Prep Cares Cut-a-thon with Meghan Kinita

A few weeks back, I had the opportunity to get a much needed trim for a good cause. Prep Hair hosted Prep Cares Cut-a-thon in support of Feed the Furbabies, a community that organizes events to gather food and cash donations for no-kill shelters and animal rescues. Prep Hair is just about the cutest and most fun salon around, with a wall of green for nail and hairstyling snaps, a pop art washroom primed for mirror selfies, insanely fun and kind staff, and Chelsea Marinelli at the helm. My hair was cut by stylist and photographer Meghan Kinita. As she cut and styled my hair, we chatted about everything from weekend plans to dogs and their quirks to her presence at the upcoming Lucky Girl Pop-Up. Around us, music was pumping, adorable children played with puppies and balloons on the floor, and people milled around, chatting and smiling. For the walk home I grabbed a delicious, all natural popsicle from the brand new Pop Cart stationed just outside. (Do yourself a favour and try one of their delicious treats at the Lucky Girl Pop-Up next weekend.)

If you're interested in donating to Feed the Furbabies, check out their Facebook page for upcoming events. And if you've been thinking about adopting a pet of your own, I'd love to recommend Manitoba Mutts. Our dog Slim is from Manitoba Small Dogs (sadly, no longer in operation), and adopting him has been one of the most rewarding challenges I've ever experienced. People often think that if you go the rescue route, your only options will be large dogs with some serious behavioural and even medical issues, but that couldn't be further from the truth. With a little patience and some frequent internet searching, we were able to find the exact breed of dog we wanted, and although Slim has the usual small-dog issues - a bit of nervousness and the occasional territorial streak - he is incredibly trainable and so full of love for everyone. (Especially if you have treats in your pockets or are willing to play.) Having him as a pet has increased my quality of life in ways I never expected, and it is an experience I would most heartily recommend to anyone who has the time and love to give. Thanks Slim, for making us laugh with your antics and improving my long walks tenfold, and thanks to Prep Hair for supporting this worthwhile cause.

All photos were taken by my very talented friend Lindsey Koepke. You can check out her work at the RWB's presentation of The Misadventures of Pinnochio - she designed the sets for the show!