Loulou's views

I've had the pleasure of staying at a few Marriott hotels in Canada and the United States and our experience has always been excellent, from the service to the beautiful, spacious rooms.  I love the privileges Marriott Rewards loyalty members receive, too, from free wifi to free nights and other perks. Marriott has teamed up with the NBA as the Official Hotel Partner of the 2015-2016 NBA Global Games  and loyalty members are being rewarding in a big way—with exclusive access to NBA games and events going across Canada. This is especially exciting for those living in Ottawa, who don't usually get the chance to watch an NBA game in their own city, but will get that chance this week. Marriott Rewards members will not only be able to catch an NBA game in their city, they'll also enjoy a private meet-and-greet with NBA legends and players and a post-game reception. I've so excited to have been invited to watch an NBA game  in Ottawa (Toronto Raptors agains...

My boys are the best travelers, whether traveling by car, train, or plane. We just spent three days in Toronto for a pre-Christmas getaway—to attend my mom's art show, visit the Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, and to see my best friends—and we had a great time.  Chevrolet Canada gave me a 2015 Traverse to test drive for an entire week, and we were able to take this awesome vehicle to Toronto for our trip. The kids, of course, loved it, and we were thankful for all the room, too—thank you so much for the sweet ride, Chevrolet Canada! We arrived to our favourite Toronto hotel , the Marriott Bloor Yorkville . This was our third stay (and my fifth) at this hotel in Yorkville, and our third stay in the Presidential, two-level suite. Our first visit was during my 35th birthday and the hotel treated us to not only the suite, but champagne, cake, flowers, treats for the children, and balloons, too. The kids truly love all the room, and I like ...

As much as I love living in Ottawa, I have a major soft spot in my heart for Toronto. If my extended family didn't live in Ottawa, it would make my decision to movie to Toronto a little easier. At least, I think it would be easy. Even though I don't call Toronto my home, I visit as often as I can for events, celebrations, and just to get away. It's close enough that I can do the drive in no time, it's cheap enough to fly, and if I want to get some work done? I hop on the train. Several times, I've had the opportunity to stay at the Marriott Bloor Yorkville , my favourite place in Toronto. My children love this hotel, and always ask to go back whenever we are in Toronto. The first time we went to celebrate my 35th birthday, and were treated to the two-floor Presidential Suite. The kids were so excited, and so was I. The rooms were grand... the service was amazing... and the special treats in our room? (birthday cake, balloons, special gifts for the kids, snacks,...

Summer is my absolute favourite season of all. If I could turn all four seasons into one, I would. Well, I'd leave a month for fall, because I love the colours of the trees, the crispness in the air, and the fall clothes, and I'd take two weeks of winter in December, for the holidays, but after that? Bring. On. Summer. You're probably wondering what a summer girl like me is doing living in a city that has like, seven months of winter (okay, slight exaggeration, but you get my point) and minus 30 degrees temperatures for months on end and I guess the reason I haven't left yet is because my entire family lives here. I would hate to be far apart from them. Anyway! School's out, backpacks have been unpacked, lunch boxes have been disinfected, and we're thinking of fun and creative ways to give the kids a summer they'll remember forever. Here's how we're making this the best summer ever: Sleeping In: I know, this is pretty impossible with most c...

It's been 13 days since my last blog post, and I think that's pretty much a record for me. It also means one thing: summer is here. And it's a busy, busy time, as I'm sure you are aware. Saying good-bye to great-grandparents who have left for Greece for the summer, soccer games, pool parties, girls weekend, end of school year celebrations, Canada Day festivities, and the start of Mad Science camp for my boys, and it's only the first week of July. I also just finished my last day at work—after ten years working in Communications for the federal government, I'm... finished. It's scary, (actually, really scary) but exciting, at the same time. Right now, I'm just going to focus on having a really enjoyable summer with my family and friends. We're off to spend a fabulous weekend at our favourite Toronto hotel—the Marriott Bloor Yorkville . We'll be staying in the Presidential Suite again, and I think I may be more excited than my children. F...

Jumping back into blogging can sometimes be as hard as trying to find the perfect time to jump into a game of double dutch. I haven't blogged in a while, and I miss it. I miss reading blogs, and I miss writing. You guys, I need more time. Perhaps less time on Twitter would help, but only a little bit. I need like, 24 hours more a day to get it all done. Balance? I don't have it. So here it is. A random post, because there is so much to say. My boys were sick, and as soon as they were on the mend, I got sick. I had a high fever that lasted one week. I visited my doctor, slept all day, had blood work and an ECG done, was seen in the ER, and broke out in a huge rash. Boy, that was fun. And then? I got an eye infection that resulted in me rushing to the Eye Institute for an emergency appointment. Of course, being sick meant I couldn't go to work, so when I was well enough to return to my job, I had a lot of catching up to do. Which means I had even ...

If I had to describe this past weekend in one word? Perfection. I was invited to stay at the Marriott Bloor Yorkville with my family for my birthday. A weekend in one of my favourite cities with my family? I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate turning 35 years old. In fact, this was a birthday to remember! Not only were we going to be staying in my favourite location in Toronto - right in the middle of Yorkville - but we were going to be staying in the two-floor Presidential Suite . The pictures I saw of the suite on the website took my breath away, and I knew my children would be in heaven, too. My little boys, already such seasoned travellers, love staying in nice hotels. I don't blame them. The best part about going on trips with my children is building new memories and spending lots of quality time together, time that is filled with laughter and non-stop giggles. When we arrived at the hotel in our GM Traverse (thanks again, Adria - this vehicle was an ...