It's July, it's summer and we can finally get out without being bundled up in several layers of clothing. As we try on the clothes from summers past we realize, damn... These don't fit anymore. Instead of going and feeling sorry, there is a lot of stuff you can do to enjoy some summer fun and get into shape. 

How about this? 

- Instead of driving to the store, try walking or taking your bike. Not only does it give you a goal, but is good on the environment. 

- Call up a friend to play tennis.

- Gather up a group and play a sport. Nothing like a good game of baseball, soccer or even volleyball to get you motivated and have an excuse to catch up with old friends. 

- Have a healthy, fresh food BBQ 

- Take the dog for a longer then usual walk. Not only will your furry friend enjoy it, but so will you. 

How do you keep active in the summer? 

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We spend all year waiting for it, and it's finally here... Summer. 

There's so many things to do in Toronto and only a couple months of summer to enjoy. So how do you make the most of your summer? Here's a couple things you will want to check out. 

- Listen to a concert at the outdoor Molson Amphitheatre 

- Take a boat ride to the Toronto Islands

- Take a stroll along the Harbourfront 

- Check out a game at the Rogers Centre (on nice days, the dome is fully open) 

- Enjoy a street festival (and there are many!) 

- Have a dog? Check out Woofstock

- Bike or rollerblade along the beaches 

- Have drinks on a patio downtown 

- Take in the Honda Indy

What do you do to enjoy the Toronto summer? Comment below and let's all make the best of this summer! :) 

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Happy doggies everywhere, people chatting, vendors at every corner and shows that entertain... Must be Woofstock.

Took the Whiskey to Woofstock today and he had a blast! Tons of vendors everywhere, freebies (you know how much I love freebies), dogs everywhere to meet. For a puppy this is huge! I loved the #purina experience, was really well put together. Loved the free goodies and toys, and everyone was so nice to Whiskey! #Petsmart was also giving out doggie ice cream with kibble sprinkles...too cute! Plus they had nice goodie bags. There was also a doggie fountain where all the dogs could splash around and get wet. Was great on a hot day! 

The highlight of the day though would of when we ran into one of his litter mates from the rescue, his sister!! Same rescue, litter, everything. Seeing them recognize each other was amazing! Immediately they knew and just jumped into playing. We all exchanged info and planning on doing some puppy time together two they keep in touch... And in a greater twist, turns out the puppy mom is actually one of my cousins best friends...small world! Looking forward to keeping in touch. 

When we got home from Woofstock, Whiskey had tons of goodies to go through he was actually overwhelmed. Now he's sleeping happily and just reflecting on a great day. 

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Such a big world, and such little time!

There's so many places in this world to check out its hard to figure out where to start. So how do you start to narrow down a destination? Here's a couple things to think about:

- What type of trip am I looking for? Do you want to lounge in the sun, climb mountains or check out historic sites?

- What's your budget? Determine a range of how much you're looking to spend, as that can effect whether you do a road trip or a trip to Bali.

- When are you going? A destination can be less desirable in rainy reason or hurricane season.

- Is it in my comfort zone? Some places might look amazing on paper, but might not be the safest or tourist friendly. For more information, you can check out the government travel advisory sites:

Canada: http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories
U.S.A: http://travel.state.gov/
England: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
Australia: http://smartraveller.gov.au/

These are just a couple of the things I think about. What do you think about when deciding where to vacation? Please comment below!

Happy Travelling!

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Went to TBEX today for the first time and learned a lot! 

Started with a session about Blogging, branding and dollars. Gave me a lot of insight into more ways to maybe get a few bucks from my blog, other then advertising. My eyes are wide open now. Any freebies send them my way? I love samples. 

Then checked out one about Facebook Contests and how to basically set one up easily on Facebook. I learned that Canadian legal around contests and privacy is a lot stricter then it is in the US. Great for the average Canadian, but maybe I need to read up a little more on this whole legal thing... 

Lunch was included = happy Christine 

Lastly checked out a session about twitter chat sessions...I never realized the potential of those until today...hmmmm who wants to twitter chat about travel? Anyone? 

Great session, lots of info, good times....tonight is definitely going to be a spinning my wheels on new ideas kinda night. 

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It's been a busy week and i'm very happy to announce that there is a new addition to the family... a puppy! As some of you may know, I lost my dog in November to a brain lesion. It was a hard time and a heart breaking experience, as anyone who has a lost a pet can understand. Its like losing a member of your family. It took me awhile to even think about another dog, and at the same time missed the companionship and unconditional love a dog brings.

And that is where Whiskey comes in.. I found him through a petfinder.com rescue. He is a beautiful 8 week old German Sheppard/ Lab mix rescue pup who just stole my heart. Some people pick your dog, but I think the dog picks you as well and that's what he did. We had a bond from the moment we met. And as I sit on my couch, with my little Whiskey beside me, he puts a smile on my face. Looking forward to a summer of new learnings and good times together. Welcome to the family Whiskey!

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The Gateway to Machu Picchu

If you are heading to Machu Picchu, chances are you will pass through Aqua Calientes. We stayed in this tourist town for a couple days, as we checked out the Machu Picchu Area. Its a vibrant city with lots of restaurants, stores and touristy things to do, plus the train station is right there so you can get to Sacred Valley, Cusco and Machu Picchu all from the same area.

The hotel we stayed at Taypikala was beautiful. Located on the top of the hill, you get a great view of the mountains and Aqua Calientes. The service was excellent, location great and the staff friendly. We weren't as happy with our room, and they upgraded us for free for no extra charge! They were even nice enough to give us food to take on our day trip to Machu Picchu. Very friendly and thoughtful staff.

You will find a lot to do in this city, especially when it comes to restaurants, tours and grabbing drinks. The area near the train station is really nice, a great view of the river and the mountains. Absolutely stunning. 

Tip: 

- When grabbing food in Aqua Calientes, be mindful of all the deals they offer you. Everywhere you will find 3 course meals for 15/20 soles. However sometimes the portions aren't what you expect and they will throw in a servico charge which is basically a high tip. You pretty much have to negotiate your meals. You will find that a lot on the main hill (which we nicknamed harassment hill based in being constantly harassed to come in to basically every restaurant).   

- prices fluctuate here so sometimes it's worth taking a bit of a walk around to find the best price on items 

- don't buy from the market here. It's way more expensive then the Pisac and cusco ones, which have the same things for one third the price. 

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