From a 160-year-old Muskoka landmark to a converted heritage building with a 50-label wine list, general stores across Ontario's north are becoming something more — cafés, galleries, gathering places. I visited three for Wander North to see how.

Limestone caves, wildcrafted cider from wild apple trees, a converted-schoolhouse cafe, and a cidery built around the original Macintosh apple orchard — I drove the Ottawa Region Cider Trail for Wander North, stopping at orchards, taprooms, and trails along the way.

Volume two of my ongoing Wander North series on Ontario's north — a micro-farm run on the honour system, a realtor who sells lifestyle as much as property, a glassblower who built her own furnace to bring the craft home, and a decade-long land project turned wellness retreat.

No sitters, no guilt, no leaving the dog behind — I rounded up six pup-friendly stays across Ontario's north, from a restored 1940s lakeside compound to a retro Thornbury motel that greets dogs with their own bandana.

A logo you didn't know was hers, a boutique's whole vibe, a stranger's sweatshirt at the gas station — I profiled Ciara Spurling of Third Rodeo Creative on the winding, unplanned path from horse girl to sought-after brand designer, and what she's learned about protecting her creative energy along the way.

Meaford has spent years living in the shadow of its more famous Georgian Bay neighbours — but between new restaurants, a growing arts scene, and a mayor who insists the town isn't shrinking, its moment might finally be now. I talked to the business owners, officials, and longtime locals building it.

Five founders, five very different businesses, one shared thread: glamping, swimwear, cider, wellness, and fermented ginger beer, all built around a fierce sense of place in South Georgian Bay. Volume one of an ongoing series on the region's entrepreneurs, for Wander North.

Cider isn't brewed — it's fermented, closer to winemaking than beer. For Wander North's first In[Cider] Report, I talked to Ontario cider makers about heritage apple varieties, regional terroir, and why the province's craft cider scene is finally getting the attention it deserves.

I sat down with Wander Magazine to talk about the reality of life as a digital nomad — the misconceptions, the discipline it actually takes, and why "slow travel" matters more to me than chasing distance.

A restored 1940s lodge, a handwritten welcome note, a nine-course dinner with parsnip cake for dessert — I spent a night at The Haliburton Post House for Wander North, and didn't want to leave.

A pandemic career pivot, a barn call at 8pm, and a coffee shop that's now a two-town institution: I profiled Caitlin Holmes of Savvy Co., who went from full-time teacher to running a cafe-and-bodega empire that's become a cultural anchor for two Grey County towns.

A documentary shoot in Kenya, a Hamilton Tigers t-shirt in a Nairobi slum, and a "burning fire" one January morning: I profiled Jacquie Rushlow of The Keep Refillery on turning a personal reckoning with waste into a growing chain of zero-waste refill shops across Ontario.

From making hemp bracelets as a teenage single mom to running a screen-printing brand with orders from across the continent — I profiled Stephanie LeBlanc of Steph's Originals, whose hand-printed, positivity-driven apparel line grew out of restless energy during a pregnancy leave and turned into a family business.

A house concert, a shared love of music, and a plan to build a full artist ecosystem: I profiled Craig Smith and Ariana Dalie, the duo behind The Happiness Mafia, on building a live music production company and Four Winds Music Fest from the ground up in South Georgian Bay.

Two health scares, a joke from his mom at dinner, and a Berkey filter that changed how he thought about drinking water — I profiled Scott Miller of Conscious Water, on turning a personal health crisis into a business built around clean water and giving back.

AI is the hot trade of the year, but is it a bubble or the next internet-scale shift? I sat in on a CIBC portfolio manager's take on where the real long-term opportunity lies — and which companies are best positioned to capture it.

Canadian stocks lagged behind a red-hot U.S. market in 2023, but a widening valuation gap may mean opportunity, not weakness. I broke down a CIBC portfolio manager's read on why Canada fell behind, where he still sees strength, and what a delayed recession could mean for both markets.

A washboard, a stage name, and a career built on turning embarrassment into comedy: I profiled Franny Wisp, the musical alter ego of sculptor Fran Bouwman, whose satirical, self-deprecating shows have found a surprising cross-generational following in South Georgian Bay.

A 13-foot flying rhinoceros, a steel rainbow, and eight balloons honouring the original 1978 Pride flag: I covered the unveiling of Dare to Dream, Collingwood's new public art piece commissioned to celebrate the town's 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

A rough year in the markets has nearly half of Canadian investors considering a new financial advisor — I covered the EY survey data on why clients are switching, what they're prioritizing instead, and how Canadians' reasons for leaving differ from investors elsewhere.