Pack It Up, Pack It In

We've always been vocal of our love of Skip Hop, maker of fun, whimsical baby and kids' products for the nursery, feeding, bath time, and parents' on-the-go needs. Their ZOO Packs are no exception — these kids' backpacks are made of durable materials and has enough space to hold all of your preschooler's supplies for a busy day at school. A mesh side pocket adjusts to fit a juice box, sippy cup or water bottle and a front pouch is ideal for snacks. Comfy padded straps ensure that little shoulders don't get strained. There are currently 16 zoo characters (ladybug, elephant, giraffe, panda, and more) to choose from, so you're sure to find one that'll be a favourite for your kiddo.

$24.95 at chapters.indigo.ca

#thatPOWER will.i.am feat. Justin Bieber

We're not the biggest Biebs fan, but we can't help liking this upbeat will.i.am track featuring the Canadian teen idol. What can we say? It gets us pumped for the weekend!


Have a great weekend, ladies, and see you on Monday!

Gals We Admire: Bronwyn Kienapple

Freelance writer Bronwyn Kienapple lets us in on her exciting life of a "deliberately loose schedule" (after years of working 9-to-5). The former Torontonian is able to do her job in other parts of the world (fun!) and we love her refreshing honesty about why she's glad she works for herself ( I can’t stand corporate psycho-babble and kissing butt/soothing hurt egos. The only ego I want to stroke is my own, which is gigantic and all-consuming.) Well put, Bronwyn!

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#funnystuff

Our fave late night talk show host Jimmy Fallon and singing sensation Justin Timberlake crack us up with this funny skit demonstrating what Twitter-speak would be like in the real world. So, if the singing, acting, fashion label thing doesn't work out for JT, it looks like he'll be more than welcome as Fallon's sidekick.

Words NOT to Put on Your Résumé

In What should I delete from my resume? (Backbone Magazine, February 25, 2013), Peter Wolchak reported on the results of a recent survey done by staffing services company OfficeTeam where 1,300 senior managers in the United States and Canada were asked, "What is the most overused or meaningless phrase you see on résumés?" Here are four phrases managers are getting sick of seeing on a potential candidate's CV: highly qualified, team player, self starter and flexible.

Click here to read the entire article or copy and paste this link into your Web browser to get tips on how to produce a quality résumé that will get you noticed:

http://www.backbonemag.com/Magazine/2013-03/what-should-i-delete-from-my-resume.aspx

Rockin' that Flushed Look

Of course the quality of the ingredients that goes into the makeup is important, but we love pretty packaging, too. Benefit Cosmetics is definitely the best of both worlds with their high quality products and ever-ingenious, signature quirky packaging design. Our latest have from the San Francisco-based cosmetics company is the new Rockateur, a rose gold cheek powder complete with its own angled application blush, all housed in a lovely, luxe gold box. A couple of quick sweeps of this soft yet sexy powder across the cheeks is all that's needed for a beautiful glow.

$36 at sephora.ca

Work B*tch - Britney Spears

Is it just us, or does Britney Spears' latest single seem tame compared to Miley Cyrus' recent antics at the MTV Video Music Awards and the crying-out-for-attention Wrecking Ball video? In any event, we're really liking the original teen pop queen's sound on this high energy track.

Have a great weekend, ladies, and see you on Monday!

Gals We Admire: Aleksandra Oleksak

Toronto real estate agent Aleksandra Oleksak  says there's hardly a typical workday for her, and considering the current state of the housing market, we certainly believe her. The social media savvy Olekshak also considers negotiation one of her favourite parts of the job. "It allows another side of my personality to come out and really gives me an adreline rush." Find out more about this career gal who has incredible passion for what she does.

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Give Up Your Wants

Here's an interesting challenge put forth by Gail Vaz-Oxlade, personal finance guru, author, and host of popular Slice TV shows Til Debt Do Us Part, Princess, and Money Moron. In Keeping our sense of entitlement in check (The Money Sense, September 10, 2013), Vaz-Oxlade asks, "If you had to pick one day of the week on which you will buy nothing, how hard would that be for you? How much planning would it take? How entitled are you to have everything you want when you want it?". These are some hard questions for many of us to answer, and even harder challenge to take up, particularly if we are used to buying anything we want, whenever we want, financial means be damned.

So, whether it's a big-ticket item (that coveted new iPhone) or a smaller impulse purchase (a chocolate bar at the convenience store), this challenge will put into perspective what you need and what you want. Up for the challenge? Try it for one month — you may just be surprised with your willpower, not to mention pleased with the noticeable amount of moolah saved.

Click here to read the entire article or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:

http://www.moneysense.ca/spend/keeping-our-sense-of-entitlement-in-check

Mother Nature in a Bag

There's no better way to start the work day (or any day) than with a healthy and delicious breakfast. One of our have breakfast choices, granola with yogourt and fresh fruit, just got even tastier. Montreal-based La Fourmi Bionique are the "producers of granola with distinctive personality". They bake granola using local organic oats and then add orange petals, elderberries, currants, and other delicious botanics. And with names for their mixes such as Euphoric (granola with crunchy hazlenut praline, milk chocolate and natural marshmallow), Divine (granola with macadamia nuts, white chocolate pieces, and black elderberries), how could you possibly resist giving them a try? Our fave, the Aphrodisiac mix, has granola roasted with golden Quebec honey mixed with dark chocolate, roasted almonds, currants, and Siberian ginseng. The company also produces granola bars and fruit and medley mixes, so there's sure to be a granola snack to please everyone's tastebuds.

$5.50 (300g) and $12.50 (925g)

Order in bulk from lafourmibionique.com/shop or visit the site's store locator to find your nearest retailer

Roar - Katy Perry

Latest single from gurl-power pop star Katy Perry gets us fired up to speak our minds and show off the strong, confident women we are.

Have a great weekend, ladies, and see you on Monday!

Gals We Admire: Virginia Champoux

If you live in Montreal, you're likely familiar with Mortimer Snodgrass, a fun and funky gift and novelty store. Not in Montreal? No worries, they've got a website with online shipping, too. Find out more about Virginia Champoux, co-founder of "The Snod"and what goes behind running a successful business.

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First-Time Homebuyer's Checklist

About to become a homeowner for the first time?  Check out this video by Aleksandra Oleksak, a Toronto-based real estate agent and founder of Realty Queen TO, for a checklist on what you need to do to ensure a smooth, stress-free closing: 

The video is the first instalment in Oleksak's series You Bought a House, Now What? Check out the entire series on Realty Queen TO's YouTube channel.

Noshing at the Office

Are you guilty of being a lady who lunches at her desk? Not only is this a practice that doesn't coincide with good work/life balance, you may actually be peeving off your neighbouring colleagues while chowing down on Pad Thai takeout or your re-heated leftovers from last night's dinner. In The rules of office lunch etiquette (you’re probably breaking one right now) (The Globe and Mail's Hot Button Blog, July 8, 2013), Amber Daugherty blogs about etiquette expert and author Mary Mitchell's advice for proper workplace kitchen and eating manners. 

It seems like a recurring problem that happens in every workplace, so take the advice to heart and be a considerate office gourmand. 

Click here to read the entire post or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/the-rules-of-office-lunch-etiquette-youre-probably-breaking-one-right-now/article13068412

Game On

Sometimes, there's no better way to de-stress than to get together with friends for a game night. One of our favourite board games is R& R Games' Ticked OFF! This fun game lets you show off your smarts on ordinary and easy topics such as "things people paint". Sounds simple enough, right?  But hang on a minute! A mystery category is thrown in where everyone has to write down as many items from either category before time runs out. Play until you've either ticked off all of your friends with your vast knowledge of all things trivial, or you've won the game, upon which you can then tick off your gaming accomplishments.

$24.95 USD at rnrgames.com

Hold On We're Going Home - Drake

Canadian rapper and R&B sensation Drake's newest song is the one we're loving the most on the airwaves right now. And yay! It's Friday, which means you're going home and not heading back to the office 'til Monday.

Have a great weekend, ladies, and see you on Monday!

Gals We Admire: Stephanie Holmes-Winton

She didn't become a veterinarian like she had wanted to be as a child, but in spite of that, Stephanie Holmes-Winton, CEO and founder of The Money Finder website, seems to have found a job that makes her doggone happy.

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Skip the Prepaid Credit Cards

In Beware of fees with prepaid credit cards (Toronto Star, August 12, 2013) personal finance columnist and Boomer & Echo blogger Robb Engen offers some sage advice about prepaid cards. Though they may be ideal for post-secondary students, prepaid cards come with hidden fees (such as activation fees, monthly service fees, ATM fees and transactions fees) that aren’t apparent unless you carefully read the fine print.

So, before obtaining one of these cards for your kid or a niece or nephew who may be headed off to university, be sure to do the research. Or better yet, Engen suggests buying regular store gift cards to chains such as Loblaws or Sobeys (i.e., cards that don't have additional fees or expiry dates).

Click here to read the entire article or copy and paste this link into your Web browser:

http://www.thestar.com/business/personal_finance/2013/08/12/visa_mastercard_american_express_offer_prepaid_cards_but_beware_of_fees.html#

Pouch with Personality

Though we live in an age of tech gadgets, kids will always have a need for pencil cases. Send them back to school this season with this fun ZipIt Monster Pouch, a cool-looking case that has eyes and teeth. Made of one long zipper and with a zany look, it's guaranteed to be a hit with the grade school crowd, and maybe high school kids, too.

$9.95 at chapters.indigo.ca