Hello, and welcome back!
We hope you had a great holiday season.
It’s a new year, yes, but it’s also To Hockey, With Love's 1st anniversary! Technically, the official date is January 6, but we’re gonna ignore that. Anyway, the year flew by, and we’re ready for a fresh start(ish). In our previous newsletter issue, we reflected on what the last year meant for us and went over our most-read issues of 2022!
Since we already did the self-reflection part, we decided to share our hockey wishes for the upcoming year.
Mullett Arena Trip
From what it looks like, the Coyotes will be at Mullet Arena for a bit, so we have some time, but I’m putting it out into the universe. THWL x Coyotes Collab? It can only make sense! Do I - Gaby - know who is on the team? No. Is that gonna stop me? Also no. I might even put on a hockey jersey for the first time.
Oilers vs Flames 2023 Heritage Classic
I - Perrye - need and want THWL to attend the Heritage Classic via a brand deal. It’s my hockey version of Oshega. I never expected to witness a battle of Alberta in my lifetime, especially not an outside game, but here we are, so we might as well embrace it. I am *almost” willing to stop my love-hate relationship with the Flames and transform it to love to increase the chances of our presence. Imagine Gaby vlogging in Edmonton. Yeah, I bet you want to see it, right?! Me too!
Sh*t Perrye’s Obsessed With
The holiday season is the time of the year when I can catch up on some Quebec content through my mom’s recorder or on-demand account, so I’ve been vibing on my mom’s couch with my hot chocolate for most of my time back home. Anyway, it won’t surprise you that I’m mostly obsessed with some Quebec TV shows because, let’s be real, when am I not?
Fragments is the newest series by author and screenwriter Serge Boucher, which proves his talent once again. The drama recounts the reunion, after thirty years of silence, of three friends, Paul-André, François and Marlène, who once formed the Quatuor of Victoriaville with Jacynthe, who died too young.
If I had to use one word to describe the series, it would be “sweet.” The word feel-good wouldn’t be accurate or appropriate since the storylines tackled severe issues. Although the topics were heavy at times, you didn’t feel like it was hard to watch or need a break between episodes. I recommend watching his other works, which are as great as this one.
Mental Health and Family
If I could recommend a piece of culture to watch so we can destigmatize mental health, it would be these series. These series are interesting because they approach mental health in a way that I have never seen on TV - raw, honest and authentic. “Mon fils,” tells of the fall of 18-year-old Jacob, whose life has turned into mental illness. Psychosis invades everything, corrupts everything and shatters its future. After the touching series Mon fils, TVA presented the second chapter of the “Mental Health and Family” collection with “Ma mère” last fall. “Ma mère” recounts the complicated but positive journey of Chantal, 60, who, during her time in prison, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and now finds herself at a crossroads.
En direct de l’univers
I need everyone to prepare their vocal cords because I already planned that, for my 30th birthday, I would have my own (homemade) version of En Direct de l’univers… unless the universe has other plans *wink wink*. The program proposes discovering a Canadian or foreign public figure through his musical universe. It’s one of my favorite variety shows, and when I want to be older, I want to be France Beaudoin. Honestly, she’s top 2 and definitely not number 2 of the best TV hosts worldwide. Yes, I said it.
Listen, I’m a rom-com girlie! Most of the time, they are cliché or not good, but I love the simplicity of following two people falling in love. In a society where dating has turned primarily digital, it’s fun to remind ourselves that people can fall in love by interacting IRL. Anyway, I recently watched The Broken Hearts Gallery, filmed in Toronto. The movie was the perfect different yet heartwarming romantic comedy I needed for the holidays.
Other recommendations: Knives Out: Glass Onion, Love Is Blind Brazil - season 2, The Bear, The Sex Lives of College Girls, 9-1-1 & 9-1-1 Lone Star.
I was on the hunt for a new water bottle recently that wasn’t big, vacuum shaped or ugly, and it was hard, y’all. However, I did find one. If you want a sleek water bottle that keeps your water or drinks cold/warm without the ugly tracker of your water intake, this is the brand for you! They have a variety of shapes and sizes, but I opted for the traveler mug, and I’m obsessed.
The current albums on replay: Louane’s “Sentiments” and SZA’s “SOS”
Sh*t Gaby’s Obsessed With
I’m in full no-thoughts, head-empty mode, so I was thinking of what I’ve been doing lately and couldn’t come up with much! I put a moratorium on Serious Books until the end of 2022, so all I’ve been doing is reading romance novels and watching TV. Somehow, I still manage to be behind on pop culture, given that I just watched Knives Out. There are probably other things I was obsessing over, but it’s been a minute since I’ve found myself enjoying TV this much. I’ll probably have more to talk about next time, but until then, I hope that y’all get some good recs.
The last time I wrote one of these, I said that I don’t watch too many Korean dramas anymore, which promptly became untrue. I have been obsessed with this one! Alchemy of Souls is one of those high fantasy period dramas loosely based on the Joseon Period. It features romance, magical assassins, conspiracy theories, and secret societies. The ensemble cast is good, and there are a few cute side stories. What more could we ask for? The second part is about to finish airing this weekend, so if you’re looking for something to binge, this is it!
The series based on Chief Inspector Gamache books by Louise Penny is a procedural show, but it feels much more cohesive. It’s based in a small town in Quebec and touches on some of the current social issues relevant in Canada. Alfred Molina is excellent as the Chief Inspector and has great chemistry with the rest of the cast. I hope it gets a second season!
PBS Masterpiece
Ok, this one is technically cheating, but I didn’t grow up with cable, so I’m a PBS lifer. The catalog is really great, and public broadcasting is a wonderful (and necessary!) public service. It’s a win-win! If you have Amazon Prime, you can add it on or, better yet, get the PBS Passport through your local station membership! (Only available to US friends, though :( ) Here are some of my favorite series I’ve watched so far:
PHWA X THWL Mentorship Reminder
This is a reminder to folks that applications for the Winter Cohort of the PHWA x THWL Mentorship program are currently open until January 15th!
It’s probably not a typical anniversary newsletter, but it’s always a good reminder to ourselves that enjoying things outside of hockey is what makes this fun. Happy Birthday to this project and ride we’re on. We always love to hear from you all, so let us know in the comments what topics you would like us to cover in 2023. Cheers!
With love,
Gaby and Perrye