Loulou's views

The holiday season is upon us and that means it's time for all thing festive--like shopping for everyone on your list!  This year, I tried to keep my shopping local so I could help support businesses in Ottawa that have struggled during the pandemic with numerous lockdowns. I was on Daytime Ottawa to talk about some great gift ideas from local  businesses, and you can watch the entire segment here to get some great ideas for shopping local this season.  Here are some great shopping ideas for those on your list this season: Beauty Check out Blush and Rose Beauty Bar, where you can pick up a gift card for a facial, pedicure, or manicure. This new salon in Ottawa's south end is so cute, and the service is excellent. I was lucky to enjoy a pedicure over the holidays, complete a glass of bubbly. You can also stock up on great Aveda products, candles, beauty essentials, and more.  In need of a massage? Check out Innes Massage Therapy in Ottawa's east end for excell...

One of my favourite things about the holiday season is the shopping. I love giving back to local charities and organizations, like CHEO and The Shoebox Project, and I enjoy buying presents for my family (especially my boys!) and my friends. December is the busiest month of all, with work, social events, and hosting parties, so I try to plan ahead as much as I can, and check things off my to-do list daily.  Here are my holiday shopping tips and some great gift ideas to help you get through this hectic season with ease: One-Stop Shopping I can spend countless hours in Chapters-Indigo with my children selecting new books to add to our 'to-read' pile. Chapters-Indigo is the best one-stop shop for holiday gifts, too. They have something for everyone on your list, including technology, like Beats Solo 3 Wireless Headphones, to home decor, journals, toys, accessories, and stylish items like purses, scarves, and hats. Whether you're shopping in-store or online at indi...

Are you feeling festive yet? I love everything about the holiday season, you guys. From decking the halls to baking cookies (no matter how terrible I am at that!) to attending and hosting Christmas parties, it's truly the most wonderful time of the year. What I love most about this season, though, is shopping for the perfect gift for everyone on my list—especially when shopping is made easy. I just discovered the best way to shop for the holidays: through the Aeroplan eStore!  It's shopping made easy because I can shop online from more than 170 stores, while earning Aeroplan Miles. Earning extra Aeroplan Miles means I'm one step closer to booking my next vacation, so it's kind of like giving myself a present, too, because all I want to do after the holiday season is over is get on a plane and head somewhere warm. If you're not an Aeroplan member, you can join here . Aeroplan has a special 12 Days of Gifting shopping event coming up, too, and this is really...

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...

If you're still looking for the perfect gift to give this holiday season, you should consider giving something unique, something designed in Canada, something practical, and something timeless—like a new watch from Medium Watch Co. What is Medium Watch Co.? "We are a collaboration of designers, innovators, entrepreneurs, athletes and artists that appreciate the details. We value the tools of our trade and the accessories that define us. Through careful craftsmanship and customization of the products that we choose, we are making a statement about who we are." I recently received a gorgeous watch from Medium Watch Co . and love the sleek design and the choice of watches that are available for men and women. I had a hard time choosing which watch I wanted, but went with the black and rose gold mesh watch . It's perfect and I wear it almost every day. I love that Medium Watch Co. is designed in Canada and customized worldwide. Medium Watch Co. focuses on c...

The holidays are upon us, and while we're busy decorating the house, baking cookies, and feeling festive, it's also a time to remember that there will be many who won't be celebrating the holiday season from the comfort of their home. Every year, thousands of children and families find themselves spending the holiday season in the hospital. I know from experience—having spent time in our children's hospital with my oldest son—how important it is to keep children entertained and feeling happy while they're sick and not at home. Sometimes, something as simple as a new toy or game can help brighten a child's day while they're in the hospital, giving them the power to imagine a better tomorrow.  Since it is the season of giving, Duracell believes in powering the imagination of sick children by helping ensure kids can still be kids, and enjoy the magic of the season despite their illness that's keeping them away from home. For the 10th year in a row, D...

Tis' the season for shopping and finding the perfect gifts for the people on your list. I love giving people gifts that are practical and stylish, like designer sunglasses. I can't get enough of my designer shades, and I wear mine practically every day. Sometimes, shopping for sunglasses can be an overwhelming experience, but shopping for your designer shades online at SmartBuyGlasses.ca is a simple, straightforward process. Whether you're looking for Gucci, Bolle, Ray-Ban, Fendi, Boss, Valentino, Tom Ford, Michael Kors or Kate Spade, SmartBuyGlasses.ca has it all. You can search by brand, and price point, and voila—you're sure to find the perfect pair for yourself... or the perfect pair to gift. I've been lucky to partner with SmartBuyGlasses.ca several times, and I'm never disappointed in the products I receive. SmartBuyGlasses.ca is dedicated to providing customers with the largest range of designer sunglasses, prescription eyewear, contact lenses, ...

Now that November is here, it's time to start planning for the holiday season. (Yes, already!) The busiest time of the year has just begun—decorating the house, attending Christmas plays and concerts, enjoying and hosting parties, baking, and, of course, shopping for the perfect outfit with just the right amount of sparkle—all while enjoying hot chocolate by the fireplace, watching Elf. Indeed, it is the most wonderful time of the year. Although I always plan my holiday shopping early so I'm not panicking on December 24th, I sometimes forget to buy certain things, like items for the stockings. Yikes! I try to put traditional items in each stocking, like chocolate, candy canes, games and small toys. This year I'll be putting a Super Mario Bros Kids spin toothbrush in each child's stocking, so they're reminded about the importance of brushing their teeth twice a day—especially during the holiday season when they're consuming way too many sweets! I als...

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...

How are you handling this bitter cold? Sadly, this crazy minus 40 temperature plus insane wind plus crazy amounts of snow is just another typical day in January, if you live in Canada. And somehow, after 36 years of living here, I am still not used to it. I am definitely over the ridiculous, bitter cold, and I'm looking forward to spring, warmer days, and little dresses... no more layers! Winter has been completely brutal this year, and I'm counting down the days until we go away. In all the craziness of December, I forgot to share with you my gift wrapping segment on CTV Ottawa Morning Live. Although the holidays are behind us, gifts need wrapping all year, so here are some unique gift wrapping tips for you , so the next time you have to give a gift to someone, it'll look amazing! One day, maybe I'll turn my love for shopping and gift wrapping into something more... but for now, here you go!   Thanks for having me on again, CTV Ottawa, and thanks...

The Christmas countdown is on! The school concerts and holiday events are over, and although I'm mostly ready, there are still a few last-minute gifts I have to pick up, presents to wrap, cookies to bake, and parties to attend. Yes, this is what I'd call one very busy week... but I'm not complaining at all! Here are a couple of great last-minute gift ideas for the children on your list: LeapPad Ultra: A few months ago, I was sent to Toronto to attend a LeapFrog event at Harbinger's head office with Amber Mac. We got to preview a whole bunch of awesome LeapFrog toys for kids of all ages. A hot item that a lot of children will find under their Christmas tree this year? The LeapPad Ultra . This is a great tablet designed for kids aged four to seven. The LeapPad Ultra is totally kid-appropriate, and kid-tough. You can drop this tablet a hundred times, and nothing will happen to it! It features a kid-safe web browser that parents can trust, and works w...

I haven't really started Christmas shopping for my children yet, (or for anyone else, for that matter!) but there are a few stores I know I'll be hitting to get all that I need—like Mastermind Toys. I'm a pretty efficient shopper, and I'm one of those people who actually enjoys shopping even on December 24th. 'Tis the season, after all! As children get older (my boys are eight and almost six years old) their likes and wants change, making it a bit more challenging to shop for them. However, I love challenges, and I love finding perfect gifts for the two most deserving people in my life—my children. My eight year old loves Minecraft. A lot. He also loves science and chemistry, and anything to do with the Elements. He's also reading "real" books now—novels—which makes me incredibly happy, so checking things off his list is not too hard. My almost six year old loves music and movies. He's a character, this child of mine! His new interest is geo...

A couple of years ago, I was introduced to a cool shopping app called ShopWise . After testing it out, I hosted a fun event with Yellow Pages Group and ShopWise at the Pantages Hotel in Toronto so I could talk about how practical and easy-to-use an app it was. What can I say? I love to talk about shopping, and I love spreading the word about shopping news I know others will appreciate, especially this time of year when we're trying to save money with all the holiday shopping we have to do. If you're not familiar with ShopWise, you should be. ShopWise (by Yellow Pages Group) is an app that offers Canadians a better, smarter way to shop. It's basically the most important shopping app ever if you're looking for great deals and want to do some comparison shopping before you even leave the house. With the holidays around the corner, who wants to waste time driving from store to store to find the best price when you can find out all the deals with the click of a button...

Last week I was on CTV Ottawa Morning Live talking about a fabulous Canadian online shop, Minitrade.ca . Minitrade.ca  is guaranteed to help you save money when shopping for your children. We all know how quickly children outgrow their clothes, so it's not always the best idea to splurge on things like jeans and coats for the kids. Minitrade.ca is the perfect solution if you're looking to de-clutter your children's rooms, too—hop onto Minitrade.ca, fill out your information, and the company will send you a bag. You fill the bag with items your children don't wear anymore, and ship it back to them—for free! Then, you'll get "credits" so you can shop new or gently used clothes for your little ones. How fabulous is that? Here's my segment on CTV for all the details on Minitrade.ca —yes, I get very enthusiastic when I talk about shopping, especially when it's about a company as unique and easy-to-use as Minitrade.ca. Happy Shopping!

Tis' the season for spending, my friends. For me, it's so hard to stay within a reasonable budget during the holidays. After all, I have children with lists and a big family to shop for. Not to mention all the new decorations and wrapping paper I need! And the stamps, and the Bailey's and a new sparkly outfit and ..well, you get the idea. December is brutal on my wallet, and every year I try to think of ways to save money so I'm not weeping into my credit card bill come January. I mean, I'll already be dealing with a case of the winter blues, so I don't need "I need to sell my house because I spent too much money in December!" as something else to be blue about, right? Mobilicity recently conducted a survey about holiday shopping, and results showed that 58% of Canadians say they spend more than they should during the holidays. 59% (that would be me!) say they make impulse purchases which of course leads to feelings of guilt and a bad case of H...