Loulou's views

Fall—my second favourite season, after summer. If we had only two seasons, those are the two I'd pick. Now that we've put away the sundresses and flip flops (okay, maybe not the flip flops, yet... ) it's time to change your beauty routine, too, and keep it simple and effortless with new products from P&G. I was on CTV Ottawa Morning Live talking about some great new beauty products from P&G that are perfect for fall—products that deliver long lasting, great results, and that are totally affordable, too. Here are my favourite new P&G products for fall: New Pantene Expert Dry Defy Collection: I love this shampoo and conditioner because it's really helped my majorly damaged hair. After an entire summer swimming in the sea and pools, my hair was totally dry and prone to frizziness, plus, it was a bit dull. After just one use of the Pantene Dry Defy Shampoo and Conditioner, my hair was smoother, (yay!) softer, (yay!) and much more manageable. ...

I love to travel, and I especially love opportunities to review luxurious hotels  in cities I love. This past weekend, my family and I were invited to spend the weekend in Toronto so I could review the beautiful SoHo Metropolitan Hotel —a 92 room, ultra-luxury hotel in the city's Entertainment District. The SoHo Met is a close walk to Ripley's Aquarium , the ACC, CN Tower, and Rogers Centre—the perfect location for anyone wanting to be in the centre of all the action. (I'll be back for part two of my review next week—an adults only stay!) Our second floor room had floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views of downtown Toronto, a separate dressing area with oversized closet, (heaven!) and smart technology, including remote controlled lighting, and motorized draperies. The 10,000 square-foot fitness centre with lap pool was also on the second floor—and the large swimming pool was put to good use. My boys loved it! The beautiful marble bathroom had Frett...

We did it—we survived the first week back to school! I think this calls for a celebration of sorts, don't you? I love to surprise my kids after school sometimes by taking them to one of their favourite restaurants to eat. Boston Pizza is one place we love visiting—especially because the pizza is delicious! Right now kids can even eat free, because Boston Pizza has once again launched its annual Kids Card campaign which raises money for Boston Pizza Foundation Future Prospects, which is committed to helping kids achieve their full potential through role models and mentorship. (Boston Pizza Future Prospects partners include Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Kids Help Phone, Live Different, JDRF and The Rick Hansen Foundation.) Boston Pizza Kids Cards are a great deal for families—a minimum donation of $5 gets you five free Kids Meals valued at $35. (Isn't that great?) All donations support kids across the country by helping them access role models and mentors. Boston Pizza is als...

It's time to face reality—summer is (pretty much) over. I know, right? Wasn't it just yesterday I was writing about summer and how much I loved living again? After months of carefree living in nothing more than flip flops and little dresses, it's time to start thinking about fall clothes and make-up. Thanks summer, for being awesome—from BBQ's to concerts to pool parties and a trip to Greece, it was amazing. But now, I have some shopping to do! (I love September, and not just because it's my birthday month.) Boots, sweaters,  jeans, and some new make-up will help you bring your fall look together. Fall is the perfect time to experiment with new beauty products, trying on different shades, and doing something a little different with your hair, or even just giving your hair some much needed  love—after all, if you spent all summer in the sea and in pools, your hair is probably damaged. It's easy to keep your daily beauty routine simple enough so that you ...

I've been a car girl my entire life. My dad has always worked in the car business, owning dealerships and selling cars, so I fell in love with cars at a young age. Although I've been pretty faithful to one brand of car, I love learning about and test-driving other cars, to see what else is out there for me—a car I can have fun with, a car that puts safety and performance first, a car that has enough room for my kids to sit comfortably in, and a car with ample trunk space. I'm also looking for a car that's economical and fuel-efficient. In addition, when I'm test-driving a new car, it has to be fun for me to drive. It doesn't take long for me to fall in love with a car once I'm behind the wheel. I was invited to Mazda Canada's Soul of Motion event, where I had the chance to drive several of their 2016 vehicles on a closed course. The event was fully catered, but I was more excited about the cars than the food—especially excited to get behind the wh...

Summer is pretty much over, even though we've had some incredibly hot days in September. (Which I'm not complaining about—I wish we had this weather year-round.) Summer was all about being outdoors and being active. My boys enjoyed two week of all-day tennis camp, and we swam pretty much every single day this summer, including one month of swimming in the sea (and pools at our hotels) in Greece. Besides swimming and tennis, we stayed active by taking long walks after dinner, bike rides, and playing soccer. Now that the weather will inevitably turn colder, I don't want to stop our routine of staying fit and active. Here are three ways to keep on moving as the days get colder: 1. Layer up, baby! Sure, it's suddenly chilly outside, and you'd much rather sit on the couch with your favourite book or head to Starbucks for a latte, but once you start moving, you'll feel warm in no time. Also, this gives you the excuse to go shopping for a cute new scarf and je...

I have vivid memories of my childhood, and most of those memories involve me having fun in the great outdoors. Skiing, skating, swimming, dancing—I was very active and always on the go. From countless hours playing at the park, to building forts in the snow, I only went indoors to eat and sleep. I remember building a space ship to take my friend and I to the moon, and I remember long bike rides on summer afternoons. We didn't need to text each other to know where to meet, and we made our own fun, wherever we were. Being outside, getting dirty, and being one with nature—it's the most natural part of childhood, and it seems lately that this generation is forgetting that. As much as I love technology, (and I'm the first to admit I'm addicted to my iPhone) it's taking up a big chunk of time for young children who would be far better off playing outside. Nature Valley asked three generations one simple question: What did you do for fun as a kid? Watching th...

It honestly feels like it was just yesterday I was picking the kids up on their last day of school, holding back tears over the fact that another year had come to an end, and where does the time go? (Also, tears of fear, because gosh, summer is L-O-N-G, even when it includes two weeks of tennis camp and a four week vacation to Greece.) Well, guess what? In a few days, kids are heading back to school for another year. As much as I'll miss having my two boys around me all day, I know we're all looking forward to routine again. And hey, some free time for me to work and uh... shop will be just lovely. When it comes to back-to-school shopping, I get really excited. I've always loved shopping for essential school supplies, like backpacks, lunch containers, and anything that'll help keep me—and the kids—organized. I was on CTV Morning Live talking about some great back-to-school products—here are some of my favourites: Net Nanny: Net Nanny is something all parent...

I'm home after a four week vacation in Greece. We spent last summer in Greece and had such a great time , we had to go back. The tales of traveling to our destination (a ten hour airplane ride with 11 people including a three month old baby) is an adventure in itself, but I want to talk about the beauty of Greece—the history, the culture, and the food. These are the reasons tourists flock to Greece every summer, and always come back—the lifestyle and beauty of this European country can't be beat, despite the economic uncertainly and questions of what's next for Greece and the European Union. For the record, I didn't notice a single thing out of sorts in Greece—no line-ups at the bank machines, and no shortage of food or hospitality by the local people. Just one look at this country will take your breath away. There are sunsets and then there are the sunsets of Greece, which are mesmerizing no matter where you are.  The sea, the mountains, the culture—travel perfe...

It took at least four trips with the car to drop off all my bags of clothes, shoes, boots, and household items I no longer needed—and it took much longer for me to be convinced that I could (and should) let go of the items that were just gathering dust in my basement. I spent an entire day with my mom and a friend going through boxes of old clothes I was sure I'd wear again, (which of course, I wouldn't) and putting clothes my children had outgrown into bags. (Sniff, sniff...) I love doing what I can to give back, and going through items in my home to donate to worthwhile charities like Goodwill is an easy way to do that. I also went through my closet to make room for new items I bought for summer. I always do a closet re-org at the start of each season; I go through all my clothes and give away what I know I won't be wearing again. This way, my closet has some breathing room and gives me the perfect excuse to go shopping! GLAD Canada is teaming up with Goodwill in ...