Meet those who have already made the move to The County!

http://buildanewlife.ca/

https://www.instagram.com/visitthecounty/

032 The Story of Apple Falls Cider: Amelia went from Orchard Employee to Craft Cider Business Owner!

Hey everyone!

You’re going to love this week’s episode. I recorded it on an apple orchard (a literal dream come true for me since podcasts + apples are two of my favourite things in life!) but we get down to BUSINESS with Amelia and her dad Colin, will sipping cider!

I took away some powerful lessons from this episode. Here’s a quick synopsis:

1. As a business owner, you should learn to be okay with financial risk

2. Read the book The Lean Startup (HERE)

3. Don’t talk about things, DO things!

4. Look for grants that you can apply for

5. If you want to start a business, make a business plan, encounter obstacles, fail, and just do it

Aside from these lessons learned, here are a few more details about today’s interview and about Apple Falls Cider…

Amelia and Matt have been making hard cider since 2012, after they fell in love with the beverage in London, England. After successfully completing their post-secondary education, Matt and Amelia visited London, England. While they were exploring the culture in London, they stumbled upon traditional hard apple cider. From then on, they were hooked.

On their return, they started experimenting with different blends of apple varieties from the family farm. Their recipe was perfected over many bottles shared with family and friends. They were destined for cider-making, obsessed with achieving exceptional taste using just one ingredient, apples.

Passionate about cider and driven to succeed, Amelia and Matt started Apple Falls Cider Company. Their cider uses 100% Campbell’s Orchards apples, hand picked from the family farm. The exceptional quality of the apples from Campbell’s Orchards directly ensures great tasting cider.

Chatting with Amelia (& bonus that I got to chat with her Dad Colin, as well!) was such a joy. We are both millennial entrepreneurs and we clicked so easily. I know you’ll be inspired by her story!

Be sure to check out their website to learn more about the cider, where to purchase it, and how you can visit them if you head to Prince Edward County!

WEBSITE https://www.applefallscider.ca

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Thanks to Prince Edward County for sponsoring this episode of Visionary Life!

Head to www.buildanewlife.ca to learn about the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship that’s happening right now in the extraordinary backdrop of Prince Edward County!

It’s truly an unmatched quality of life and I would encourage you to head there for a vacation, if you haven’t yet been.

Why I’ve tossed out the Jergens Moisutrizer in favour of Coconut Oil

Your integumentary system.

It keeps the outside world OUT; and the inside world IN…

This organ system has many functions (regulates body temperature, provides cushioning to the body, excretes waste, etc.) —     you want this system to be functioning optimally!

Your skin should be treated like a piece of expensive artwork – not a test canvas, do you get where I’m coming from?

Your bathroom is likely FULL of harmful skincare products, all of which claim to make you “age less” and “look younger” – but I have a feeling that they’re all lying. Last time I checked, our skin wasn’t meant to take on all of these foreign chemical-like substances that provide a ‘temporary’ fix.

Your next detox doesn’t have to start in the kitchen, it can start in the bathroom – and yes, you’ll still notice big benefits!

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Since I began my program studying holistic nutrition, my eyes have opened up to how complicated we have made our world. Food doesn’t have to be difficult, you can eat things grown in your backyard or a chicken raised in the town next to you. Beauty shouldn’t be so difficult either – if you won’t eat your products, why put them on your skin? It all ends up inside of you, leaving your body to detox the bad and eliminate it before it causes harm!

This also goes for those of you with children— their little bodies are sensitive, so choose products that are as pure + natural as possible!

Worried about aging and wondering how to get rid of those black lines under your eyes? Why not start with prevention through a whole foods diet… You eat food all day every day, and what you put down the hatch is going to have an effect on your outside appearance, not just the internal stuff! Just think of how rotten a smokers lungs would be after 50 years of 2 packs per day – and they usually don’t look so hot on the outside (even with a few botox injections)! Same goes for food + internal/external appearance…

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Take yourself back to basics.

1. Read the book Ecoholic Bodyby Adria Vasil. [I’m part way through; it’s great as a reference to flip through whenever you have questions. No need to read start to finish]

2. Check out this chart from MindBodyGreen.com

3. Slowly clear out your bathroom cabinets, and replace with natural shampoo/cleanser/soaps/mascara/moisturizer/etc. I am in the process of doing this right now– it’s unrealistic to think that it will happen overnight, so take it slow. One. thing. at. a. time… The financial burden will be lessened and you can slowly adapt to your new products.

Dump this…

Add this!

4. Use what’s in your fridge to make cleaning products, face masks, and moisturizers! An example of something I’ve done for a while now is to make a hair mask out of a mashed avocado + olive oil.

Put it on before bed// tie your hair into a bun// sleep on an old towel (it stains!) // wash it out in the a.m. – MAKE SURE YOU SET YOUR ALARM WITH TIME FOR THIS, or you’ll look extra greasy all day 😉

Now this makes for healthy hair!

5. Do some of your own research! I’m not the expert on all of this (not yet anyway) so be an informed consumer! Check out the Environmental Working Group [EWG] website, especially their consumer guides!

Never look back.

Start reversing your aging process.

Make smarter choices =)

Feel and look fabulous!

Have a happy weekend, friends.

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Dear Green – you’re a wonderful colour.

There seems to be a common theme already on this lovely Thursday…

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No, not a luscious forest with overgrown trees (I wish that was part of my day…)

The common theme to my day so far has been the colour green. It keeps popping up and it’s only 9:30am in the morning! I don’t think it’s any coincidence though….

The colour green is so much more than just my morning smoothie =)

Aside from my post-workout breakky (which contained rapini, kale, banana, chia seeds, almond milk, coconut water, multivitamins: shown above) – I gave a little bit of tender love and care to my plants today (green). Sunlight, water, and a new location in my room.

It made me think of something that my teacher mentioned in class, comparing plants and humans…

When you think of your plants – what do they need in order to stay alive and look healthy? 

Here’s a few things off the top of my head.

• Provide them with consistent water (keep them hydrated)

• Provide them with the right light (some need more than others)

• Feed them (with some sort of fertilizer)

• Love ! If you don’t give the plants some love, who will? Break your plants heart, and they will probably wilt away as revenge!

These can apply directly to humans as well. If you don’t nourish YOURSELF with all 4 of these steps – you too will wilt away, or become ill.

1. Keep hydrated EVERY DAY.(On the “Green” Theme – Green is the colour of my lemon water glass today)

This does NOT include consuming coffee, beer, processed fruit juice, diet coke, etc. Drink clean, fresh water – and drink it liberally!

2.  Provide yourself with LIGHT. From the sun, not indoor lights or tanning beds.

If you spend time in nature, you’ll spend time in the light – it can make the world of difference in your mood.

3. Feed yourself with something HEALTHY.

If you pureed a  Big Mac and fertilized your plant with it, what do you think would happen? I have no idea, but I imagine that it’s better to puree some fresh carrot if you’re going to try anything…

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4. Love and have healthy relationships!

Plants need them and so do humans. Unhealthy relationships = unhealthy life. Soak in the good and leave out the bad…

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Finally – the colour of the 4th chakra (heart chakra) that is our central powerhouse and gives us the ability to love, is GREEN!

Go figure. You can read more about the heart chakra and whether yours is balanced or imbalanced right here on Mind, Body, Green.

All this being said, try and notice where the sources of green in your life come from (besides 20$ bills)

Veggies, Trees, Indoor Plants, A room in your house, using ‘greener’ appliances, having a garden, wearing green scarves, etc.

I think I like this colour a whole lot more than I used to!

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Eat Your Way Through Valentines– Without the GUILT!

If you’re like me – you look for any reason under the sun to do some baking.

Cooking, I’m not so fond of. But baking is different…  I’ve always felt a sense of comfort in baking, maybe because it reminds me of home and happiness.

With Valentines Day coming up tomorrow, are you planning to bake anything for your “Valentine”/Friend/Family/Roommate/Etc… ?

It will likely make their day a bit brighter – so pick one of these “healthier” cookie recipes to whip up before tomorrow.

Happy Valentines!

(This photo is from the “Love Your Body Campaign” that I put on during my undergrad)

Recipe # 1

From the blog, “The Healing Kitchen”

RAW VEGAN VALENTINES COOKIES

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They are dairy free, gluten free, mostly raw, sugar free, vegan, vegetarian – you name it!

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Recipe # 2

This recipe comes from the blog Squirrelly Minds…

These are Peanut Butter and Oat bites: Vegan Approved!

I have made a very similar recipe to these before, and I love them because they are SIMPLE. Quick, not too time consuming, and tons of taste!

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Recipe # 3

For the raw-foodie – this recipe from Ravishing Raw looks SO good.

(Click the link to see the photo)

I love that they’ve used avocado and carob as opposed to traditional ingredients found in mousse. Much healthier!

The options are really endless!

Happy Healthy Baking !