/
1x
Advertisement
Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!
Culture

Ten things Dragons’ Den star Michele Romanow can’t live without

The e-commerce queen founded four companies before the age of 30. Here, the 10 things she can’t live without

By Caroline Youdan
Copy link
Michele Romanow

1 | My Moleskines It’s distracting when you’re in a meeting and someone’s tapping away on a tablet. I use a proper book—it’s more personal. Even Steve Jobs took notes by hand.

Michele Romanow

2 | My thirst quencher I’ve been addicted to Vitaminwater for years—specifically the sugar-free lemonade flavour—so I was excited when they asked me to be a spokesperson. It’s made with stevia, the healthiest of the alternative sweeteners.

3 | My iron ring They give one of these rings to every Canadian-trained engineer, as a reminder of their obligation to society. My dad had one and I always thought it was cool. I got mine in 2007, when I graduated from Queen’s. I never take it off.

Michele Romanow

4 | My runners I ran the Toronto Scotiabank Marathon in these Nikes—they fit like a sock. I kept telling myself the first 30 klicks were just a warm-up. Then, about three hours in, I was like, okay, here’s the actual run: just a 10K! I might try a triathlon next.

Michele Romanow

5 | My sleep mask It’s the top-ranked mask on Amazon, from the travel company Lewis N. Clark. It’s very cushioned. When you’re only sleeping four or five hours a night, a good nap can make a huge difference.

Advertisement

6 | My pickles My Ukrainian grandmother used to come and live with us every winter. She’d spend the whole time in the kitchen, making pierogies and pickles. The store-bought ones aren’t quite the same, but they remind me of home.

Michele Romanow

7 | My Napoleon print I got it after seeing the real thing in the Louvre five or six years ago. Napoleon was a controversial figure, but it’s crazy what he accomplished. Here was a short guy from a modest family in Corsica, and he appointed himself emperor.

Michele Romanow

8 | My down coats I’m always cold—the thermostat in my house is set to a balmy 25 degrees. In the summer, when I’m stuck in air-conditioned offices, I’ll wear a light Patagonia jacket. Then, around September, I break out the Canada Goose.

9 | Uber I love it. It’s my favourite app—besides the one I created, that is.

10 | My cowboy boots I bought them at Lammle’s in Calgary, which is where I grew up. They’re not the super-intense ones with the ultra-pointy toes, but they’re fun enough. And they’re black, so they go with everything.

Advertisement
Michele Romanow

NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY

Sign up for This City, our free newsletter about everything that matters right now in Toronto politics, sports, business, culture, society and more.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Advertisement
Advertisement

The Latest

Inside Jacobs and Co.’s new 14,000-square-foot steakhouse
Food & Drink

Inside Jacobs and Co.’s new 14,000-square-foot steakhouse

Inside the Latest Issue

The June issue of Toronto Life features our annual ranking of the best new restaurants. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.