See Dave Do

Author: Dave

  • Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield – Hands On

    Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield – Hands On

    Portable SSD T7 Shield – One of the most compact, durable, rugged yet aesthetically pleasing solid state drives I’ve had the pleasure of owning! Coming in at 1TB or 2TB versions, with high transfer speeds and a variety of colours. I have recently replaced my older clunky portable hard drives with these powerful little guys. Portable SSD T7 Shield just makes sense!

    Out of the the box, the Portable SSD T7 Shield comes with the unit itself as well as a USB-C to USB-C as well as USB to USB-C cable for compatibility across most devices.

    The rubber outer shell is durable, being dust, water, and shock resistant. Having used it for the past few months this unit has been through the ringer. It has fallen on rocks, embedded in beach sand and exposed to rain and it’s still alive and still kicking without any drop in performance whatsoever. It doesn’t take up a lot of space in my bag when i’m traveling and thanks to the high transfer speeds of up to 1,050Mbps utilizing the USB 3.2 I find myself working directly off the drive to keep my resources free on my computer to edit and build out my projects. I feel like i’m always on the look out for more compact yet still powerful options for storage especially to accompany me on my travels and highly recommend the Portable SSD T7 Shield for people who travel or tend to have a lot of shoots in the field that work off their laptop or on location. Even for those that want something more compact while still providing great performance the Portable SSD T7 Shield is a fantastic option!

  • Back to Basics: The White Tee

    Back to Basics: The White Tee

    It can be a challenge at times, trying to figure out what to wear, how to wear it, what to pair it with. In the end all you need a solid white tee! It’s versatile and goes with literally any look you are trying to pull off from casual to semi-formal having a few solid white tees in your closet ready to go is a MUST!

    R&W Co white tee and Textured Weave 5-pocket pants

    Whether you are spending an afternoon in the backyard BBQing with family friends or taking a summer night on the town you really can’t go wrong. I matched this basic white tee from RW&CO along with a pair of Textured weave 5-pocket pants, I didn’t even have to think about putting my outfit together.

    Spending some time with the pup and face timing some friends while working the grill!

    Just remember although it’s basic, you should get a good cotton blend that feels comfortable, I recommend a supima cotton blend to get that soft touch as well as extra strength as well as color retention! Keep those whites looking crisp longer and lasting longer as well.

    ***This post is sponsored by RW&Co

  • The Citizen Promaster Sailhawk

    The Citizen Promaster Sailhawk

    Watches have always been a big interest of mine ever since I was a kid. I still remember being in the schoolyard rocking my Ninja Turtles digital watch fully equipped with a flip-up turtle shell to reveal the time. I’ve been hooked ever since! Over the years my collection of watches has grown into a variety of pieces set for different occasions. I always say, having a watch box with some key timepieces for a man is the equivalent of the women’s jewellery box. Your average man doesn’t tend to wear/own a lot of jewellery so watches are what we use to class it up and bring everything together. So get yourself a selection that suits your tastes and needs, a timepiece is much more than just a watch. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner this would make for the perfect gift for that gent in your life!

    Partnering with The Citizen Watch Group, they were kind enough to send me a Promaster Sailhawk. Now, I do quite a bit of travel which includes some light diving and snorkelling more often than not. That being said I’ve been in the market for a solid timepiece that won’t get ruined by saltwater. This is my second timepiece in the Promaster series (the first being a diver) and the polyurethane strap that it comes with is EXACTLY what drew me to it initially. Not to mention it came standard in blue which is right up my alley. With a rated water resistance of 200 meters, it’s more than enough for your average water enthusiast. Let’s talk about function for the average user. First off, It boasts Citizens Eco-Drive technology which for me is hands down one of the best features! 100% light powered (any light will do), which means you will never have to replace the battery! Nice feature right?! It also comes with world time in 30 cities, with your choice of two to display which I find super helpful when travelling I don’t have to fiddle with my watch as I just set either the main or secondary time to my next destination before I go. All in all a pretty solid piece, I love the colour the face is bold its black dial, mineral crystal face, and stainless steel case, and 360° Bezel brings it all together. Personally I have skinny wrists but the 44mm case size looks great on and I’m very happy overall.

    After wearing around over the past month, my only issue with it is it doesn’t have a screw-down crown. Being a watch that is for marine life, users have to be careful to ensure the crown is set before to prevent potential water damage and any potential compromise to water-resistance. For the most part, it’s a feature I like to see in any marine style timepiece. But other than that small detail I think they really nailed it with the Promaster Sailhawk and I’m sure it will stay in my rotation competing only with my Promaster Aqualand for when I travel to beach/diving destinations!

    At this price point, I would say if you don’t already own a timepiece you can comfortably take into the water, the Promaster Sailhawk is a great piece to add to any collection.

    PRICE: $650

    MovementEco-Drive C660
    FunctionsWorld Time in 30 Cities (24 Time Zones), Second Time Zone, 1/100-Second Chronograph, World Time Alarm, Digital Display, Yacht Racing Timer, Split Lap Time, a 99-Minute Countdown Timer
    BandBlue polyurethane Strap, Buckle
    Case Size44mm
    Case MaterialSilver-Tone Stainless Steel, Rotating 360° Bezel
    DialBlack
    CrystalMineral Crystal
    Water ResistanceWR200/20Bar/666ft
    Swimming, Marine Sports
  • Day trips with #MDVP feat. Volvo XC90

    Day trips with #MDVP feat. Volvo XC90

    The MDVP crew had the pleasure to taking out the 2020 Volvo XC90 on a day trip to pick up a tree as well as take it out on some rural snowy roads to visit the Kortright centre for conservation.

    First off, the sleek Scandinavian design caught my eye right off the bat. We got a white XC90 with the tan trim interior which went perfectly together. Seamless lines, well stitched and the panelling (which i’m not always a fan off) really comes together.

    Handling wise it was on point from what Peter told me (as I personally didn’t have the opportunity to test it out). This model, pushing 390 horses really showed during launch as well any time we had to overtake any vehicle on the highway. From a passenger perspective, it was a great ride from start to finish. The seats were perfectly built for comfort, even during a long drive. Having rear passenger temperature controls is also a must have I think in any vehicle.

    I was really impressed with the safety features, everything from lane keeping, to 360 cam, and all the alerts anytime we had another vehicle in our blind spot or we happened to touch a lane line. It comes with a plethora of standard safety features which I could spend all day talking about, you can find all of them HERE if you are so inclined to see them all.

    We originally had planned to go to Niagara only to realize upon arrival that there was no snow there….so we had to turn around and head north about 3 hours to the Kortright Centre For Conservation. A great little area with trails and activities for the entire family. From there we headed to a Christams Tree farm not far away to pick up a tree for Vic and Peter. Thanks to the installed roof racks on the Volvo XC90, mounting that bad boy with some rope was a breeze! We could have probably put 3 or 4 up there just for good measure! All in all minus a few hiccups it was great time exploring some of what Ontario has to offer other than just the same old Toronto Scenery.

  • We hit up Copenhagen and Stockholm [MDVPHoliday19]

    We hit up Copenhagen and Stockholm [MDVPHoliday19]

    So it is MDVP Holiday 19 time! This year the crew and I decided to go visit the Christmas markets and beautiful countries of Denmark and Sweden. I have never been before Scandinavian country sounded like a cool idea so off we went. Right off the bat, the first thing I realized after getting there; It’s not going to be a cheap trip -_-. Copenhagen in particular was mad expensive, but manageable. Stockholm was a better off but in the end still pretty damn expensive for the day to day. Keep in mind we don’t stay at lavish hotels and stuff like that so high five for AirBNB bringing our costs down a bit.

    What to pack, what to pack? Always the million dollar question! well for this trip it was basically all hoodies, sweaters, jeans, and of course LONGJOHNS [absolute must have]. A pair of boots, and two pairs of sneakers! One thing that I tend to forget from time to time is proper hair Product so I made a point of packing some American Crew Firm hold gel and to go with that American Crew Hydrating shampoo.

    I always hate using the shampoo and body washes typically left at airbnb for the guests so I always make a point of bringing shampoo and a bar of soap with me anytime I travel. I also brought along something I have NEVER tried before. The Silk’n Revit Prestige Microdermabrasion unit, which i never really knew anything about as I would only see it on female insta stories. I’ve been using it pretty regularly since, and have noticed some improvements in my skin. Specifically my wonderful forehead lines! I’m starting to get an age where I have come to the conclusion that I really need to start looking into my skincare routine and pay more attention and care to it overall! I’m going to continue using the unit and post back on my progress :).

    We started our trip off arriving in Copenhagen hopped on a train and went straight to Stockholm. Another beautiful city with a similar vibe to Amsterdam [which we visited earlier this year] but a feel all it’s own. My absolute favourite thing being a creator/photographer was the subway stations. THEY ARE AMAZEBALLS! Each station being partnered up with an artist who transformed the space itself that makes you enjoy walking and exploring the tunnels, platforms and stations themselves! Here are some of my Favourites:

    • Solna Centrum Station
    • Odenplan Station
    • Tensta station
    • Solna Strand Station
    • Tekniska Högskolan Station
    • T-Centralen Station

    After spending a few days in Stockholm, we headed back to Copenhagen to finish off the second half of our trip. Now one thing that I did notice with both cities is that there are not a lot of AirBNB available at least not in the price range we were looking at. So we ended up with what we could find and were pretty disappointed. Hands down one of the worst AirBNB I have ever been to, but due to the fact there was nothing else available nearby we sucked it up and just stayed and pushed through. Other than that, Copenhagen was a really nice city, lots of history and museums to visit [if you’re into stuff like that]. Below I’ve listed some really cool points of interest we went to that I enjoyed!

    I almost forgot, considering it was the holidays we figured we would bring gifts for Vic and Peter. Mel and I decided to get their gifts from Etsty.ca. We wanted something different and personal, and we also wanted to give some love back to the small local shops and take a step away from shopping at a big box store for these gifts. The sheer amount of potential gifts that can be personalized is insane, so many choices and you can literally find something for anyone! We settled on a custom cutting board for @thedunklistt and a custom cake topper for @thelustlistt considering they both enjoy eating and cooking, AND of course they are getting married next year! Needless to say they seemed pretty happy with our choices for them #greatsuccess!

    I’m all about exploring new places that I’ve never been to and I really think both Copenhagen and Stockholm are great cities [to live in]. Overall the food is average. However, as you would expect there are a lot of fresh seafood options which is nice. But for your average person travelling I feel like the costs involved might be a deterrent as well [this is based off CDN exchange]. If you’ve never been, GO! I’m a huge believer in visiting everywhere once, and seeing it for yourself. My experience might not be your experience and you may love [or hate] a place much more than I do. So get out there and explore this big blue marble, you never know what you’ll find!

    Have you ever been to Stockholm or Copenhagen??

  • Lost In Japan

    Lost In Japan

    And we are back, to Japan that is! Spending at least one or two weeks there for the past 11 years as most of you know Japan has become somewhat of a second home to me. So this year I headed over there with two friends of mine (as this is typically my annual Boys Trip) one of which had never been. So we experienced many of the places we have already visited as well as some that we hadn’t. We began our trip in Toronto to Osaka going up to Kyoto and finally Tokyo where we spent the end of our trip before heading back home.

    Osaka has quickly become one of my favourite cities besides Tokyo, mostly because it’s like Tokyo without some of the pretentiousness that comes with it. The feeling in Osaka is real! The city has a bit of that Tokyo vibe but all its own, a bit grungier, a bit more soul. It’s really quite refreshing if you’ve ever spent any time in Tokyo you will understand a bit better. Your first time in Osaka? You will be spending most of your time in Dotonburi, its the major hub for shopping, eating, and partying! If you are in the market for anything, you can basically find it there. it’s most lively at night, but like Shibuya in Tokyo, it’s busy any given time of day. The biggest attraction being the Glico Man who has been shining in all its neon greatness for the past 84 years….yes 84 YEARS! It was originally set up in 1935 and has since become the mascot of Osaka pretty much! I recommend to literally go into Dotonburi and just get lost, go up and down each street systematically and explore everything it has to offer. Osaka is very well known for it’s fried foods so be sure to stop in literally anywhere and pick something up to eat!

    Notable places to get those tasty Instagram shots:

    • Osaka T-Site
    • Umeda Sky Building
    • America Mura
    • Shitennoji Temple
    • Glico Man
    • Dotonburi
    • Osaka Station
    • Shinsekai
    • Osaka Castle

    This is THE SPOT! If you want “Japan” in all its glory, Kyoto is the place to be. from it’s countless temples and shrines to Kinkakiju and Arashiyama, I could easily spend 2 months shooting Kyoto itself and it’s surrounding areas. where else can you find a walk through a bamboo forest, hike up a mountain through hundreds of Tori gates, visit a palace completely covered in gold leaf? Kyoto is my FAVOURITE city out of the big 3 to enjoy the culture and sightsee without all the hustle and bustle that goes on in Tokyo or Osaka.

    Notable places to get those tasty Instagram shots:

    • Kinkaku-ji
    • Katsuoji Temple
    • Shimogamo Jinja Shrine
    • Fushimi Inari Taisha
    • Gion District
    • Philosophers Path
    • Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
    • Arashiyama Kimono Forest
    • Yoshida Shrine
    • Otagi Nenbutsu-ji Temple
    • Kifune Shrine
    • Yasaka Pagoda
    • Kiyomizu-dera

    What can I say about Tokyo I haven’t already said in other posts? Tokyo is and will probably always be like my second home. The only thing that seems to change is that I keep getting older and there are more tourists every year I visit. Some places shut down, new ones pop up in their place. but the vibe of Tokyo really hasn’t changed that much over the past 11 years. More and more Tokyo is catering to tourists now with English menus and signage.

    Notable places to get those tasty Instagram shots:

    • Teamlab Planets
    • Teamlab Borderless
    • Tokyo Tower
    • Sensoji Temple
    • Meiji Jinumae Shrine
    • Kabukicho
    • Shibuya Scramble
    • Piss Alley (Shinjuku)
    • Drunkards Alley (Shibuya)
    • Anata No Warehouse (Kawasaki) [NOW CLOSED!!]
    • Harajuku/Omotesando

    For me Footwear is always a hot topic when discussing travel and Japan is no different. For me it’s absolutely essential to take a good pair of walking shoes, as I spend most of my time exploring and discovering new places. I’ve been on board with Merrell for some time now, from solid hiking shoes for more tropical destinations to water shoes they’ve got you covered. I’ve been rocking my Merrell Primer Leather shoes. I spent a good majority of my walking days with them and they held up, were comfortable and didn’t tire out my feet even after 20km+ walking days!

    With all the travel I do, trying to save a buck wherever I can goes a long way in the long run. For those of you that don’t know, you can get Cash back every month on the purchases you make online using Rakuten.ca! Everything from my Amazon purchases, clothes, and electronics, getting cash back on my purchases has never been easier! Like this outfit I was rocking from H&M, and of course my workout gear I always pack when i travel!

    Speaking of outfits, you can bet I always tend to pack one suit when I travel, mostly because I tend to take one night and go to either a find dining joint or a higher end party places that requires one. Plus it never hurts to look good fresh! I have a plethora of choices in my closet but opted to go with a nice lightweight cream coloured suit from Le Chateau, pretty happy with it, their styles have been evolving and the colours available are quite nice. Not to mention I’ve been buying dress shirts from Le Chateau for the last 15 years, maybe I’m a little biased but I do like the quality of their stuff!

    For those that have Japan on your bucket list, it is still my top destination after visiting 20+ times I always find myself going back. It has literally something for everyone and 100000000% lives up to the hype! Let me know your experiences and how you feel after visiting!