Loulou's views

There's a new hotel in Ottawa that's getting some well-deserved buzz. Andaz Hotel recently opened its doors right in the heart of the ByWard Market, but first, there was a grand opening party that was the talk of the town. As a lover of fine hotels, I couldn't be more thrilled with this new opening. The grand opening party—complete with red carpet, of course, and champagne upon arrival—was a blast, as hundreds of invited guests mingled from floor to floor, checking out the sights of the new hotel and enjoying delicious food and customized drinks. This new luxury boutique hotel is the first Andaz hotel by Hyatt in Canada, with 200 rooms and 16 floors. It's clean, modern, and perfect for Ottawa. It'll be a hot spot for locals and tourists alike, especially the top-floor outdoor lounge and restaurant, Copper Spirits and Sights . And what a sight it is from the 16th floor, with views of downtown, Parliament hill, and Gatineau. (I suggest going there to eat and...

Are you singing along with me? School's out for the summer... almost. And we're all excited! Well, mostly all excited. The kids are excited. Parents? Well, we're excited, too. After all, we love spending time with our children, right? And we don't have to pack lunches every day! But, most of us still have to work during the summer months, and summer is long. (Not as long as never ending winter, but long.) We're always looking for ways to keep our children busy, having fun, and staying active. Of course, most parents will sign up their children for summer camp, but with so many camps to choose from, selecting one that is perfect for your child is a daunting task. My boys have been taking tennis lessons through Capital Camps for a couple of years, and when I found out that they also offer a variety of Summer Camps , I got so excited. After all, I know they'll have a good time, because they love it during the yea...

I love that Ottawa is home to several fine independent toy stores. Although we have spent more than enough time in Toys R' Us, I prefer spending time in smaller toy stores that carry items I know my children will love—namely, educational toys and books of amazing quality. Mastermind Toys —Canada's largest privately-owned specialty toy store—is opening their second store in Ottawa this weekend! They've been around for over 29 years, so they know a thing or two about quality toys and what kids love. The first Ottawa store opened in May in Kanata, and I was there for the grand opening. Mastermind Toys recently sent my children the amazing and popular Swiss-designed Kickboard maxi kick scooter, and my oldest son loves it so much. Our new daily routine is scooter rides around the neighbourhood right after breakfast, and I can't even keep up! This Saturday and Sunday, you're invited to celebrate the grand opening with Mastermind Toys! The new store in Ottawa...

It's no secret—I love to shop. I love to shop not only for myself and for my children, but for my friends and other family members, too. I love special occasions because it means I get to go shopping for the perfect gift for the people I love. Whether it's shopping for a gift for my child's friend, or a gift for my mom or best friend, I enjoy looking for things I know they'd love and appreciate. Besides hitting my favourite mall to find the perfect gift, I love shopping at Givopoly . Givopoly is a local gift concierge—a gift and gift basket delivery service. How amazing is that? Givopoly has over 70 partners and has over 1000 gifts to choose from that can be delivered the very next day. So let's say you just now remembered tomorrow is your best friend's birthday? No worries—check out the amazing gifts online at Givopoly, select your gift, and your friend will be calling you to say thanks the very next day! Like many of you, I don't have the luxu...

I love it when the city I live in does amazing things for the people in our community. This weekend, I'm invited to Billings Bridge Shopping Centre to take part in the Smile Shop. Of course, getting me to smile in a mall is not hard at all, but for this event? I'll be smiling even harder. This Saturday, Billings Bridge is giving away $10,000 in gift cards to people in exchange for a good deed. Marketing Director Greta Bloskie wanted to do something fun that would help inspire people to come to the mall to make a difference in the community at large. The Smile Shop will be making a lot of people smile this weekend, I can assure you of that. Here's how it's going to work: Visit the Smile Shop in Centre Court on Saturday, May 26th, between 11 and 3 and choose a small, medium, or large deed you'd like to do to receive a $10, $25, or $50 Billings Bridge gift card, while quantities last. A $10 deed? Buy your friend a latte. Make breakfast in bed fo...

It seems like February is the busiest month of the year. Maybe because it's a short month, or maybe because keeping busy when it's so cold helps us forget how bad the weather is outside. I have Post-It notes everywhere to remind me of all things I will likely forget if I don't have constant reminders to look at. I'm happy it's a busy month, because it means we are one step closer to summer. (Call me optimistic if you will...) I've been busy playing catch-up at home and at work, and staying on top of all the school and after school activities with my boys while trying to maintain a somewhat active social life. Also, can we talk about how hard it is to get six year old boys to focus on homework? It's not an easy task, let me tell you. I'm breaking out in a cold sweat just thinking about it. I haven't been blogging as much as I'd like to be, here or on my Yummy Mummy Club shopping blog , but I hope to fall into a more regular routine again once all...

I'm happy to report that most of my Christmas shopping is complete. Of course, there are several people on my list I haven't shopped for yet, but I'm strange and I love waiting for the last minute to shop. I like being a mall in the middle of the afternoon on December 24th. Call me crazy, but it's something I love to do. Every year I give my children typical presents I know they'll love—things they've asked for, from LEGO to books to DVD's. We also donate to CHEO and give several new items to children who are with the Children's Aid Society, as well as drop off toys for the Toy Mountain, because the best part about the holiday season is giving , especially to those less fortunate than us. Something else I love doing for my children every year is getting them something extra special. A gift that won't lose value over time and a gift they'll cherish for years to come. My six year old is into collecting special coins and gold bars . He absolutely l...