Loulou's views

I'm excited to announce that I'm working with  Urban Barn again as their Spokesperson and Brand Ambassador for Ottawa's newest store in Barrhaven! That's right, Ottawa— a third Urban Barn is opening on March 7th , and you can expect to see all the usual gorgeous items for the home in the new store. What's in store at Urban Barn this spring? Think fresh, think colourful, think vibrant. You can sail away with navy and yellow pieces, accessorize with pops or bright orange and aqua, and transform your favourite room with neutral greys and soft green hues. To find out more—and to win amazing prizes from Urban Barn—please join me as I host a Twitter party on  Thursday, March 5th , from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m EST.   I'd love for you to join me, @MrsLoulou ,  and @FeistyFrugal as we'll be chatting about getting the home ready for spring—out with old and the cold, and finally , in with the new—new furniture, bright colours, and home decor ideas designed to brighte...

Are you ready? I'm ready. I think. Do you remember how season two of House of Cards left us? I do. *shudder* House of Cards returns today on Netflix. Based on how things ended, we can expect another exciting season, especially since Frank is now the POTUS. And what's in store for Claire? Well, you've got to watch to find out! I'm excited (and nervous!) to welcome Frank Underwood back in my life. Claire, not so much, because I'm terrified of her. (Even though she has a great wardrobe.) I get obsessed with great television shows—like the best show of all— Breaking Bad . I think I watched all five season in less than three weeks. I'm pretty sure I'll be finished House of Cards before the weekend is over. For the last couple of years, I haven't watched anything on TV unless it's been on Netflix Canada,  because I'm never left disappointed.  I can watch Orange Is The New Black , catch up on Mad Men , watch Breaking Bad again and a...

What's your favourite app? I love Instagram and use it more than Facebook and Twitter. I love apps that are helpful and easy to use, and one of my new favourite apps is Flipp . If you love to shop—like I do—this app is for you. Actually, let me rephrase that: if you love to shop AND  love to save time and money—this app is for you! Flipp is available on the iphone and Android and the new 2.0 version of Flipp includes a unqiue Shopping List feature to help you check things off your list as you're shopping. Seriously, how many times have you been in the grocery store only to get home to realize you forgot the one thing you were there to buy? Happens to me all the time, but with the Flpp app, no more. The Shopping List is great because as you add items to your list, Flipp will find all the local deals for you—all the deals you don't have to look for in the paper flyers anymore. Flipp is simply the easiest way to browse flyers—over 400 retail flyers from nationa...

The Oscars are my Super Bowl, and tonight I started getting ready at the crack of dawn. Actually, that's not entirely true. I was up at the crack of dawn, but I wasn't getting Oscar-ready. I love watching the Oscars at home, with tissues by my side, since I always shed tears for the winners. (I also shed a tear because I wish I was at the Oscars, too, in a gorgeous designer gown, walking the red carpet and quickly doing an outfit change in my hotel room for the after-parties. I mean! How much fun would that be?) The best part of the Oscars, of course, are the gorgeous gowns everyone is wearing. Who wore what best is almost more important than who took home the Oscar. Here are the gowns I LOVED at the 2015 Oscars: Nicole Kidman. She sparkled. I loved her dress, her hair, her everything. To me, she is always perfection. And she was stunning. Julianne Moore. I always, always love Julianne Moore. I think she's an amazing actress and she's flawless on the red ca...

Florida is always a good idea—especially in the winter. This year, we decided to extend our winter vacation down south and drive to Orlando after a week of fun on the beach at the Diplomat Resort and Spa and at the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour in Miami. We took a road trip to Orlando, which was only three hours away. Planning was easy; we decided to fly into the Fort Lauderdale airport, rent a vehicle, and leave from Orlando once our vacation was complete. My children are expert travellers and are always ready for an adventure! I was on Daytime Ottawa talking about some great resorts for family travel, and I loved that I was able to share our experience with the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando. It is the perfect resort to go to with the family. The  Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress , which I've written about before, is paradise. We were treated to a complimentary media stay and we enjoyed every minute—my children are already talking abou...

I just got back from an amazing quick trip to Toronto. Thank you, Almay Canada , for flying me to Toronto and for putting me up in the ultra-cool Hotel Le Germain at Maple Leaf Square, so I could attend the beautiful breakfast event at Aria. It was a lovely treat, and a pleasure being there in person. Are you ready to talk makeup? (And win some great beauty products from Almay, too?) Almay is a brand we all know and love, but did you know that Almay was the first hypoallergenic cosmetics brand? Almay uses hypoallergenic ingredients, and tests all products with dermatologists and ophthalmologists. This is really important to me, becuase what I put on my face as part of my beauty routine has to pass a few tests—and Almay passes, with flying colours. Almay is celebrating its hypoallergienic heritage with a fresh take on beauty— pure beauty. Almay understands that women and moms are busy—we wear many hats, and accomplish more before 9 a.m. than is sometime...

Valentine's Day is a few days away and I've got some thoughtful gift ideas—to give and to receive! I was on CTV Morning Live talking about these great gifts. You can watch the segment here . Here are some great gifts for Valentine's Day: Romantic Trip For Two: Who needs diamonds if you can escape to a warm, sunny destination? The memories of a great vacation are better than diamonds! I just got back from the Ritz-Carlton, Bal Harbour , Miami, and it's the perfect place to escape to if you're looking for a little romance and fun in the sun, if even just for a weekend. Besides, Miami is only a three hour flight from Ottawa. You'll be greeted with a glass of champagne when you arrive, and from there, you'll get lost in a world of luxury and romance, with bedrooms boasting gorgoeus views of the Atlantic Ocean, a heated pool, amazing service and food, and a personal driver to take you to the Bal Harbour Shops. Perfection, no? Swe...

On March 6th,   Nordstrom Ottawa will finally open its grand doors in Rideau Centre.  Nordstrom is my favourite department store—Nordstrom carries all the amazing brands I love, from shoes and beauty products to accessories and clothes. Also, the service is always excellent. I frequently visit and shop at south Florida's Aventura Nordstrom, but now I won't have to travel to get my shopping fix. I actually just got back from south Florida and came home to this gorgeous box from Nordstrom Ottawa, filled with the best beauty product must-haves—in anticipation of the upcoming Nordstrom Beauty Bash.   To celebrate the grand opening, Nordstrom is hosting an early-morning Beauty Bash outside the main mall entrance on Friday, March 6th, at 7:30 a.m.,  lasting until the store opens at 9:30 a.m.  Customers are invited to enjoy complimentary skincare consultations, demonstrations, and makeup lessons, and everyone will have the chance to meet wi...

Valentine's Day is a day to spend with your loved ones, doing the things you love best, whether it's going out for a nice dinner, staying in and cozying up by the fireplace with a nice glass of wine, or getting away for a ski weekend and fun outdoors. What are Canadians really doing on Valentine's Day , though? Believe it or not, 91% would rather cuddle up with a movie on the couch or make dinner at home than spend money on dinner out—and I'm totally part of that 91%! Especially in this wicked winter weather, where all I want to do is stay indoors... until April. However you decide to celebrate the day of love, I hope you have a wonderful time that's full of sweet moments, chocolate, and extra hugs and kisses. Disclaimer: I have received compensation for this post. All views and opinions are my own.

We just returned home after a 10 day vacation in Florida. We escape every winter and come back with lasting, beautiful memories. This trip was even more amazing than other trips, because I had the opportunity to stay and review the stunning Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour. What can I say about my luxurious stay? It was perfection, from start to finish—and I was very, very spoiled. I arrived to the Ritz-Cartlon Bal Harbour for a site inspection, and I instantly fell in love with the clean, spacious resort lobby—and not just because of the complimentary champagne upon arrival. The grounds were beautiful and clean, and the pool was large, with Atlantic Ocean views all around. The beach, although not private, is quiet and peaceful—the perfect place to relax, swim, and unwind. I noticed right away the attention to detail at this resort, including the stainless steel bottles of sunscreen for guests to use. The staff at the Ritz-Carlton were helpful, friendly, and always smiling. ...