Loulou's views

One of the great things about living in Ottawa is how easy it is to plan a weekend getaway somewhere that's close to home—like Mont Tremblant. Skiing is the best part about Tremblant in the winter, but there are countless things to do in the summer months, too: golfing, cycling, go-karting, horseback riding, rock climbing, hiking, tennis, swimming, zip-lining, gondola rides, sailing, canoeing, shopping, fine dining, and lake cruises on the water. (And if you love driving, you have to check out the Circuit Mont Tremblant , because it's considered one of the finest racing circuits in North America). Summer in Tremblant is full of amazing festivals, sporting events, and music shows. The 24th edition of the International Blues Festival of Tremblant is taking place July 8th to 16th, and this popular event is perfect for music lovers who love R&B, blues, country, and folk music. This year's lineup is great, and most shows are free and open to the public,...

I love exploring new places near my city. I was a little familiar with Manotick, but I didn't know just how much this village had to offer. Manotick–Objibway for "Island in the River"–is a quaint little village 20 minutes from downtown Ottawa, and less, if you live in Ottawa's south end. There is so much to discover in Manotick, including Watson's Mill, an 1860's grist and flour mill on the Rideau River. This working industrial heritage site is a wonderful place to visit with the family, where you can watch weekly flour grinds on Sunday's, and leave with a bag or two of fresh flour. You can also head to the Watson's Mill Manotick Spring Craft Market taking place May 18th-19th , the perfect time to enjoy all spring has to offer while shopping unique items from local businesses. There are over 125 unique and locally-owned shops in Manotick, restaurants that are some of the best in and around the Ottawa area, street front cafes, and plenty of ...

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. Now that the new year has started, it's time to get serious about sticking to those resolutions. This year, it's all about eating right, getting your beauty sleep, working out, and taking care of your skin. Here are some tips on how you can be your best self in 2018: Eat Right We all want to eat healthy. I know no one is counting calories in December, but now that January is here, it's time to get back to eating smart. As someone who is always on the go with two busy kids, this is an area I struggle with. Working downtown can make choosing a healthy lunch difficult, but luckily I work close to  Mad Radish. This Ottawa-based restaurant has great plant-based options to make healthy eating simple, delicious, and nutritious. My favourite is their Smoky Caesar salad–with a twist. This salad includes romaine and kale, garlic-marinated chickpeas, and broccoli. Instead of parmesan cheese, it's topped with ...

As a beauty product addict, I've always been a lover of Cake Beauty . This Canadian beauty company has been delivering naturally luxe and cruelty-free products for the hair and body since 2003.  Cake recently came out with an absolutely delicious Dry Styling Hair Collection and although I've tried many different dry shampoos, nothing delivers like Cake does. Also? Nothing smells more delicious.  Here's why I'm loving the Cake Dry Styling Hair Collection: Naturally Luxe: Each product is filled with high-performing natural ingredients, leaving you with truly flawless and fabulous looking hair that's not caked (pardon the pun) with harsh chemicals.  Cruelty Free and Vegan: Here's something we can all agree on: products that aren't tested on animals are the products we should be buying. Cake Beauty believes in "beauty without bunnies" and that's why they never test their products on animals or use any animal-derived ingredients...

Taking care of our skin is really important, and now that winter is over, it's time to get our skin ready for spring and summer. I'm a huge believer in taking preventative measures to help fight skin damage, and to keep our skin looking youthful and healthy.  I was recently introduced to  SkinCeuticals , one of the most trusted names in skin care. These products are amazing . Changing up your beauty routine with each changing seasons is a great idea, and when you find products you love... keep using them! I was introduced to SkinCeuticals when I reviewed Gee Beauty in Bal Harbour . Here are the products I received and love using every day: Serum 10  This serum is ideal for sensitive skin and works quickly to restore healthy looking skin, Serum 10 AOX+ neutralizes free radicals, defends against environmental damage, and helps fight the appearance of aging. Here's the best part: once absorbed into your skin, this serum can't be washed off; it continues w...

Okay, you guys... spring has arrived and I am so excited. My children are, too, and we're already back to our usual routine of taking a long walk after dinner around the neighbourhood with a stop at our favourite park. Soon the weather will be nice enough to wear flip flops, play basketball in the street, and go for frozen yogurt after school. I love everything about spring and summer—even the process of getting ready for the new season, like making room in my closet for new dresses and shoes, buying new make-up, and taking care of my hair that gets oh-so-damaged and dry during the winter months. I wear a lot of hats (literally and figuratively) and as much as I love the look of a nice winter hat, I'd much rather be rocking an oversized sun hat on the beach, or letting my hair flow free in the wind as I drive with the windows down. Okay, time to get spring ready. First step?  Some TLC for my hair. Pantene to the rescue—again. Seriously, take it from someone who has gone t...

It's mid-February and that means we're in the middle of awards season. It's always fun getting ready to head out onto the red carpet, and... wait. I mean, it's alway fun to imagine we're rocking the red carpet and being interviewed about what designer we're wearing. Even if we're not on the red carpet, we can easily achieve a red carpet look effortlessly at home. Without a team of hair stylists, and make-up artists, even. The secret? COVERGIRL and Pantene.  Here are some tips on how you can achieve a truly glamorous look for a night out, even if it's not on the red carpet. Once you've got your outfit planned (little black dress and a killer pair of heels, or a cute top and jeans always works!) try these beauty tips to make yourself simply gorgeous: Ace that bace: Want glowing skin? Start with a base. Moisturize, every day, and every night. (And I don't want to hear any excuses for not washing your make-up off before bed! None!) Af...