Over the past year, we have had the pleasure of getting to know Catriona Smart of Coco&Cowe, the popular Toronto based blog. Catriona is a beautiful and very genuine soul. She is soft spoken, determined and intelligent with an incredibly warm smile and infectious laugh. Catriona has a knack for making you feel at ease immediately. It’s no shock that her sweet little family of three live in a spectacular space in the hopping King West community of Toronto. Catriona and her husband, Brad Lamb (of Lamb Development Corporation) built themselves a gorgeous condo with a picture perfect rooftop view of Toronto. As you stand in their home the experience is that of gazing at a postcard as you stare out of their sprawling floor to ceiling windows. The beautiful open space is filled with light and is the perfect mix of playful and sophisticated. When we visited their home we found ourselves surrounded by fabulous art and piles and piles of books that make it apparent Catriona is constantly seeking inspiration for her lifestyle blog. After we spent some time with her spunky two-year-old daughter Harlowe, we couldn’t help but melt at her utter deliciousness. For her newest venture Catriona has started her adorable t-shirt line for women and children that are available for sale on her site. You will see Catriona rocking her very own tee in our photos for this feature. Here are a few snippets from our conversations about motherhood, business and living in Toronto:
I’m most inspired by:
I’m inspired constantly but many times I find inspiration in places I feel I’m lacking or I could be doing better. Right now I’m very inspired by mothers, my own, ones I know and others that I don’t. Being a working mother of a two year old I am constantly looking for ways that I can do my two jobs better. I look to women in my circle, in the media and in my community for guidance and inspiration on how I can be a better mother and woman.
The toughest part about being a mom is:
Balance. Everyone always says you need balance but I’m still trying to figure out what a fair balance between everything is. A smart woman I interviewed once told me that there’s no such thing… Maybe I should start listening to her.
My favourite place to take my daughter is:
The park! Harlowe LOVES the park. From the swings to the slide to the teeter-totter she dies for it and I love watching her run around with reckless abandon in a place of such simplicity. A great reminder that kids don’t need much.
I also love taking her to Pizza Libretto in the Financial District on Saturday afternoons. It’s a hidden gem because it has yet to be discovered by the masses and we always get a table quickly. Her favourite food is pizza and it’s the one restaurant that she’ll quietly sit at and munch away.
Best Date Night:
Any date night. I have a lot of events to attend for my business and my husband is incredibly busy so finding the time for a date is magical in and of itself.
My favourite restaurant right now is:
I have always and will always love Bymark. It’s intimate while still being quite grand providing a great sense of occasion which I like for a special night out. More importantly the food and service are always out of this world. I did a Vegan challenge once and was so nervous to ask them if they had any way to accommodate me. The chef made me the most fantastic off the menu dish without a fuss or attitude.
There’s just something about great service.
The most rewarding part of my career:
Being able to create cool content. We work with a lot of awesome companies that we love and finding a way to share their message in a creative way is an amazing challenge.
I also love being able to communicate and connect with people all over the world because the Internet is without borders.
My daily uniform consists of:
I don’t really have a daily uniform but some days to save time I totally wish I did. I do love Frame black denim, Vince silk joggers, Kit and Ace T’s, Nike trainers and Rag & Bone booties.
To stay fit I:
Run, box, Lagree, cross train and participate in NTC. I like to switch it up often to keep me motivated, active and not bored.
I can’t live without:
A great book, a good iced coffee with almond milk, sparkling water, (I love my beverages…) my iPhone and Harlowe’s giggles.
My fondest childhood memory:
Travelling with my family. My mother is Scottish and my father, Jamaican. They met in Scotland while both at University and then ended up moving to Jamaica to start their life together. Their shared love for both of their homelands was something they were adamant about sharing with us so every year we were fortunate enough to visit one or the other which made for some pretty amazing memories.
