Happy New Year!

  Happy NEW YEAR!

By Karina Valentina

Dear valued reader, 2025 has arrived—fashionably late to some, incredibly early to others, but right on time to make this newsletter worth your while.

May 2025 shower you and your inner circle with moments that make your group chat explode with joy, opportunities that exceed your vision board's wildest dreams, and enough good fortune to share with those 'friends' who only text when they need something.

HIT THE SLOPES AT WHISTLER WHERE I'M CURRENTLY MASTERING THE ART OF LOOKING GRACEFUL WHILE LEARNING TO SNOWBOARD. FAIR WARNING: TEACHING ME MIGHT REQUIRE THE PATIENCE OF A SAINT AND POSSIBLY A FIRST-AID CERTIFICATION. BUT HEY, NOTHING SAYS ROMANCE LIKE SHARING HOT CHOCOLATE AT THE LODGE WHILE COMPARING BRUISES, RIGHT?

CHANNE OUR INNER PARISIAN AT MOULIN ROUGE, WHERE WE CAN PRETEND WE'RE SOPHISTICATED ART CONNOISSEURS WHILE SECRETLY HUMMING "LADY MARMALADE" UNDER OUR BREATH. BONUS POINTS IF YOU WEAR SOMETHING THAT SPARKLES MORE THAN YOUR PHONE SCREEN ON FULL BRIGHTNESS.

EXPERIENCE THE DELIGHTFULLY CHAOTIC GENIUS OF TITANIQUE – BECAUSE NOTHING SAYS 'WINTER ROMANCE' QUITE LIKE A MUSICAL PARODY OF HISTORY'S MOST FAMOUS SHIPWRECK SET TO CELINE DION'S GREATEST HITS. MY HEART WILL GO ON, AND SO WILL THESE KILLER VOCALS.

ESCAPE TO HOTEL DE GLACE FOR A NIGHT OF ARCTIC LUXURY, WHERE WE CAN FINALLY PUT THOSE SEVEN LAYERS OF WINTER CLOTHING TO GOOD USE. JUST REMEMBER, CUDDLING ISN'T JUST ROMANTIC HERE – IT'S SURVIVAL.

EMBARK ON A CULINARY ADVENTURE THROUGH TORONTO'S FINEST ESTABLISHMENTS (LA BANANE, GEORGE, LUCIE, ABURI HANA, ENIGMA, AP) BEFORE RETREATING TO HOTEL FOR DESSERT. BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE BEST PART OF GOING OUT IS COMING BACK IN.

And for those seeking alternative winter magic:

Let’s book a private after-hours tour at the ROM, where we can pretend you're in Night at the Museum without the whole 'exhibits coming to life' anxiety.

Let’s go midnight ice skating session at Nathan Phillips Square, where you can recreate every winter rom-com scene you've ever swooned over (helmet optional but recommended for first-timers).

Charter a private helicopter tour over the city at sunset, because seeing the city lights sparkle through a blanket of snow is worth the minor heart attack your credit card statement will give you.

Last but not least, book a cozy cabin in Muskoka complete with a private hot tub, where we can stargaze while pretending to know more constellations than just the Big Dipper.

This month marks another chapter in my personal history book (aka my birthday). Now, before you rush to your calendars, let me assure you that your regular reading of this newsletter is already the kind of gift that keeps on giving. Though, if you're feeling particularly festive and wondering what brings a smile to your favorite newsletter curator's face – well, I'll just say that my wishlist pretty diverse 😉✨

See you next month!