Loulou's views

How are you spending Valentine's Day? No matter what you do, it'll be perfect as long as it's with the ones you love. My favourite Valentine's Day includes a night either out with my husband, or staying in with our boys. Quality family time is always the best gift to give and receive, but there are also some great ideas that are sure to be a hit. Here are my suggestions for some great Valentine's Day gifts to give, from stores found right here in Ottawa, like Schad on Sussex for the perfect sweater, t-shirt, or jewellery, donuts from Ottawa's best donut shop, Maverick's Donuts, or candles, books, and reading socks from Indigo. Another great idea is a gorgeous bloom box of roses from Luxe Blooms. I also love giving the gift of art, and an original painting from local artist Katerina Mertikas is a wonderful idea. How about an at-home spa basket with a gift card for a massage from Innes Massage Therapy, or a cordless curling iron for an upcoming su...

One of my favourite things about the holiday season is the last-minute shopping. As much as I plan ahead of time and get most of my shopping done for everyone on my list by the beginning of December, there is always something left to buy a day or two before Christmas, which is perfectly fine with me, because I truly do love the hustle and bustle of the holidays, especially the last-minute shopping. I received the most adorable set of silver bracelets from ALEX AND ANI this week, and they are the perfect accessories to wear during the fun holiday season. I've already received so many compliments on the bracelets, (I especially love my new kite bracelet—it's perfect to wear no matter the season!) and I love knowing I've inspired some friends to buy some of these bracelets for people on their list, too. 'Tis the season, after all. ALEX AND ANI have some great holiday sets to gift, which will make your holiday shopping even easier. How ...

With Christmas weeks away, I'm feeling festive, despite the fact that it's unseasonably warm outside. The holidays are about spending time with family and friends, making memories, giving back, and having fun. (Champagne, anyone?) I love that I can spend the entire month shopping—guilt-free! (Some gifts to give, and some gifts for me... what? A girl needs a new dress and shoes for the parties!) I've put together a gift guide to make shopping stress-free this holiday season. There is something here for everyone on your list! I talked about these great products on Daytime and on CTV Morning Live. .. and here are the details (and link to the segment.)   LOULOU'S 2015 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Beauty, Hair, Skin Care and Fashion Caudalie: Caudalie is a skin care company from France and I have been using their new Resveratrol LIFT collection for over a month. The results? Amazing. This formula help firm skin while stimulating the production of collagen. Caudalie h...

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...

It's the season for baking, shopping, wrapping, cooking, hosting, partying, attending Christmas concerts, and celebrating with family and friends. It is a busy month, to say the least, and I love giving gifts that I know people will love and really appreciate—like a gift card to WaySpa. I love spa days and I love being a Brand Ambassador for WaySpa, because it's my job to test out different spas every month and blog about my experience. It's aways a wonderful and relaxing time, and I think that a gift card to WaySpa would make an excellent gift for everyone on your shopping list. Here are the TOP FIVE  reasons to give the gift of a WaySpa gift card this holiday season to the people on your shopping list: 1. It's a simple way to shop—just go to Wayspa.com  and with a click of a button, your gift card has been purchased. 2. You don't have to worry about wrapping your gift. Just put your gift card in a cute little box, or inside a holiday card, and y...

What's on your holiday wish list? For me, books are always the top of my list, along with candles and beauty products. I love receiving my favourite must-have products as Christmas gifts, like The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter and White Musk eau de toilette—these also make such perfect stocking stuffers! Christmas 2014 at The Body Shop is all about making wishes come true, and this year, they've put together the biggest gift selection ever —with over 75 new gifts and gift sets that are perfect for giving and gifting. But the very best part? The Body Shop has partnered with War Child , the global charity for children affected by war, to grant children the wish of education—which is the most important gift of all, along with health. With your help, The Body Shop will provide more than 6 million lessons to children in war-torn areas. For every gift you buy—no matter how big or small—The Body Shop will make a contribution that funds a class for a child. Keeping chi...

It's November, which means we can now officially start talking about and getting ready for... the holiday season! Aren't you excited? There are two times of the year I'm the happiest: summer, and Christmas. I am starting to plan my shopping lists—for myself, and for those I'm buying for this year. I always love shopping at Shoppers Drug Mart because they have a huge selection of gift ideas for my friends, family, neighbours, teachers, and anyone else on my shopping list. This year, shopping is even easier at Shoppers Drug Mart with the new gift finder which is available online. With so many fragrances, gorgeous gifts, yummy treats and the latest toys and electronics, Shoppers Drug Mart has GIFTS MADE EASY for everyone—and it's one-stop shopping—total bonus! I think I'm a smart shopper, especially for the holidays—I make my lists early, I know who I'm shopping for, I ask my kids to prepare their "must-have" lists and I even start shoppin...

Happy (almost) Valentine's Day! I hope you'll all get the chance to celebrate with the ones you love. The most important thing I love to receive on Valentine's Day are hugs and kisses from my boys, and hand-made cards. Those are the things I cherish the most, always. If you're looking for some great Valentine's Day gift ideas, check out my segment from today's CTV Ottawa Morning Live. I've got a ton of great gift ideas from Holt Renfrew and some cute stuff from Pottery Barn Kid s, too! I love the adorable Valentine's Day cards from Pottery Barn Kids, because they're great for everyone, boys and girls, of any age. Also, they are so very retro, no? So cute. My boys especially love the little mail box you can attach to the back of the chair to receive your love notes—it was so adorable! Enjoy, and Happy Valentine's Day! xoxo