Loulou's views

I've always loved figure skating, despite the fact that I'm not that great on skates. From the performances to the costumes and music, watching figure skating has always been my favourite part of the winter Olympics. I love our athletes, and I was thrilled when Jergens Canada invited me and my family to attend the 2014  Stars on Ice . Watching Patrick Chan (winner of the silver medal in the 2014 Winter Olympics) along with Canada's sweethearts (and recent Olympic silver medal winners) Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir dancing and skating on the ice with my all-time favourite, Kurt Browning and Joannie Rochette (who can forget her tragic story during the 2010 Winter Olympics?) was awe-inspiring, and totally awesome. Also awesome was Jeffrey Buttle, Shawn Sawyer, and Kaetlyn Osmond. All the performances were totally captivating, and we had excellent seats in the 100 section to take in all the action. I loved the music, and I'm wondering when I can buy the soundtra

Move over, LBD—a fresher, lighter colour is taking over this summer! Make room in your closet for the LWD. That's the little white dress, and I'm loving this colour for the summer. After all, what goes better with a golden tan than a little white dress , and a pair of sexy heels? I fell in love with this dress as soon as I saw it in Banana Republic (so I had to buy it!) and I am planning on wearing it when I baptizing the baby of one of my best friends this summer, after returning from Greece. The hardest part will be not wearing this dress before then! Banana Republic has a great selection of white dresses: And I'm in love with all the pretty white dresses from Nordstrom : Modcloth.com  has some cute and affordable white dresses, too: And you can find a few at  Old Navy: No matter your price range, you're sure to find something adorable in white this season, and you can wear it with cute flats of sexy heels. Don't forget the best

You all know how much I love to shop, and you know that Nordstrom is my favourite department store. When I found out Nordstrom was coming to Ottawa—moving into my favourite mall, Rideau Centre —I was a little (okay, a lot!) excited. I already know I'm going to be the number-one customer, and I think it would be fitting if I was hired to work there, too. After all, I've got a passion for shopping like no one else I know! Here's some exciting news, Ottawa:  Nordstrom Rideau Centre will open on Friday, March 6th, 2015. That's right... it's almost around the corner. Mark this date down in your calendar, and tell your friends, because you're going to want to be there for the opening day excitement. Of course this new Nordstrom will feature the usual mix of apparel, shoes, and accessories for men, women, and children. It's got everything for everyone... really! More exciting news: Nordstrom, Inc. announced John Banks as manager of its Rideau Cen

I love Netflix. In fact, I primarily only watch Netflix. All my favourite shows— Breaking Bad , Orange Is The New Black, Homeland, House Of Cards—are on Netflix. I watched all five seasons of Breaking Bad in three weeks. Waiting that long was hard, and it took a lot of will power on my part to not power through an entire season in one night—I had to pace myself. (It was, like everyone was saying, the best show ever. And I finally understand now why they kept willing ALL the awards!) I'm not the only one in my family who loves Netflix—my husband is a huge fan, and so are our children. My oldest son has a TV in his room (and Netflix) and he has limited time to watch TV when he's home. When he does watch, he is almost always watching an educational show about animals, the earth, science, or marine life. When I was recently asked to be part of the Netflix Stream Team , I was thrilled, because, well, I'm the biggest Netflix fan—everyone in my family is! Now that Earth M

What's more blissful than a day at the spa? I'm a huge spa girl, and I make sure to work massages into my schedule whenever I can. From testing out fabulous treatments at resorts like the St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort and Spa  to visiting my favourite salons here in Ottawa, I try to make time for me, so I can unwind and relax. I was talking about  WaySpa.com  and the upcoming  Spa Week  on CTV Ottawa Morning Live, and now I'm really looking forward to some pampering, especially after a very busy month. Here's my segment about WaySpa.com and SpaWeek ! WaySpa.com  offers great deals on spa treatments from coast to coast. WaySpa.com has partnered with over 2,000 spas across Canada, and it's the place to go if you're looking for a mani-pedi combo close to home, a couples package for a NYC getaway, or a spa weekend with the girlfriends.  WaySpa.com   offers it all, and it's easy to buy treatments online. Spa Week  by WaySpa.com is returning to Canada

Listening to my favourite music while driving in my stick-shift VW Jetta with the windows down on a sunny day makes me so incredibly happy. I'm the type of person who would rather take a road trip solo just so I can listen tot my music in peace, and get lost in my own thoughts. My friends think I'm crazy, but alone time in my car with my music on as loud as I want, with nobody telling me to lower it is heavenly to me.  Music soothes my soul, makes me want to dance , and can turn almost any situation better. Certain songs move me in different ways, and some songs evoke emotions, bring back memories, take me away to my happy place, and so much more. Music is like oxygen for me. I just found out an awesome perk of being a TD Canada Trust customer, something that  really impressed me: TD is offering something musical to its customers. It's called TD Music Access ,  a web-based music access program created just for the music fan at heart (someone like me!) The program offer

I love to travel. I love that my boys enjoy the adventure of travel, too. Now that they're older, travelling is much easier. I was on a plane before I turned one years old, and I lived in Greece for the first year of my life. I spent childhood summers in Greece, and winter vacations in Florida. From vacations in Venezuela, Aruba, Amsterdam, England, Mexico, California, New York City and Grand Cayman Island, I like to think I can offer some travel advice to my friends and readers. My family and I go to south Florida once or twice a year, and we love road trips to Chateau Montebello, Toronto, Niagara Falls, and Montreal. We loved vacationing in Maine and Bahamas. Sometimes, deciding where to go on vacation can be stressful, especially when you're traveling with children, so I've put together a list to help you decide where to vacation this summer. Here are my top six summer family vacation destinations: South Florida: If you're looking for a beach vacation that'

Anyone who knows me knows I get easily obsessed with things. I often say things like "Oh my God, you guys? I just saw the BEST movie EVER. Like, seriously. You have to go see American Hustle, because it was THE BEST." I say things like this all the time, so I get that those closest to me may not totally believe me when I get super excited about the new things I love. This is me, basically: Best song ever! Best movie ever! Best burger ever! Best vacation ever! I get it, I tend to over-exaggerate things sometimes. When I started watching House of Cards on Netflix, I said it was the best show ever. I loved it. (Still do!) I even wrote about my Mad Men obsession. I made sure everyone I was friends with watched it. My friends listen to me because it's the only way I'll leave them alone and drop a subject, so they oblige, whether they want to or not. (Thanks, friends! You know I'm right!) You guys, here's the thing. This time when I say to you THE BEST EV

As a family, we love to travel—a lot. Getting to our destination can be a lot of fun, whether it's a car ride to Great Wolf Lodge or a plane ride to Florida. However, when you take into account airport delays and tired children, the travelling part can sometimes be tiresome. Thank goodness for iPads, because they can be a lifesaver on trips. Now that my boys are older, they love watching their favourite shows on their iPads. I'm very glad they no longer watch some of the shows that used to annoy me, like Caillou, but with full access to the internet, sometimes I worry about what they are viewing.  They are pros at navigating around their iPads and searching YouTube for Minecraft videos. Sometimes I'll hear a very bad word and I'll have to tell them to turn it off. I wish iPads came with parental controls! Thankfully I discovered Kidoodle.TV —an online streaming video service for children 12 and under. Thanks to Mom Central Canada, I was offered a free two-month s

It's April—and it's finally time to put away the winter gear, even though there is still snow on the ground. Winter dragged on (and on and on) this year, with never-ending snowstorms and freezing temperatures, but now we're heading into warmer months and that means it's time to celebrate—by making room in our closets for spring and summer. See ya, boots. To the basement you go, Canada Goose parka. I love you, but I'm taking a break for a while, okay? Here are the spring essentials you need: A bright jacket: Everyone needs a spring jacket that can be worn on chilly mornings or evenings when you're on a patio having drinks outside. Think something bright like hot pink, sunshine yellow, or kelly green. Colour is everywhere this season! Florals: What's more spring-like than dressing in florals? Floral dresses are huge right now. After all, it just wouldn't be spring without fresh flowers! When you're wearing a floral dress, keep the rest of yo

I've always loved the entertainment industry and after university, I interned at Entertainment Tonight in Los Angeles. That was quite an experience—especially sitting in Mary Hart's chair.  I'm completely fascinated with all things entertainment—movies, television shows, music, and celebrities. One of my guilty pleasures is reading magazines like In Style and US Weekly. I can't get enough! A couple of years ago, celebrity blogger Lainey (from www.laineygossip.com ) came to Ottawa and I was invited to a special evening of gossip and fun where she schooled us all with her knowledge of the entertainment industry. She's met everyone there is to meet, and she knows all the latest celebrity gossip. She's always in the know, you know? Lainey is back next week, and it's time for me to dust off my notebook, sharpen my pencil, and put on my cutest school outfit, because I'm attending Lainey's latest gossip's faculty of celebrity studies—sophomore sess