The first time I met Julia was in her coffee shop, where she was working hard to bring her vision to life. It was clear she had a beautiful idea for creating a space where people could come together, pause, and reconnect. This summer, she has taken that vision outdoors with an amazing new idea designed to bring people together in nature.
Meet Julia and learn more about her beautiful project, East West Manifest.
Tell me a bit about yourself.
My name is Julia, and I am the founder of East West Manifest.
I grew up in Toronto and spent more than 20 years in the fashion industry, working in brand management and merchandise direction for national apparel brands. In 2022, I moved to Montreal, thinking it would be the next big step in my career. Instead, life took me in a very different direction.
Within a few years, I met my husband, became a mother, left my corporate career, and began building East West Manifest.
After years in fast-paced environments, I learned how easy it is to get caught up in everyday demands and lose sight of the small things that support our wellbeing. East West Manifest was born from that experience and the belief that wellbeing should not be something we only reach for after burnout. It should be part of everyday life.
What is the story behind your beautiful project?
East West Manifest began as a vision for a wellness café and experience destination in downtown Cornwall.
“East and West” represents the connection between ancient Eastern holistic practices and our modern Western lifestyle, while “Manifest” is about bringing intention into real life through daily choices, rituals, spaces, and experiences.
Coffee is the entry point, but the deeper vision is to create a place where people can pause, gather, reconnect, and take better care of themselves. The café will combine intentional design, wellness practices, modern self-care, food and drink, retail collections, events, and a dedicated restorative space.
The journey to opening has been much longer and harder than expected. Renovation setbacks, including contractor challenges, have significantly delayed the opening. It has been a tough road, but my husband has been incredible throughout this chapter, working extremely hard to help move the project forward.
When we finally welcome everyone inside, it will be a very proud moment for our family.
But we did not want to wait for the doors to open before beginning the work. That is how RE/SET: The Sanctuary Series was born.
Why are the outdoor retreats important?
RE/SET is the first real taste of what we want to bring to the community through East West Manifest.
The Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary provides the perfect setting, with trails, birdsong, water, fresh air, and open space. It gives people the chance to slow down, reconnect, and experience one of the most accessible wellness tools we have: time in nature.
Cornwall and the surrounding St. Lawrence area have incredible natural spaces. You do not always need to get on a plane to feel restored. Sometimes what you need is much closer than you think.
Tell us more about the retreats.
RE/SET: The Sanctuary Series is a premium, all-inclusive half-day outdoor wellness retreat taking place this August at the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Ingleside.
The experience brings together nature immersion, breathwork, sound and frequency healing, grounding practices, forest bathing, mindful movement, red light therapy, and nourishing plant-based food and drink.
We are proud to collaborate with Leshift Frequency Institute and feature red light therapy from Kala, Official Wellness Recovery Partner of Team Canada. We are also featuring Emberk, our adaptogenic coffee partner, offering an introduction to the wellness-focused products we plan to bring to East West Manifest.
Guests can come for the day and leave with simple rituals they can carry into everyday life.
Public RE/SET dates are August 8, 9, 29, and 30.
What are your future dreams?
My aspiration is for East West Manifest to become a true wellness and community destination in Cornwall.
When the café opens, it will offer coffee, nourishing food and drink, retail collections, workshops, and restorative experiences. I am especially excited about the RE/SET Room, a dedicated space where people can pause, breathe, and reconnect during their day.
We are also a little obsessed with Feng Shui, so guests can expect that philosophy to appear in thoughtful, practical ways within a modern aesthetic.
I am currently completing a bootcamp program in Ottawa focused on building social impact businesses. My goal is to create positive change through access, local collaboration, and initiatives that support community wellbeing. We hope to share our first charitable initiative connected to the RE/SET series soon.
Long term, I see East West Manifest growing through the café, community events, wellness experiences, local partnerships, charitable initiatives, and signature offerings like RE/SET.
The vision is to build something rooted in Cornwall but meaningful beyond Cornwall—a community that reminds people to slow down, reconnect, and make wellbeing part of everyday life.
For more information and bookings, visit eastwestmanifest.ca
About the Author
