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Showing posts from 2017

Falling In Love With Bulova

What is the perfect gift to give someone who has it all? I think jewellery is always the answer, no matter who you are shopping for–especially if it's for someone who really appreciates the finer things in life. A classic, stylish watch from Bulova is a wonderful gift to give someone you love this holiday season, and it's a gift you know they'll cherish forever. I was so fortunate to receive a new, limited-edition  Bulova Rubaiyat watch, and I can't seem to take it off. It has everything you'd want in a high-quality piece of jewellery–including diamonds that sparkle when the light hits the right way. My Rubaiyat watch has 50 diamonds individually hand-set with a textured grey dial, double curved sapphire crystal, and a stainless steel bracelet with double-press deployant closure, featuring the iconic "Goddess of Time" dimensional case back. It's modern, stylish, and classic–a watch to wear all the time, for years to come. The Bulova Rubaiy

2017 Holiday Gift Guide

With the festive season officially underway, I put together my 2017 holiday gift guide just in time for you to hit the mall. I featured some amazing products on CTV yesterday, but didn't have enough time to talk about everything on-air, so all the details are here to make your holiday shopping a breeze. For the beauty lover: Clarins:  Clarins is one of my favourite skin-care companies. The  12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar is the perfect gift to give someone to start celebrating the holiday season early, because they'll receive a little gift every day for 12 days. It contains two full-sized products and 10 discovery-sized products, which are much larger than sample size. It’s exclusively available at The Bay and on  www.clarins.com . It retails for $92, with a  value of $174.   The Essentials Winter Palette:  The Essential Eye Palette by Clarins is a holiday exclusive with sales going to support indigenous communities of the Brazilian Amazon. It av

Stay Warm This Winter With Columbia

Now that winter is here, I'm officially in hibernation mode. I don't like the cold or the snow, and I already miss the warmer days of summer. However, as a Canadian I have come to accept that we're left with no choice but to embrace these chilly days, and the only way to truly enjoy winter and the great outdoors is to dress appropriately in the right winter gear, and to get out and have some fun. When I'm dressed warm, I can handle whatever winter throws my way (except maybe a crazy blizzard, though we haven't had any of those yet this year). I was given the new Columbia Women's Heavenly Light Hooded Jacket to review, (along with the Men's Voodoo Falls Turndown 590 Jacket) and I absolutely love my new jacket! Spending time outside hasn't been painful at all. This jacket is sleek, stylish, long, and lightweight. It keeps me cozy and warm no matter what activities I'm doing outside, and I've received so many compliments. I love how light-we

Netflix: Your Must-Have Travel Essential

As the holiday season approaches, many families will be travelling to get away from the cold or to visit their families in other cities. While we stay close to home for the holidays, we area already planning our annual winter getaway to south Florida. I am  so  looking forward to feeling the warm sunshine on my skin again, and spending hours on the beach and by the pool–pina colada in hand! My boys have always been excellent travellers, even on long flights overseas. While I help them pack their carry-on bags, I make sure I have all their favourite  Netflix  shows and movies downloaded. After all,  travelling can be chaotic at times, so why not take a little time before you leave to make sure your kids have what they need to stay entertained, and not annoyed, during your travels? If you travel often enough, you will know that sometimes, the unexpected can happen–delayed flights, lost luggage, long line-ups, and more–and I find that if my boys have their headphones and a few

Ottawa Senators And Canadian Tire Gift Card Giveaway (Go Sens Go!)

I don't think you can be Canadian and not love hockey, one of the greatest sports on earth. Although I don't love winter, hockey season excites me, and I'm a huge Ottawa Senators fan. I was so excited and hopeful last year that the Sens would finally win the Stanley Cup–and they came so very close.  The last time I was that excited for the playoffs was years ago, and I remember being absolutely heartbroken when the Sens lost. This time around, my youngest son joined in my excitement and we were lucky to attend a couple of playoff games to cheer on our favourite hockey team. The excitement at a Sens game is incredible, and it was even more awesome to see it all through my son's eyes. With the holidays around the corner, wouldn't it be a great idea to give the Senators fan in your life a little something to make them cheer even louder this year? Canadian Tire is giving Ottawa families a head start by helping turn local babies into the next generation of Sens

Giving Back With Rice Krispies and #TreatsForToys

The holidays are my favourite time of the year—after summer, of course. I love everything about this season: shopping for presents for everyone on my list, writing Christmas cards, wrapping gifts, decorating the house with my family, watching holiday movies, attending and hosting festive parties, and of course, the most important thing of all—giving back, in big and small ways, to those who deserve it the most. The Kellogg's Rice Krispies #TreatsForToys campaign is back, helping kids during the holidays in a great way. In partnership with The Salvation Army, Canadian families are encouraged to create a toy-shaped Rice Krispies treat and submit a photo of it on TreatsForToys.ca , or share on social media with the hashtag #TreatsForToys. For every photo of your Rice Krispies creation you share online, (and it doesn't have to be anything really creative; it is, after all, the thought that counts!) Kellogg's Rice Krispies will donate $20 to The Salvation Army for the purc

Weekend Escape To The Adelaide Hotel In Toronto

If you're looking for a quick weekend escape but don't want to travel too far, head to Toronto. This incredible city in the heart of Ontario always has something exciting going on for the entire family. Every trip to Toronto allows me to experience something new, from dining to shopping. When I have the itch to go to New York City, sometimes a trip to Toronto is all I need to get my fix. Where to stay: I had the pleasure of experiencing the luxurious  Adelaide Hotel  in downtown Toronto. This AAA-Five-Diamond luxury hotel opened it's doors this past summer on the corner of Bay and Adelaide, and it's simply stunning—from the chic décor to the large suites, it took my breath away. When you're staying in a luxury hotel like The Adelaide, you'll be blown away with the beauty as soon as you walk in the front doors. Check-in, as expected, was a joyful experience. It's the friendly, personalized service, and attention to detail, that made our stay here so wo

A Luxurious Stay At The Four Seasons Hotel Toronto

When you check in to a Four Seasons Hotel, no matter where you are in the world, you know you'll be experiencing the most luxurious, memorable stay—and incredible service from the moment you check-in. I had the chance to review the beautiful  Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto , situated in the upscale Yorkville neighbourhood. This hotel is one of the tallest in the area, at 55 storeys—and it is breathtakingly beautiful as soon as you walk in the front doors. The flowers in the lobby area are so colourful and welcoming. The Four Seasons Hotel Toronto was designed by Yabu Pushelberg, so I instantly felt like I was back at the  Four Seasons New York . There were many similarities between the two properties, like the incredible service one can only expect to receive at hotels of this calibre. Yorkville is known for its fine shopping—from luxury boutiques to department stores like Holt Renfrew—to fine dining, and the Four Seasons Hotel is a perfect addition to the neighbourh

From Italy With Amore

Anyone who knows me can attest I'm not a huge fan of cooking, as much as I enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal. However, I'm lucky to have a husband, parents, and in-laws who can cook amazingly well. Despite the fact that I don't love getting dirty in the kitchen, I'm great at making a few meals my children (thankfully!) love, and most of those meals are Italian. I was so excited to be invited to Toronto this week along with several other bloggers to indulge in an authentic taste of Italy, and meet and learn from Italian Chef Massimo Bruno. We took part, as well—preparing some pretty simple recipes that I know will be a huge hit at home. Best of all? The meals we learned to cook involve only a few key ingredients, so prep time is simple, and takes almost no time at all to actually cook... and serve. (Which is perfect when you're heading home late from work and the children are starving). We sampled delicious Italian cheese and appetizers, drank wine, and got ou

Taking Care Of Your Skin With Dermis Advanced Skin Care And Medi Clinic

I'm serious about taking care of my skin. That's why I love trying new products, and sticking to my skin care routine every morning and night. (I'll never not wash off my make-up before bed!). There are many fabulous products I love using that help keep my skin looking good, and as I get older, I realize there are more ways to help take care of my skin to keep it looking—and feeling—incredible. I was recently introduced to Dermis Advanced Skin Care and Medi Clinic , and attended their 11th Annual Customer Appreciation Event to find out more about the products and services they provide. I spoke with the owner, a truly educated and experienced woman, who answered all my questions, and told me about the services their clinic provides customers. The list of services varies from lifting and firming to deep cleansing and exfoliation, acne skin treatments, Botox and Juvederm injections, and so much more—like wrinkle and scar reduction. Everyone's skin has different nee

Get Spooked With Season Two of Stranger Things On Netflix This Halloween

With fall definitely in the air now—cooler temperatures, the beautiful changing colours on the trees, the return of pumpkin-flavoured everything—it's time to start think about Halloween. I always loved Halloween but when I became a mom it became even more fun for me, because I found there was nothing cuter than dressing up my boys in adorable costumes, going trick-or-treating, and helping my little ones consume all their delicious candy. (As a parent, that's totally allowed, you know!). This year, we've got something else to be excited about: the return of Stranger Things on Netflix. Our boys are older now—12 and nine years old—and we all watched Stranger Things together months ago when it first came out on Netflix. My boys loved it, and it wasn't too scary for them, though there were definitely some jump-out-of-our-seats scenes. This Halloween, we have a plan: go trick-or-treating to as many homes as possible, come home, turn off the lights, get under the blanke

Stepping Out In Style With Roz + Loki Dress Shirts

Sometimes, getting dressed for work every morning can be more challenging than fun. Although closet is full of clothes—countless dresses, pants, and sweaters—often I feel I have nothing to wear, and finding the perfect outfit in my closet isn't always easy. As much as I look forward to waking up each day, getting my children ready for school, and heading downtown to work, trying to decide what to wear can be frustrating. I recently discovered roz + loki , a company that designed a truly innovative and high-quality dress shirt that's the perfect addition to a stylish outfit for the work day... and after-work dinner and drinks. These shirts come in a variety of styles and colours (I love the black one I received) and they are the perfect addition to any woman's wardrobe; they are comfortable, form-fitting, stylish, and made with Supima cotton that resists pilling, fading and tearing, and 10% lycra for that form-fitting look. Best part? They're made in Canada. Th

Put Your Best Foot Forward For Fall

I have enjoyed every minute of this September heat wave, but today there was a chill in the air and it's clear that fall is back, much to my dismay. As much as I wish summer would last forever, I'm going to embrace the good things that come with fall: enjoying the colours of the changing leaves, leaving the windows open for that early morning breeze, and transitioning my closet to fall–I love comfy sweaters and skinny jeans, dresses worn with tights, and knee-high boots. All types of boots, actually. Putting away the summer wardrobe is never easy, but having some great boots to take you through the change of seasons makes it a little less painful. My favourite stores to shop at for boots and shoes for fall include Nine West, Ecco, GEOX, Aldo, Le Chateau, and Call It Spring. Here are some boots I'm loving: ECCO: For high-quality boots that will last longer than the snow on the ground, ECCO is where you want to shop. Guaranteed style, comfort and warmth for winter