Anna Hardwick is a Toronto based Actress that I met through our mutual friend - the lovely Ingrid from Clementine Fields. I think I had seen Ingrid post about staying at the Ferg, in Prince Edward County and when I was looking for a place to stay for our recent photoshoot, she connected us. Anna was such an incredibly gracious host and we will definitely share more about visiting the Ferg and some of our favourite things to do in the county, but for now, I wanted you to get to know Anna. I think you might just love her as much as we do!
How would you define your lifestyle?
Healthy, happy and calm. Most days. I do run three business and sometimes feel pulled in all directions, but everything I do, I love and am passionate about, so I feel deeply grateful. I’m an actor, working in film, TV, voice, and theatre, which takes up most of my time, and I also write and produce my own projects. I teach a bit of yoga and meditation in offices and homes, which keeps me balanced and grateful. My latest project is renovating and designing a boutique vacation rental property, The Ferg in Prince Edward County, which has led to some other home design projects.
Is spending time in nature important to you? Tell us why!
Indeed. I need my Vitamin G fix. In summer, I try to get on a backcountry canoe or kayak trip. I’m by the lake most days with my rescue pup, Esther or at the beach in the County. I love to have my hands in the earth on my terrace in Toronto or in my garden at The Ferg, where I lose hours. In winter, I cross country ski and try to get to Wyoming as often as possible to see my sisters and nephews, and get into the big mountains for some proper backcountry skiing. My sisters are wilderness guides, so it’s in my blood to be outside. I grew up in the country and was on canoe trips with my parents as soon as I could carry my own little backpack. It’s a true privilege to feel comfortable in nature from such a young age, and it continues to be where I am happiest.
On a scale between 1-10, how ‘Green’ would you say you are?
I would say I’m about a high 7, low 8. I try to do my best, but we all have blind spots. I drive a hybrid car, I bike in summer, I rarely waste food and use almost all glass to store the food I cook, I bring my own shopping bags and drink containers, all my beauty products are green, I insist on eco-cleaning supplies and recycled paper products at The Ferg and I grow my own organic veggies there. My blind spot was fashion. I used to buy fast fashion, on impulse, often for auditions. I woke up to that numbing habit, and I decided for 2019 to only buy sustainable clothing, local eco designers, vintage or to go to clothing swaps.
What excites you about choosing a sustainable lifestyle?
It’s been a fun adventure to source all my clothes in a mindful way, made even more fun by collaborating with Logan & Finley on a photo shoot! I enjoy the challenge of being eco-conscious. It fits into my mindfulness practice, and when I wake up from a daydream while brushing my teeth and remember to turn off the tap, I know I’m present. When I source my food from farmers’ markets, I am present and alive, meeting the farmer, having an interaction. As someone enthralled by nature, I want to help preserve it for the next generation.
Was there an ‘aha’ moment you recall where you realized you wanted to put more effort towards sustainable living?
Going into 2019, I had downsized and “Marie Kondo’d” my new home. I realized one of the ways that I lean into the future, robbing myself of the joy available in the present moment, is a constant need to consume. I’m fashion-obsessed, I look around me at what inspires me, what people are wearing, and then I covet it. This was robbing me of joy. I decided to lay off that hunger for new stuff, and see what emerged. I feel calmer, and I am finding the cutest outfits at the back of my closet that I hadn’t worn in a while.
If you were to give advice to others about embarking on a ‘greener’ life and style, where/how would you tell them to start?
In the kitchen. Meal planning, bulk cooking, buying in bulk at health food stores, buying local and organic whenever possible, eliminating plastic in cooking and storage. It’s so easy to do this now. I started this practice in high school, where portable glass containers for food didn’t exist. If you think back a generation or two, we’ve only embraced convenience at the expense of the earth, since the post war years. It makes economic, health and environmental sense to become more mindful in the kitchen.
What are you passionate about? Where do you find inspiration?
In community, in culture, film, music, design, travel, fashion, physical movement and literature. I’m constantly reading.
How did you hear about Logan and Finley?
From my dear friend Ingrid Doucet of Clementine Fields, who got me hooked on green beauty.
What’s your most treasured item from Logan and Finley? Why?
I have an indigo-dyed cotton summer wrap dress. I wore it to a very special table read for a new television project, which I can’t wait to talk about, but for now it’s top secret. I sat at a table full of my acting heroes, all women. I felt confident and excited, a part of this new wave of female-led projects. I will treasure that dress.
What place do you think Logan and Finley has in helping Torontonians live a greener life and style?
Logan & Finley, smack dab in the fashion district of Queen Street West, is letting Torontonians know there is an alternative to fast fashion. The care that Julie takes in finding the right look for a customer is impressive. She’s got a great eye, and knows how to fit and style you expertly.