A talk with Abigail – The Rostie Group’s Meeting & Office Space Rental Coordinator

Our column, “Let’s talk with the Rostie Group”, features this week, Abigail Bristow or Abi as she is endearingly called.

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Abi with her father at Disney Land

What do you do?

I am the business center meeting rooms manager for the Rostie Group. I deal with all outside and inside clients from office spacing, meeting rooms, and the event planning of meeting room spaces.

What do you like about your job?

Everyday is different completely. You could be planning corporate government training today and a fun company social event tomorrow.

What motivates you in life?

I am passionate about building new relationships, discovering new things all the time, and constantly making sure that I am always learning.

What do you strive for in life?

My ambition is to never settle, to never allow myself to come to a point where I am not enjoying what I am doing.

What extracurricular activities are you involved in?

I horse ride. That is something I have done since I was five. It is the ability to work with an animal that stature that I like about it. Horses are beautiful animals. You get to know the animal and it holds a lot of responsibility caring for it. I own horses in the UK but not in Canada. I go to various places; quite a few places inside and out side the city within the GTA for horse back-riding. I miss my horses in the UK!

Where in the UK did you live before moving to Canada?

I grew up in a town called Alresford. It is like a medieval town, an old century village. It is more like country village. I miss the humbleness of living in the country side but I love the excitement of living in a city.

What inspired you to come to Canada?

The reason I came to Canada is because it is a gateway for me to explore a new culture, a new country within the safety of an English speaking environment. I love Canada!

Compare Toronto to Alresford.

Waking up at home in Alresford, you know what you are getting every morning: the green grass, fresh, crispy air. Whereas in the city, every 24 hours is a new day. You are able to get lost in the city. You can be whoever you want to be.

Have you been back to visit? I have been back twice. It was good. It is almost like time stands still there. Everyone is still doing the same thing. It was an inspiration for me to continue in Canada and doing what I am doing here.

What do you do when you feel homesick? I normally would invite my girlfriends for Sunday dinner. We call it Sunday Roast. I would make a traditional English meal. It reminds me that I have family here in Canada.

Where in the city do you live?

I live in Liberty Village. I have lived there for two years. I take the TTC or walk to work.

What do you think of the TTC?

I think the TTC is good, especially along the Queens Quay. It is going be great for the Pan Am Games. It is going to be a key factor especially for our kind of business in bringing people down to the waterfront.

What is your philosophy in life?

My philosophy in life is to always see the good especially if you are in a bad situation, when you think everything is on top of you. I am a big believer in not holding grudges, punishing people for their mistakes.

What do you think of the weather?

It is cold. However it is not as bad as last year. It was a shocking experience. The cold pulls the emotions out of you; it makes you feel down and cold.

Do you have a winter fashion advice?

Don’t be too scared to wrap up warm. So many people under – dress not to look too clumsy. Stay warm all the time. My grandmother always used to tell me, “You make me feel cold just looking at you. Don’t ever be scared to dress warm.”

What do you do to stay active in the winter?

I have started ice-skating. That is my new hobby. It is a great exercise and it is a social activity as well. And it makes me feel more Canadian!

What book are you currently reading and what is it about?

I am reading ‘Nice is just a place in France’. It is about how to reevaluate your thinking towards certain situations. It is a slapstick kind of comedy in how you need to be less nice to make sure you are taken in a serious way. It is really, really funny. It is an hilarious read. If I can take nothing from it, I can take the good humor.

Did you see the Oscars Sunday night?

No. It is shocking for me everyone is so in to the Oscars here. Whereas in the UK it is not seen as a big thing. I would not even know which movies are nominated.

What don’t most people know about you?

One thing people don’t know about me is my diverse music collection. From a small age, I used    to hang out with my dad listening to his old albums to going regular concerts and gigs form the age of 15. I have no favorite genre. My span could be metal punk to rap to decade music. I like the Beatles. The Beatles are like a cult in pop culture that helped almost reform part of English and put us back on the map. When I was small, I sang the entire NeverMind, Nirvana album traveling in a campervan with my Parents from France to Spain. I used to sing in a choir.  

 By MG